5 comments about The Little Locksmith: A Memoir.

1. This book has been sitting around on my shelf since I was a child. I thought it was a child's book when I was young, but couldn't read it. I just pulled it off the shelf again, and have discovered what will become one of my favorite books about hope, determination, the power of positive thinking, and art - its struggles, its blisses, its importance. It is a must read for any writer, or for that matter, any artist who struggles with stealing time to do their art without feeling somehow guilty, or fearful, or terribly isolated. It is about transcendance despite ridiculous odds. It is an amazing, amazing book. I'm so glad I got around to it.



2. This book is enchanting, wonderful, and beyond description, except to say it is a testament to the human spirit.
   
   If you read this and loved it, also look at "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," by Jean-Dominique Bauby. If you can't imagine living on your back for ten years, try imagining writing a book using only the ability to blink one eye, to dictate letter by letter. Tis book is another testament to the human spirit.



3. This book is amazing, I am 15 and I read it, my mother at 39 read it, my grandma read it and my younger sister at 13 read it. Everyone takes away some different, but something wonderful from this book. It is absolutely indescribable, you have to read it; right now, order it, read it, it will change your outlook on life.



4. This is a beautiful book on so many levels. The author's voice, the author's spirit, the author's technique of storytelling are awe inspiring. If you have been led to this page, take it as a sign and order this book, reading it is an experience and I can't wait to read it again. If you are looking for a gift to give someone else then this is it, but read it first yourself so that you can trully share it.



5. My husband gave this book to me and I am truly enjoying it! Katharine sees things from a rare perspective. Her life transformed her into someone that could see deep into even the most mundane subjects. I feel a new appreciation for even the sounds of crickets! She was certainly a person who's cup was always half full! This book is like welcome raindrops, enveloping you and staying with you long after the drops have evaporated!

5 comments about Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter.

1. This book arrived quickly. I ordered others the same day from another company and I am still waiting for them.
   Book was new as stated in description.
   The story of Bill Porter is a Great One! It shows if you are Patient and Persistant you can accomplish whatever you want.



2. I laughed and I cried. I first heard of this book because it was on the New York Times Bestseller list. Also I watched clips of the movie "Door to Door" when my kids checked the video out from the library. I've become fascinated with Bill who has physical limitations and knew no limit. Despite physical challenges, he is such an inspiration to all of us who take daily tasks for granted, like putting on a tying our shoes, putting on a tie, or simply typing. Bill could only type one finger at a time. His assistant, Shelly Brady weaves her personal connection with Bill throughout. The book is a welcome addition to all middle school and high school libraries.



3. This is in my top three inspirational books. The real-life work ethic and example of Bill Porter (as told by his assistant Shelly Brady) is TRUE inspiration. The old saying "you can't keep a good man down" rings true here. I picked up this little book at Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport a few years back when my flight was delayed. I read it in the terminal and finished it on the plane. THIS BOOK IS WORTH MORE THAN ALL OF THE STEPHEN COVEYS, DALE CARNEGIES and JOEL BARKERS combined (these guys wrote "Snake Oil for the Soul"). Should you need inspiration FIND IT HERE! Bill Porter is the real deal...not a thinker, but a doer. Thank you Shelley for sharing your and Bill's story.



4. A few things I learned from Bill Porter are the power of persistence and that there really are no obstacles. Actually, Porter seems to take persistence to the extreme, and as for obstacles, it is not that they do not exist, but that for Porter, they have never been allowed to become the reasons for his failure. In fact, he refuses to let his cerebral palsy define who he is. Rather he insists on being defined for what he has contributed - the service he has given to others through his career as a salesman.
   
   I had to reconsider that too. What is a salesman? A bothersome person who is intruding on your personal space to convince you to buy something that you didn't really want? Or can a salesman be a person who really does add value to your life by looking after your interests as a consumer and making sure you get the best deal. Well, I think everyone knows both kinds. And because of the former, most people have made the latter's ability to penetrate our defenses all the more challenging.
   
   The last thing I ever wanted to be was a salesperson. But I am learning now how much this attitude has crippled me in my own profession, which happens to be education. The fact is that the ability to approach others and expand your personal network of friends and associates is critical to bringing your unique contributions to others, and even more importantly, partnering with others so that they may offer their contributions in return. When you consider it on a grander scale, where would the world be without those luminaries in history who had to intrude upon the mental space of others and sell revolutionary ideas to the people, especially when they did not want to hear? From God's Prophets to sages and scientists, it always took courage and persistence to come out of one's own secure personal space and carry a message to people who are usually not open at first to receiving it. I do not mean to stretch the purpose of the book too far, but this is what it meant to me, as an educator seeking to improve myself in the realm of networking so that I can bring my services to more people.
   
