1 comments about Weird Thoughts that Just May Be True.

1. As the author I'd like to point out some things about this book. First, the title hits the nail right on the head. This is a collection of essays on issues as important as nuclear war and as frivolous as Adolph Hitler's farting problem. There are over a hundred essays and they cover the full spectrum of topics.

   Second, for the most part they are written with a comical slant and tongue in cheek. There are some serious essays here, but I don't take myself seriously and neither should you.

   In short, if you buy this book you will get some unique and humorous perspectives on a broad array of topics, which will assuredly change the way you look at the world. Hopefully, you get a bunch of chuckles in the process :-)

   Enjoy!

   Michael Matthew Oelke

No comments about Aprendiendo a Caer (Coleccion Espiritualidad (Barcelona, Spain).).

No comments about My Life Unraveled.

4 comments about Angels In Italy.

1. I have only known 2 women with breast cancer - one died and one survived. My friend that died tried to talk to me and she did show me her mastectomy scars but I was too young (22) and naive to really pay attention. The friend that survived hid a lot from me as she was having a very hard time dealing with it herself. Her family had a high incidence of cancer and all she could see ahead was death.
   But after reading Susan's book, I realized how much more emotion there is involved and how somtimes you have to keep it inside and avoid it to deal with it. I am so glad Susan finally had the courage to talk about her ordeal and to overcome the trama after all these years.
   Ok, I admit, I do know Susan and was there. But she kept it hidden from me for the entire year. I knew she had cancer and was getting radiation and chemo but that was all I knew. She hid everything else, even when I tried to get her to talk about it.
   I am so proud to be her friend and even prouder that she wrote this book so all could learn and benefit from her ordeal but even more so she could recover. This is a wonderful book and shares so much insight that is very seldom revealed.
   Thank you, Susan, from all of us but expecially from me for finally talking and taking the very last step to recovery.



2. Angels in Itlay. An inspiring story of a cancer srvior. i believe this story has truth to life behind it. When Susan had a repeted dream, knowing that she didnt know anything about what she was about to experience. The Love, as in the Italian man Giovanni. The hate,of the family. Anger, which she felt on many occasions. And dissapointment in docters, treatments,ect. Meeting new people is very hard, especially in another part of the world. Susan is a very strong person in this book. But after meeting her i found out shes stronger. She had her ups and downs. but after that her life turned out good. shes a very healthy person, and up beat. I think shes a sweet woman. with a very good hearted. And anyone thats met her and thats been in her presence will just fill 10 times better about them selves and their life. This story told me to take day by day to its fullest. And to make your dreams come true. and never say you cant do anything. because you can! ANd only you can make yourself fill good in the long run. I would pass this book on to anyone. this book says alot you just got to open your eyes.



3. Susan Hayes has written an inspiring story about surviving breast cancer. She travels to Italy and falls in love with an empathetic, charming Italian man. The book should be read by all women!! It's not only a tale about a strong, breast cancer survivor, but a wonderful love story.



4. This is the story of Susan Hayes journeying through the valley of the shadow that is breast cancer with an unusual twist: her discovery of the cancer is made in the middle of her romance with an Italian she had met during a trip to Italy. The story has its ups and downs. The romance has a fairy tale quality, and the Italian, Giovanni, comes off in a more positive light than you might expect (if you believe the stereotypes of Italian men.) Not only does he discover the what turns out to be the cancerous lump, but is he is also supportive and wants to be with Susan through her ordeal. Giovanni also wants to marry Susan come what may. Giovanni's mother had succumbed to breast cancer, making him sensitive and compassionate toward the woman he loved. Susan, however, having had issues with a dysfunctional family, has been used to being her own support system. In her mind, her survival depends on her focusing on that survival to the exclusion of all else including several of her relationships. I am not one to judge; I believe that in such a situation, you have to do what it takes to make it through, and I understand how hard it is to accept care and help when you have always been the one to give care and help. Understanding Susan's self-contained psychology, however, helped me to understand the third person narrative that I found somewhat affected and downright irritating (which is why I gave the book 4 stars) until I realized before the last few chapters, that such a self-contained person might have a difficult time telling her story as herself, when she had such a hard time telling friends that she had cancer or was a cancer survivor. Susan comes out as herself in the last four chapters, finally speaking in the first person. Her story is ultimately hopeful, and she does survive with regrets intact. I read the book for its Italian connection, not because I or anyone I know have had any experience with breast cancer. I, too loved Giovanni. She is lucky to have had such a supportive lover at such a time.
   I do have another small quibble: Did this lady have an editor or was this book self-published? It is hard to believe that an editor would not have caught the following sentence for its muddled grammar: "After being soaked with so many chemicals, her doctor wanted her to wait for a couple of months before she poured more on her head." (Her doctor was soaked with chemicals? No wonder she needed a second opinion!)
   Because the book has a hopeful message that life can go on after cancer, and because the early portions of the book read like a fairy tale, providing some escape for someone on a similar journey, I would recommend this book to any woman dealing with breast cancer. I would even give my copy to someone I knew if she were going through it (and I like to keep all of my books dealing with Italian subjects.).

3 comments about My Heart is a Stone That Bleeds.

1. I read and re-read this book and each time I find more of myself within the pages. No matter if you are a child of alcoholic parents or know someone who is, you will come away with a first hand account that everyone can relate to. I found it easy to read and understand. This is a book that every person who is, is related to, or knows of someone involved in alcoholism should read. I am grateful to the author for revealing the true grit of his life both past and present.



