5 comments about Laughing Allegra: The Inspiring Story of a Mother's Struggle and Triumph Raising a Daughter with Learning Disabilities.

1. Excellent and true story about a family dealing with their beloved daughter and a major learning disabilty.



2. I purchased this book many times, it is one that I keep in my car. I use it to help teachers, friends and family members understand my children and others like them. It has helped me understand why I feel the frustration when my kids "don't get it" or need extra guidance in different situations or in the public school system. It is a book that I give to their teachers in hope that they will take the time to read it. As I read this book for the first time, I highlighted many sentences, example - page 17 - quote "She was so funny and effervescent and her behavior was so far frm being considered " a problem" that my mother gave up all attempts at discipline or even expressions of disapproval".... I can remember so many times my kids - acting out -- but in a way that was just "their way" they are so full of expressions and life.
   
   most important - page 39 - There is more then enough heartace involved in coming to terms with the fact that your child is disabled. .... this is the truth, but with this book it helped me come to terms with it and I am trying to help others. Please take the time to read this book it will help you, empower you and your child. You are the voice for your child, you are their confidant. You need to read this book....another wonderful book is Legacy of the Blue Heron, Living with Learning Disabilities by Harry Sylvester.



3. I have read many books out there, and this is the best one that I have found. This book is much better than Dana Buchman's book called "A Special Education" in which she constantly refers to her daughter's mild mental retardation as a "learning difference". In this book, the author is honest and tells it like it is.... she does not sugar coat it like Buchman's book. In Buckman's book, she talked too much about herself instead of her daughter. The only negative part of Anne Ford's book is that she constantly talked about the private schools refusing to let her child attend, but if she had picked a public school, it is the law that they would have to allow her child to attend. Most regular private schools would not have the resources that her child would require. For instance, speech therapist, occupation therapist, physical therapist are not necessarily found in private schools, but public schools would have these resources because they are required by law to teach all children. Anne Ford did note this in her book. Finally, here are some quotes from Anne Ford's book that might be helpful...
   
   "a learning disability affects a person's ability to interpret what they see and hear or their ability to link information from different parts of the brain, because their brain is 'wired' a little differently. These differences can show up as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, with coordination, self-control, or with paying attention. People can have learning disabilities in reading, writing, math, and processing information."
   
   "Most children with LD can read words, but comprehension may be another matter entirely."
   
   "Children with LD can and do succeed in school."
   
   "Adults with LD can and do succeed in the workplace."
   
   "LD can be treated successfully, and children with LD can go on to live happy, normal lives."
   
   In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to all parents who have special needs children, and the teachers who teaches them.



4. This is a wonderful book for any parent, written in an honest, unvarnished manner. Very insightful..... with lessons on supporting, loving, and accepting one's child no matter that the child's reality differs from the parents' dream.



5. that all those schools turned Allegra down, her being from the prominent family she's from! Maybe the schools weren't really right for her, but I guess I assumed some would have done cartwheels (and made some adjustments) for the privilege of having a Ford in their school.

2 comments about A Bar On Every Corner: Sobering Up in a Tempting World.

1. Jack Erdmann delivers a gift - a brutally honest true story about one man's struggle with alcohol. However, this book is more than just a book about alcohol and alcoholics - it is a great story, period. The language may be raw or lyrical, and the story is heartbreaking, funny, and ultimately filled with hope. If you enjoy this book read 'Whiskey's Children', by the same author.



2. What a wonderful, wonderful book about the recovery and the real life application of the
   twelve steps that have taken a man from hell into sobriety and sanity. This is a inspiring
   honest book about a man who finds hope and the miracles that follow.
   A great book !!

2 comments about Hidden Spring: A Buddhist Woman Confronts Cancer.

1. With only a slight knowledge of Buddhist principles,but with much experience working with people with cancer, I began this book with curiosity and trust. Trust because I came upon it at a Buddhist retreat a friend was checking out before attending a class in a few months. It was at the library and I couldn't leave without it for some reason. Now I know the reason. There is such grace in the journey Sandy began as she struggled to continue her practice under most difficult, even dire circumstances. I laughed, cried and finally understood at a deeper level than ever before how to truly "practice" Buddhism on a daily basis no matter what is happening in your life. I get it now, when no reading I'd done before ever truly connected except on a mental level for me. I'm grateful for Sandy for sharing this experience and I am humbled by her story.