   Shelly Brady taught me something too: the importance of friendship. While a cynical voice did nag me from time to time while reading this book, I reflected on how people with different strengths can form partnerships that allow both to go much farther than they ever could have gone alone. Without Brady, Porter would be no less courageous and inspiring, but he certainly did not have the vision Brady had to bring his story to so many other people through public speaking, books, and film. And what I think really comes through more so than any notion of self-interest is Brady's true love and concern for Porter, and her desire to share his profound impact on her life with others. Perhaps most importantly, her attitude toward Porter is characterized by awe rather than pity. Contrast that with how most of us would meet a Bill Porter and automatically assume our advantages while secretly allowing some fear or challenging circumstance to hold us back. Brady demonstrates here, that she admires Porter for never feeding his excuses for failure, and that she has drawn on his inspiration to overcome her own.
   
   A telling example is how she contrasts her memories of childhood with his. His memories were not of growing up with cerebral palsy, but rather of sunbaths, his loving mother, and other simple joys. Too many of us have buried our memories of childhood joys under Freudian self-analytical blame of our parents or other happenstance. What we learn from Bill Porter is that it matters far less why these obstacles are there than how they can be surmounted.
   
   I did not read this book in a single afternoon, although it certainly could be read that way. I took in its inspirational lessons in short spurts and experienced a small portion at a time. It is light reading, but worth the investment of enough time to allow "Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter" to sink in.



5. "Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter" is ideal for someone who has seen the TV movie "Door to Door" or is otherwise ALREADY familiar with, and inspired by, the story of Bill Porter.
   
   The book, unfortunately, is poorly written. Each chapter comes across as if it were conceived independently of the others. Biographical information about Bill Porter is repeated numerous times, and a fair amount of time is spent talking about the author's own life issues. Halfway through the book I found myself skimming paragraphs and whole pages, looking to get back to the thrust of the story about Bill Porter.
   
   If you are looking for a biography of Bill Porter, this is not it. If you are very hungry for any additional information about Porter, this book may be worth your time.

5 comments about Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had.

1. This book is the best! So good, I bought 2 copies to share with people close to me so they can finally understand what my child is going through. Brad is awesome! When I wrote to him to shower him with Kudos, he wrote back to me. I love his determination and I pray my son will have the same!.



2. As an accomplished pianist, teacher and adjudicator I spend most of my time with individuals of all ages. Teaching and adjudicating are perhaps the most challenging of all! Like Brad Cohen, I have Tourette Syndrome and growing up as a "baby boomer", a time when extremely little was known about Tourettes, teasing, being bullied and considered a virtual headache to my teacher's made my life a living hell. All I had to turn to was my God given gift of music!
   Brad Cohen grew up with the same horrific challenges that Tourettes brings with it. A teacher is someone every student should be able to turn to for support, a shoulder to lean on, a friend, when you feel your own are not there for you. Growing up in this day and age is a daunting task. Brad Cohen knows this all too well, and shows his understanding of it through his actions as a teacher. He knows what it is like to not have teachers there when he needed them most in his life. He turned having TS, a debilitating disorder into a tool of support and understanding for those lives he touches everyday. New disorders are being discovered at an alarming rate. The future teachers and classrooms are not yet equipped to handle what lies ahead for them. My niece is a teacher and she can hardly cope with the demands of her position as they stand. Teachers will need the support of people like Brad Cohen travelling to various school boards as I do as a Music Therapist to educate new teachers on how to integrate students with disorders and other issues into the classroom. Teachers' Colleges will have to provide the means to offer clinical studies in what lies ahead such as Tourette Syndrome, ADD, ADHD, learning disorders , behavioral problems and so much more. Educating our teachers as Brad Cohen has educated his students and fellow teachers is paramount if the future of our world's children will have a chance to survive what lies ahead of them. Teacher Assistant's will need to become a necessity in every classroom, and trained in specific areas. One teacher per class will no longer be enough, if those students who require extra attention are going to be successfully integrated into the classroom of the public school system.
   Brad Cohen has touched the lives of so many students in his life as a teacher! They say that if you can touch the life of one person, you have done your job. Brad Cohen has surpassed this objective time and time again!
   I can only hope, that more people like Brad Cohen will give of their talent's as I try to do as a music therapist, to educate and help prepare the schools, teachers' and students' of tomorrow!
   I once received a letter from a student I adjudicated in a competition, and it said; "not often enough in life, do we take the time to say "Thank You", thank you sir for your knowledge and encouragement, it means so much!"
   Now it is time for me to say "THANK YOU" to Brad Cohen, a teacher who has touched many lives."
   To everyone in the profession of teaching, this is a book that will positively "re-charge" your love of being an educator!
   
   Author: Raymond Vacchino M.Mus.(MT) A.Mus. L.R.S.M. Licentiate (hon.)



3. This book is great for so many reasons. Anyone can read this and walk away with something. If you have Tourettes (or any disability), it is such a positive, supportive, encouraging story. I wish I had boxes of this book to pass to every teacher, doctor, friend, grandparent, parent and child. Tourettes is something almost everyone in the world will encounter in some way. Disability dicrimination, is unfortunately also something everyone will encounter in some way. This book provides a unique, well written perspective of life with an uncontrollable, misunderstood disorder. I reccomend it to you.



4. 
   