2. I felt that the experiences were related sincerely, and would be devastating to any child. However I was hoping to read of someone who ultimately overcame the dysfunction. The author seems to remain bitter and judgmental, with a lack of empathy for his siblings who lived in the same abusive household. Much of his criticism and language was unncecessary, and shows a lack of recovery. Also it needs quite a bit of editing for grammar and spelling.



3. This book is the culmination of three years of soul searching and seeking resolution to some difficult issues in my life. I am willing to share my story so that it may bring courage and hope to others. As you may know the alcoholic legacy is difficult to overcome and cumbersome to live with. If you have suffered from the abuse of an alcoholic parent and/or a co-dependent family this book will give you some insight into the unpredictable nature of the alcoholic household. It may also offer some help with the undefined anxiety you feel each day. There is hope. Look within your heart for the answers.

No comments about By God's Grace.

No comments about Mi Vida Contra El Mossad (Espasa Hoy).

No comments about House of Tomorrow (Ulverscroft Large Print Series).

4 comments about The Most Precious Gift.

1. This is not a clinical account of a kidney transplant. Rather, it is a very personal account of the author's experience with his sister back in the 1070s. Back then, such transplants were not nearly as common as today. The author recounts the toll his sister's kidney disease had on the entire family and what the family went through both before the surgery and in the remaining decades of his sister's life. One minor criticism, the author does not state which hospital the surgery took place in. I am interested in such details. Nonetheless, this is a very moving personal account of how the donor, recipient and family coped with kidney diseaes, the transplant and it's aftermath.



2. This true story is told in a gentle, caring manner, and is easy to read for both young and old alike. Lawrence Liebling reflects on the conflict that he encounters about a decision that will not only impact on his life, but on his sister's and family's life forever. This story is about love, faith, courage and trust that every reader can relate to. It gives the reader a chance to reflect on his/her values. The author ultimately conveys the power of love through his story. Liebling's sensitivity and insights are meaningful, and touch the heart. The reader will reflect on the meaning of life and relationships, laugh and cry, and be touched by this beautiful story.



3. I read this most sensitive book about the lives of both a brother who donated his kidney and his sister who was the recepient. The book reveals how the transplant effected both of their lives. This is a timely book since there are many more transplants today than when they went thru their ordeal. The book should be read by those who are about to be a donor, and those who will be a recepient. In addition it should be read by any close relatives and friends. There are many sensitive,revealing and beautiful passages The book was well written by Mr Liebling and is easy to read.

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4. Liebling writes with warmth and depth on a most difficult subject: donating a kidney to his sister. It is a surprisingly easy read for such a topic.

3 comments about Gertrude's Cupboard: Recapturing Minds Stolen by Disease.

1. Gertrude's Cupboard: Recapturing Minds Stolen By Disease is the true story of the author's experiences during a difficult period of her life and how those experiences gave her a new life outlook. After the loss of her mother to dementia and the breakdown of her marriage, the author moved outside the city to start a new life. Instead, the author found poverty and a whole new set of challenges.
   
   The artist made her meagre living teaching art in nursing homes and to individual elderly or infirm clients in the city and commuted to the new home that she shared with her landlord. Everyday was a struggle, financially and emotionally. Then, things got really bad. In a twenty-four hour period, the author would come to face the worst moments of her life. She would also have to make some hard decisions about what was truly important in her life.
   
   Gertrude's Cupboard: Recapturing Minds Stolen By Disease is a multi-levelled story. The main story about the author's life experiences is supplemented by interwoven glimpses into the lives of those suffering from life realities such as dementia and mental illness. Any one of these stories could easily be the topic of a complete book. A truly inspirational and heart warming book.



2. ** In the Lord of the Rings, Eowyn fears above all else to be caged and useless. Her fear seems to be an apt description of the life that Elizabeth Cockey's patients, people trapped in various states of dementia, face. Yet, for an hour a week, with the help of a dedicated art therapist, they are set free from the walls of their mind, and in their freedom, the one helping them finds the meaning of her life. More than one message might be found here. In helping others, you become the best you that is possible to be. As long as someone is alive, there is hope for them to have purpose. Just a little bit of light is enough to turn back the darkness. Perhaps, if you are facing such a twilight time with a loved one, you can find some comfort if you read this book. **
   
   Reviewed by Amanda Killgore, freelance reviewer.



3. I suppose for all of us there are times when someone or some experience touches us, charges us, in one way or another. Sometimes it is for the good, and sometimes it is not. Life often challenges us with circumstances concerning ourselves or our loved ones, and we desperately search for meaning and answers to questions and problems that seem to linger . But then, there are those who finally find the peace, learn the lesson, even though they may not have all the answers, they have learned what is important and how we all play a part in the lives of others.
   This is what I saw in the work, "Gertrude's Cupboard.
   
   As Cockey struggles with extreme challenges concerning the son she so loves, her life is also hampered with the ever present financial needs of mere existence.
   Through the life of a 90 year old woman, who herself is suffering from Dementia, she is shown that what is within her, her gift, her talent can touch and change lives; and in doing so can only enrich her own. A book that brings to light the true struggle of so many suffering people, and an encouragement that one person can make a difference. I believe this work may be an awaking to some and a source of peace to others.
   Shirley Johnson