   I too am a teacher with Tourette Syndrome (TS) and have experienced many of the same things that author Brad Cohen describes in this fascinating book. All of his life, Cohen has worked to overcome his disability. Even when he became ultimately successful, Cohen has still experienced difficulties. For example, even as an adult, he has been asked to leave restaurants and other public events. A few times, however, this has worked to his advantage. While at the Olympics in Atlanta, for example, a number of patrons complained about his tics. But instead of being expelled, Cohen was reseated in a better seating area.
   
   His parents were divorced and, for most of his early life, his father was distant from him. In elementary school and junior high, Cohen was often ridiculed and mocked by other children. Teachers mistakenly thought that he was doing his tics purposely in order to disrupt the class, and punished him accordingly. Many children with TS also have comorbid ADHD and OCD. Cohen described how hard it is to read and comprehend a book. The average person should imagine trying to comprehend a book while it is jerked around every few seconds.
   
   In time, Cohen was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome (TS). He was taken off stimulants, which, in common with many others with TS, only aggravated his condition. His first experience with a TS support group was not at all positive. Members of the group focused on the negative, not how to overcome it and be successful. This is not what Cohen needed to hear. In time, Cohen learned how to educate others about his disorder. Unfortunately, in junior high, there were too many individuals who refused to be educated. However, he did have a supportive principal who allowed him to speak to a school gathering about his condition.
   
   Cohen developed socially by being involved in Jewish organizations. By high school, things got better. The students increasingly overlooked his tics and accepted him as a person. He began to dream of being a teacher.
   
   When Cohen went to Bradley University, he learned not only educational theory but also got valuable hands-on teaching experience with children. But when he tried to get his first teaching job, the door kept getting slammed in his face. Ultimately, he had to go through some 25 principals before he found one that would hire him. "I just cannot see you as a teacher", one candidly remarked. Things seemed hopeless. It looked as if Tourette Syndrome had won over him. But he refused to give up his dream.
   
   Finally, he was hired, and proved himself to be an excellent teacher. He at first taught second grade, and made every child feel wanted. Cohen made the following observation (p. 160) which should be a challenge and inspiration to all teachers: "If you want to feel secure, do what you already know how to do. If you want to be a true professional and continue to grow...go to the cutting edge of your competence, which means a temporary loss of security. So whenever you don't quite know what you're doing, know you're growing."



5. Brad Cohen's first hand account of how he became a teacher despite having Tourette's syndrome isn't great writing, but if you've ever known someone with Tourette's you know how amazing his story is. Happily most people today know what this disease is--as I was growing up with a brother who had it, no one did. If you haven't seen it, it's hard to imagine the noises, tics, cursing, and mental agony of living with this incurable problem. Cohen's book gives an intimate look at what it feels like to have your body taken over by urges that can't be controlled. He also sensitively portrays the distress and confusion of parents who try to deal with a problem for which modern medicine is almost useless. Again we see a situation where young children in the classroom can accept behaviors that the wider world can't tolerate, and Cohen's openness about his problem with these children is the secret of his success. One gets the sense Cohen's life will always be a struggle--although he has many friends there's no mention of a woman in his life, and gaining acceptance with new people is always going to be a risky business. But his courage is amazing. This book should be required reading for any child who doubts his worth as a person because of this terrible disease.

5 comments about Power of the Powerless: A Brother's Legacy of Love (Crossroad Book).

1. In living with someone with a disability, the hardship is obvious. The reverse side of this life, as the author describes from his own experience, is the beauty of God's face, His love for us, and how the ability to show compassion and love grow as we care for disabled individuals. Mr. de Vinck's beautiful book will renew one's faith, or light it for the first time.



2. This is one of those books that can cause a dramatic change in perspective for some people; you will never view a mentally and physically challenged person in the same way again. It confirms the wisdom that God has a purpose for us all, and is written with great tenderness and intelligence by Mr. DeVinck.



3. This book is so perfect for anyone, but especially someone who has a disabled person in their life. It is touching and beautiful...you'll want to read it again and again, and you'll definately want a copy to give to others! I wish everyone would read it and maybe change the way we think about certain things!



4. The Power of the Powerless is a beautiful testimony to the power of love. It includes true stories of four individuals whom society would consider to be disabled and shows how they brought growth and joy to their families and others. The book is a reminder that we ought not judge the worth of others by how much they can do, but rather by how much they can cause us to grow. We are the ones who benefit from the power of the powerless.



5. My daughter is Special Needs and this book is so heart warming. It is always a pleasure to read that other people see the love and joy that I find in my daughter's eyes in others. If you are just looking to open your eyes to the Special Needs community this is a great start. Happy Reading!!

5 comments about Lucky Man: A Memoir.

1. I bought this book on the recommendation of my Medical Terminology teacher. We were discussing neurological diseases and when we got to Parkinson's Disease (PD) she mentioned that she had read his book and how much she enjoyed it. So I got it. I was not a huge "Family Ties" fan but I have paid attention to Michael J. Fox's career especially of late since his disclosure of having PD. In the last few years he has been on a show here and there as a guest. He was on Boston Legal and I thought he was superb! You could clearly see that the camera did not stay on him very long but his acting was top-notch nonetheless.
   
   That said, his book is written with extreme openness, heart and humor. He has such a wonderful outlook on life especially in the wake of learning he has PD. He writes from a place that we wish more stars would be able to go - the very sincerest depth of his being - so much so that I found myself in tears a few times as I read. He writes as if he were telling you, the reader, the story in person. He is himself more in this book than I've ever seen him in an interview on TV. This is a very true, revealing, heart-warming story that definitely gives the definition of what it takes to be considered a Lucky Man today. I highly recommend the book.



2. Michael J. Fox opens his 2002 memoir in late 1990, in the moment he first notices the pinky-finger tremor that leads, a year later at age 30, to a diagnosis of Young Onset Parkinson's Disease (PD).
   
   Then he backs up for a hundred pages to describe his growing-up years in Canada and rising-star experiences in Hollywood -- including an interesting theory of "celebrity" (that it is a gone-haywire extension of the suspension of disbelief/emotional connection that are required of an audience during a performance). He devotes chapters to his PD diagnosis and treatment (including his concealment of it) and to his descent into career and personal crisis. Though it seems PD would top his list of problems then, he notices it doesn't even make the list which includes alcoholism. Fox finishes by describing his redemption, his "coming out" about PD, and his work toward PD research.
   
   The memoir's structure and writing exceeded my expectations and I wondered about a ghostwriter -- until I read Fox's acknowledgements, where he mentions the writing of it and thanks his writing-mentor brother-in-law ... Michael ("Omnivore's Dilemma") Pollan! Lucky Man is an informative, engaging, and insightful memoir.



3. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. Would it be just about Michael J Fox's life or would it center too much on his Parkinson's disease. I'm not usually big on reading celebrity autobiographies and memoirs.
   This one is definitely worth reading! Mr. Fox shares his story with humor and humility and a wonderful honesty. He speaks honestly about his struggles with Parkinson's and trying to hide it in order to continue working. He also speaks honestly about his personal struggles with alcohol and depression. But the struggles don't dominate the book. There are many fun anecdotes about his years growing up in Canada and about the world of acting.
   In the end, what made the biggest impression on me was his gratitude. Gratitude for the life he was able to have as an actor, for his family, and ultimately, even for the disease that changed his life.
   This is a book that I would recommend for anyone who is interested in celebrity biographies. And I would especially recommend it for anyone who has Parkinson's disease or has a family member or friend who has this disease. When you have a disease such as this, it can be difficult to articulate to others just what it is you go through without sounding sorry for yourself.
   Now when I need to explain this to someone, I can just hand them this book and say, "READ IT. NOW."
   Thanks, Mr. Fox!!



4. Absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put this book down. I actually thought it might be a bit depressing but it wasn't. Michael J. Fox is such an inspiration. There are parts of this book that will make you laugh out loud. It is also a book I will read again and again.



5. It is humbling to read about someones journey back to reality. Michael had a huge career and was living his dream when he was diagnosed with Parkinsons and soon realized how much he had to be thankful about.

5 comments about Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania.

1. As someone that does not suffer from BiPolar Disorder, I was hoping to gain some insight into the mind of someone that suffers from this illness. I never felt that from this book, I could not understand how his compulsive actions actually stemmed from his illness. He seemed to me to be suffering from a huge case of narcissism.



2. I really hate to rate any book with only one star. I give the author credit for writing a book that got published. Otherwise, I couldn't finish this one. I bought it largely due to the fact that the author was present at a DBSAlliance conference outside Chicago that I also attended, and I wanted to show support to another person with Bipolar...there the loyalty ends.
   
   This was, to me, almost unreadable. I felt it was too narcissistic, too poorly written, too...well, manic. I mean, I really appreciate reading books by people who focus on themselves when they have a lucid story to relate, but this book was painfully lacking in any lucidity. It is always uncomfortable to me to read or listen to someone who is in the throes of mania - after a certain point you just want to leave to room. Too many words with nothing to say but aren't I interesting, grand, wildly amusing, and don't I live the life. Well, no, you aren't and you don't. A real turn-off. I had absolutely no sympathy, empathy, or ability to relate to this person, and no time to waste finishing this ode to Andy. I mean, in the big scheme of things, who cares?



3. The best book on manic depressive episodes with light towards the end of the tunnel. If you or a close relative or friend is in the throes of this terrible predicament, almost a life sentence of sorts, you should read this book. Its not an undertone of pessimism or another will-bring-tears type of book, rather a delightfully readable surmise of manic episodes. The speed of narration speeds up in the beginning with the pace of racing thoughts and then slows down with the downs of depression. A not so thrilling roller coaster ride for the protagonist, but for you, maybe, or even entertaining if you like reading books on psychology. This is not a book about the disease per-se or even electricity or any neurological disorder associated with the term, but a memoir of struggle, perhaps an active and electrical experience of the manic episodes, and the title does justice. The electro-convulsive therapy blends in the title towards the end, although to no avail, another modern snake oil for the refractive nature of the beast. Read it and you will like it, and if you are worried, it is not heavy to lift with hand or mind.



4. I work with the mentally ill and have a particularly difficult client who has multiple mental illness diagnoses and a personality disorder. In my opinion, his bipolar diagnosis is the one that has wreaked the most havoc in his life and in the lives of his caregivers and loved ones. Prior to reading Electroboy, I wrote to the Andy, the author, who answered immediately, saying he was very busy, but would write more in a few days, when he was back home. He wrote again, as he said he would and though he was not able to provide a lot of help or insight, he offered what he could, in the way of advice. I much appreciated the author taking time to respond to me. I bought and read Andy's book later (mostly out of appreciation for his help, as the reviews had not been great). After all this, I'm sorry to say that my review of the book is "just OK". It is sort of a diary of events, without much insight into the mind of a bi-polar. In fairness to Andy, he may just not realize how very difficult it is for the average reader, who is not bipolar, to understand the workings of the mind, or the rationalizations of someone who is bipolar.



5. A previous reviewer (El Lagarto) hit the nail almost exactly except, to me, the narcissism here fails to dazzle. While the the author's prose style does uncannily mimic his condition (bipolar disorder, here for some reason referred to by its prior designation of manic depression, making each specific reference to it seem like a literary device), that's part of the problem, really. The helter skelter style allows for no real reflection, and it's the literary equivalent of a sore throat--irritating and hard to swallow in places, especially, for one example, when Behrman relates very specifically his dreams, which blend way too seamlessly with the context of his life at given points, making their content seem invented.
   
   While parts are very affecting--particulary the author's need to apologize for his condition to his parents, and his shame at having failed them--on the whole, this is more of a celebration of a meaningless lifestyle than it is an honest look at a disease. The author seems almost to want to be envied. Behrman is non-self-judgemental to the degree that he cannot even see his own complicity in his condition--the boozing and drugging (ad nauseum, page after page after page, in excruciating detail) can exacerbate greatly the effects of the disease yet it is not until nearly the book's last pages that he sees fit to mention the fact after one of his l-o-n-g line of therapists points it out to him.
   
   That long line of psychologists and psychiatrists points up another fact: Behrman was lucky indeed to be able to afford top-notch healthcare, and it is in part because he takes that for granted that, perhaps, he kept on (and on, and ON) with the self-treatment (liquor, drugs, sex) even while he was receiving what on the whole sounds like excellent treatment--spoiled and rich, he gains no real rapport with a general audience by taking such things for granted and continuing, in his breezy manner (the book IS well-written in spite of its wrongheaded tone and over-aggressive, snarky style, and interesting--I enjoyed the tour of the art world and descriptions of its denizens well enough), to recount his art sales, drug deals, liquor intake, and sexual conquests.
   
   His conviction for having sold at great profit a number of forged Kostabi paintings is dealt with as if he thinks he did nothing wrong except get caught. True, Kostabi's work was itself manufactured, but this does not mitigate for a minute Behrman's own crime--knowingly defrauding buyers and profiting greatly by doing so. We're expected to applaud his dishonesty and to feel fortunate to accompany him abroad while he does his deals; the reader is expected to nod knowingly when a rental car, paid for by a canceled credit card, is blithely left in airport parking because "someone will find it." That's nudge-wink tosh. I came to this book with an open mind and left it with one accordingly padlocked--the great post-punk band Magazine's line "My mind ain't so open / That anything can crawl right in" fits this book to a 'T.'
   
   Being bipolar myself and having struggled mightily with the condition--albeit on a lower-middle-class income sans health insurance--of course I feel for Behrman and his struggles, but his off-putting prose style and unreflective take on the disease in question, PARTICULARLY his failure to acknowledge any blame for the massive exacerbation of his condition via the overwhelming (and preening) accounts of his wretched excesses, renders this book as glib and thus almost as meaningless as the author's lifestyle--not to mention his lack of gratitude for being to the manor born and thus being able to afford top treatment. One does hope he continues this treatment because, based on his prose style and the book's false message, he's far from out of the dark shadow of his disease.

5 comments about Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Second Edition.

1. This articulate man gives us an autobiographical view at the difficulties faced as a person with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome grows up and tries to join the working world. It is tough, and he is often misunderstood, yet he very intelligent and has a great deal to offer the world. Although he will always have his "social skills" disability, it is heartening that he is now happily married and has found a career path.



2. Very interesting to read first hand what it is like to live with autism.The author's accomplishments are amazing, but also his awareness of his limitations. A good book to learn more about this condition, also easy and enjoyable reading.



3. I recently had a young family member diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and wanted to know more about experiences and views from persons with Asperger Syndrome. I believe Stephen was able to inform the reader of what it is like to exist in a world without having the social skills we non Aspies take for granted. The book lets one know the challenges that might exist in the future for someone diagnosed with Aspergers during an early age.



4. I purchased this book to gain a better insight about Aspergers. Instead, it left me with many unanswered questions. The book is the equivalent to a boring, monotonous `Dear Diary' that gets stuck in one era: His college years and his interest in music. (This is understandable as the author is terrified of life outside of college, & music is all he knows.) Yet I craved more details, I wanted to know more about Mr. Shores' childhood, his parents, the stims, and the chaos...DETAILS!
   
   It felt as if the author was trying to prove how intelligent he is, boasting of his accomplishments and how he's almost neurotypical. His failures were blamed on other people out to get him for unknown reasons. Lets say it for what it is: A man who looks kind of disheveled and a bit `odd' (Unabomber) gets a job in a financial institution, he rides his bike in, hangs out in the shadows getting dressed, doesn't socialize - and no one wants him around. It's BECAUSE HE'S WEIRD! Yet the author blames his co-workers.
   
   I'm sorry but the reality is, the author probably can't see and understand that he IS different because he has Aspergers! I mean, most typical people can spot someone that is odd/weird/different a mile away. They avoid them not because they're being hurtful, they just can't relate to that person.
   
   I wished he had focused in much greater detail about his feelings, emotions and behaviors when he was younger-to gain a better understanding of what shaped him into the person he is now. The book was written as if he fast-forwarded through his entire youth and got stuck on `pause' when he got to college. While this is obsessively interesting to him, it was tiring reading page after page of redundant accounts of his college days.
   
   There is no depth to the book, it was shallowly written and there is not enough elaboration to make me understand, (or want to for that part) what makes Stephen Shore the person he is. While this may be due in part to his disorder, it left so much to be desired.
   
   I'm sorry to anyone who takes offense to this review, as this is not my intention. I applaud Mr. Shores accomplishments and the hurtles he's overcome. He must be MUCH more dimensional than the book conveys. I wanted to know more about HIM and not what he's done in his life.
   
   I'd suggest a better read would be one of Temple Grandin's books. I got a true feeling of who she is and an understanding of how she got there and how autism fits in. She goes into details about what she was thinking as a girl, teenager and adult. Her pranks, her temper, the metaphors and their importance..everything.
   
   I bought this book based on reviews, and I felt it necessary to give mine.



5. I have two young children on the autism spectrum. My constant fear and therefore my constant drive is to help them be independent and happy in their lives. Fortunately, both have very mild forms, one PDD and one autism. So, as I watch and learn from their ways of learning, I find that first, I have many quirks, and then can see those quirks in others. It is a fascinating way to look at the differences in how we all learn. In many ways, we are all on the autism spectrum.
   
   This was an easy read, and one that would be of interest to those studying in the field. It is not too full of jargon, and can easily be read by all. This is a field woefully undertaught to teachers seeking certification.
   
   Would like to meet you, Stephen....

5 comments about Waist-High in the World: A Life Among the Nondisabled.

1. I had to read this book for one of my women's study's classes nearly 7 years ago. It has been too long to remember much of the detail but what I do remember is the depth of the impression that was left upon me. It is a very difficult task to look at someone's life, through their eyes, and experience their total destruction of being...slow....poignant...and startlingly real.
   
   As we discussed this book in class, one of the girls ran out in tears, later coming back and disclosing that she, too, suffered from MS, making the book that much real and impressionable for me.



2. Reviewer: robert dorroh from Sonora, CA United States Nancy Mairs, with devastating honesty, chronicles life as a cripple (her choice of word) in poignant essays in "Waist High in the World."

   Beset with multiple sclerosis and bouts with clinical and situational depression, she offsets these stumbling blocks with joy, candor, eloquence, and cultural and political insights. It is a book for everybody, not just the disabled, for it challenges our fears, cultural hangups and citizenship: "The more perspectives that can be brought to bear on human experience, even from the slant of a wheelchair or a hospital bed, or through the ears of a blind person or the fingers of someone who is deaf, the richer that experience becomes." She attacks the stereotype that cripples must be passive and unfailingly polite in a culture that doesn't want to deal with them: "Beyond cheerfulness and patience, people don't expect much of a cripple's character."

   Pondering her husband and caretaker George's battle with cancer, she offers a balanced look at suicide in the face of his death. Though she has attempted suicide "more than once," she questions the right-to-die movement, which extolls "rational" suicide: "Since hopelessness is a distinctive symptom of depression, which is an emotional disorder, actions carried out in a despairing state seem to me intrinsically irrational. This last time I clung to shreds of reason, which saved me." Still, she sees suicide as a possibility: "I want to be the one in charge of my life, including its end."

   Why should society pay for the misfortunes of others? people ask. Because it's what human beings do: take care of one another, Mairs says, adding that it's the government's role to ensure that its citizens are entitled to the pursuit of happiness. Mairs notes that the abled-bodied should aim to preserve the dignity of the disabled. This takes in seeing them as sexual beings: ... "The general assumption, even among those who might be expected to know better, is that people with disabilities are out of the sexual running."

   As a paraplegic, I admire her advocacy on my behalf. I admire her more, however, for her willingness to work toward the betterment of our society through a rare and gifted intelligence.




3. Nancy Mairs is painfully, startlingly brave. Her book is something I recommend, not just for people with MS but people, period. She reminds me of just how powerful telling the truth can really be. We all need this book!



4. Nancy Mairs writes about the human condition with humor, compassion, and ruthless honesty. This is a book of personal reflections about disability, embodiment, marriage, religion, and lots of other things, but fundamentally about the possibility of honestly acknowledging all the pain and confusion in our lives and at the same time--within that pain and confusion--living fully, gratefully, joyously.
   
   Wow. What a gift. Thank you, Nancy Mairs.
   
   This book and "Ordinary Time" are my favorites by Mairs.



5. Facing chronic disease myself, I've turned to books like this for information, comfort, challenge and ideas. Nancy Mairs is the best I've found for writing honestly about what it means for people (women in particular) to face chronic, degenerative illness. She writes from her personal experience, but I see myself in her struggles. A book to read and re-read.

5 comments about Ebby: The Man Who Sponsored Bill W..

1. I have been interested in AA history for several years. This book provides a lot of interesting facts about Ebby and includes the connections leading up to his meeting with Bill. Without him Bill would have had no message to carry to Dr. Bob and I would not be alive to write this. I loved it and couldn't put it down until I finished it.



2. 1. The Twelve Steps do not work as a program of recovery from drug or alcohol problems.
   o The A.A. failure rate ranges from 95% to 100%. Sometimes, the A.A. success rate is actually less than zero, which means that A.A. indoctrination is positively harmful to people, and prevents recovery. Some tests have shown that even receiving no treatment at all for alcoholism is much better than receiving A.A. treatment:
   o One of the most enthusiastic boosters of Alcoholics Anonymous, Professor George Vaillant of Harvard University, who is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (AAWS), showed by his own 8 years of testing of A.A. that A.A. was worse than useless -- that it didn't help the alcoholics any more than no treatment at all, and it had the highest death rate of any treatment program tested -- a death rate that Professor Vaillant himself described as "appalling". While trying to prove that A.A. treatment works, Professor Vaillant actually proved that A.A. kills. After 8 years of A.A. treatment, the score with Dr. Vaillant's first 100 alcoholic patients was: 5 sober, 29 dead, and 66 still drinking.
   (Nevertheless, Vaillant is still a Trustee of Alcoholics Anonymous, and he still wants to send all alcoholics to A.A. anyway, to "get an attitude change by confessing their sins to a high-status healer." That is cult religion, not a treatment program for alcoholism.)
   o The A.A. dropout rate is terrible. Most people who come to A.A. looking for help in quitting drinking are appalled by the narrow-minded atmosphere of fundamentalist religion and faith-healing. The A.A. meeting room has a revolving door. The therapists, judges, and parole officers (many of whom are themselves hidden members of A.A. or N.A.) continually send new people to A.A., but those newcomers vote with their feet once they see what A.A. really is. Even A.A.'s own triennial surveys, conducted by the A.A. headquarters (the GSO), say that:
   81% of the newcomers are gone within 30 days,
   90% are gone in 3 months, and
   95% are gone at the end of a year.
   That automatically gives A.A. a failure rate of at least 95%. But the GSO does not count all of those people who only attend a few meetings before quitting -- they don't qualify as "members". (That amounts to "cherry-picking".) If we included them, then the numbers would be much worse.
   
   First there is the propaganda technique of "everybody's doing it": "AA or a similar Twelve-Step program is an integral part of almost all successful recoveries".
   That is a complete falsehood. The vast majority of the successful people recover without A.A. or any "support group". It's what "everybody" is doing.
   Then they use the propaganda techniques of use of the passive voice and vague suggestions: "It is widely believed that not including a Twelve-Step program in a treatment plan can put a recovering addict on the road to relapse."
   It is widely believed by whom? And what do those unnamed people know? What are their qualifications? Are they doctors? Medical school professors? Or salesmen for a 12-Step treatment center? Why should we care what some unnamed invisible fools allegedly believe, anyway?
   The authors also use the propaganda technique of fear-mongering: you will be "on the road to relapse" -- you will probably die -- unless you practice Bill Wilson's Twelve Step cult religion.
   And then the fluff-headed Pollyanna attitude is outrageous: Just going to the wonderful A.A. meetings is supposedly all that is needed to fix some alcoholics.
   But since A.A. has a zero-percent success rate above and beyond the normal rate of spontaneous remission, that cannot possibly be true.



3. Ebby was a man you can't help but love. Kind of like Otis from Andy Griffith. Only his life was much more heartbreaking. Also he played a part in changing the world for the better.



4. This book contains great information and insight about the man who was instrumental in the formation of the 12 Step programs. I even bought one for my sponsor, who knew of Ebby, but didn't know some of the history this book provides. A wonderful addition to every recovery library!



5. Mel B. has given us a gift in "Ebby, The Man Who Sponsored Bill W.". Finally, the question of, What ever happened to Ebby, is answered fully and interestingly. I especially enjoyed: 1. the social background of the relationship and friendship which led ultimately to Ebby's call on Bill W., 2. Ebby's particular but familiar character qualities that made continuous sobriety difficult for him, 3. Bill W.'s never ending love and respect for Ebby, his Sponsor, that literally sent AA's to the edge of the earth in a quest to 'get Ebby sobered up again', and 4. Mel B's tasteful insertion of "fun facts" throughout the text which will delight readers.

   Ebby, came from a very prominent and wealthy Albany New York family. Both his father and brother served as Mayor of Albany and his brother came astonishingly close to becoming the Governor of New York when FDR left to become President. The family summered in the wealthy retreat of Manchester, Vermont where Ebby's father was a regular in the "Lincoln Golf Foresome" with Abraham Lincoln's only surviving son, Robert Todd Lincoln. It is in this resort-like Manchester setting where Ebby met Bill W. (and, indeed, where Bill W. met Lois Burnham who became his wife). Mel B. through his wonderfully flowing style will take you to Manchester for a bird's eye view of these New England Socialites.

   Mel also does a great job of giving us hints about Ebby's character which will be familiar to all of us in recovery. Ebby was forever pointing the finger at other people, places and things as the source of his problems. You will also learn about the wonderful character assets Ebby had which made him so endering to his family and friends such as his gift with children and his single-mindedness and determination when he was engaged in a project which interested him.

   You will get a great first hand account of Ebby firing a shotgun in downtown Manchester to rid himself of annoying Pigeons (birds not sponsees) who threatented his just completed paint job on the family property in Manchester. The legal consequences of this incident led to his sponsorship by Rowland H. (The rich Industrialist in the Big Book who Dr. Carl Jung told was hopeless unless he had a "vital spiritual experience") and ultimately to "Ebby's miracle". The miracle and new found sobriety led him to share his experience with Bill W.

   Alas, Ebby did not maintain his sobriety. After about 2 and 1/2 years, he returned to drinking and this once dapper gentleman of colonial lineage was reduced to a homeless urchin roaming the streets of Manhattan in search of a handout and a drink. In fact, it was not uncommon for Ebby to beg in the offices of the newly formed AA, and at times pass out on the couch in the lobby.
   Eventually, Ebby fell off the radar screen much to the sadness and grief of Bill and Lois W.

   A group of men from Texas who were founding AA all over the Lone Star State and were feeling a deep debt of gratitude to Bill W. a frequent visitor, asked Bill what they could do next for him and the rapidly expanding AA. (Searcy W. had recently established a "drying out" clinic in Dallas.) Without hesitation, Bill said, " I would like for you to find Ebby and give him a chance to sober up in your clinic."

   I leave you with one of Mel B's "fun facts" that color his text:
   "After an early setback in Texas, Ebby would enjoy nearly seven years of continuous sobriety and would hold the same job for several years-an incredible achievment in view of his previous work record." I will leave the final chapters for you.

   Scholars of AA must read this book, but it is not written for scholars. All members of AA and friends of AA who want to expand their historical perspective will enjoy and treasure this book. I could not put it down.

5 comments about First Person Plural: My Life as a Multiple.

1. as a reader who is just a reader, not someone experienced with this illness, my review should be read as such. there was more that i didn't like about this novel than i liked. i immediately draw offense at writers who describe everyone by their physical or material attributes (everyone wears brand names and is "handsome"?? how beautiful must the US psychiatric scene be!! lucky everyone has a mercedes), and found the dialogue slow and, amazingly, the content simple. i would have liked to hear more in depth from the "alters" who particularly appealed to me such as Clay and Bart - maybe whole chapters so we could get a sense of them and how their lives were structured. maybe not possible? in short, multiple disappointments, as i read this book imagining the author (who is, coincidentally, "handsome") selling the film rights and talking about it to Oprah without knowing he'd actually done same. talk about mind-reading.



2. A very harrowing account of what multiple personality disorder can do to a life, in addition to being a rather stunning portrait of what the human mind can be capable of. It also tells the story of his wife and child who try and cope with his disease. The book is occasionally melodramatic, especially the subplot about his worries of infidelity. While the writing can feel self conscious and some passages seem to be using words in a way to sound "literary", it is a riveting work and a quick read.



3. This is a book for people who are truely interested in Ego State Theory. Also, it is a very informative and engaging book for people who have been diagnosed with DID. Cameron West brings his personal struggles to the public and is able to impart his angst as well as his optimism to readers.



4. I bought this book in a second hand bookstore and before I finished the first chapter I was already distracted by West's appalling overuse of groan-inducing metaphors. This book must contain the largest collection of bad metaphors ever published. You can scarely turn a page without being assaulted by another embarrassingly dreadful metaphor, or an irrelevant, boasting description of his cars, clothes, appliances, etc. The impression I was left with (besides the fact that this guy REALLY should have gotten someone else to write the book for him, or at the very least should have found a competent editor), is that it's fake. I don't doubt that Mr. West has psychological issues, but more than anything, you get the impression that this is a man who craves attention. It's obvious that West wrote the story with a movie in mind, as it reads like a bad screen play. I believe in DID, but I don't believe Mr. West.



5. Just a true story of a family and the affects of a MPD father on that family. Down to earth. Showing how and what the family memebers could do to support the father. I was happy to see a family unit working together. There is very little technical, big words describing MPD
   but from the patients view and family. It is a story. Not a school book that is cold with descriptions and theories. Helped me a lot.