2. I heard a review of this book on National Public Radio & had to see for myself if it was as great as it sounded. This is an inspiringly honest book. It would be a great read for anyone dealing with cancer, depression, or daily life.

5 comments about The Real Rain Man: Kim Peek.

1. This book is especially precious to me since I had the opportunity to meet the Real Rain Man in person in the late 90's. He sat at my desk and responded (correctly) to inquiries about what routes were near my home, what my area code was and what my zip code was.
   
   At the time, I worked in the accounting department for an Erie, PA organization that has numerous group homes.
   
   The Peek family (both father and son) were on tour and specially touching on the folks that have extra life challenges. It was wonderful meeting both of them. I bought the book back then...and shared it with friends. It is time to reread and remember what an awesome person the Real Rain Man truly is.
   
   Sincerely,
   C. Weagraff
   Lakewood, OH



2. KIM PEEK AND DAD-FRAN-ARE AN UBEATABLE COMBO OF HOW TO LIVE THE GOLDEN RULE, UTILIZE GOD'S GIFTS AND CHALLENGES AND LOVE AND TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY. THIS BOOK WILL TOUCH YOUR HEART AND SOUL AND HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT A MAGNIFICENT CREATOR WE HAVE. HERE IS RECOUNTED THE AMAZING LOVE SHARED BETWEEN A SAVANT SON AND A TOTALLY DEDICATED FATHER WHO ARE SHARING A BRAVE NEW WORLD TOGETHER. I LOVE THE BOOK AND THE SUBJECTS!!



3. Kim Peek was, of course, the real life inspiration for the character Dustin Hoffman played in the 1988 movie Rainman, but in reality, I found Kim's abilities to exceed those of the Hollywood construct he inspired. This man is truly extraordinary. Not only is he the closest thing to a human encyclopedia that we know of, but going beyond his feats of memory, Kim's story is one of triumph, survival, and inspiration. Diagnosed as mentally retarded, given slim odds of ever reaching adulthood, Kim Peek not only beat the limitations of his condition, but met the challenges asked of him and grew in time to be someone who found pleasure in demonstrating his awesome talents in front of audiences and scientific panels. This book amazed me, made me happy, and left me humbled and awe-struck. It's a story everyone should be able to appreciate.



4. This is by far one of the most amazining stories I have ever read. Being a fan of Rain Man the movie, I was quite interested in savant syndrome. After reading this book, I found myself scouring the internet for more information on other savants. I have found great articles on numerous websites, and you may want to check them out also. This book can be a source of hope for anyone that has been directly or indirectly by a disability. Read it, read it, read it.



5. I just finished my copy of The Real Rainman, which happens to be a gift from Fran and Kim Peek, the authors. One of Kim's diagnoses is Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC), which my toddler also has been diagnosed with. I was inspired by reading about all of Kim's abilities and his thoughts. I feel that ANYONE will feel uplifted instantly after reading this book.

5 comments about Model Patient: My Life As an Incurable Wise-Ass.

1. Karen Duffy writes about her affliction with a somewhat uncommon disease in a biographical tale that combines a story about her interesting life with a story about her life dealing with the trials and tribulations of sarcoidosis,a chronic inflammatory disease that affects many different parts of the body.Her wonderful sense of humor and upbeat attitude make this book most entertaining as well as inspiring.



2. Duffy's storytelling is full of name dropping and "my life is so cool" immaturity that I couldn't make myself read more than a couple of chapters, and that was more painful than my sarcoidosis. This book is awful!



3. After spending way too much time contemplating which RR tome to add to my collection I stumbled upon an episode of Party Planning with Dave Tuterra (sp?) and instantly decided to get Karen's new book instead. LOVE IT!
   
   I am about 35 years old and I grew up thinking Karen Duffy was ABSOLUTELY the hottest and coolest VJ/ model on the planet! I wanted to live her life, have her job, and sleep with her boyfriends! If anyone could convince me to "play for the other team" it would have been her. My girlfriends and I even used her moto- "We're getting married in May- may the day never come!"
   
   I actually cried when I heard about her illness which was regarded as terminal at the time. I read Model Patient- her book about her struggle with CNS Sarcoidosis and was amazed that the icon of party, rock and roll and pop culture could be such a strong and resilient person underneath.
   
   Now, like the rest of us she has traded in the club scene and coctails for marriage and motherhood.
   Her new book 'Slob in the Kitchen" is not for the refined foodie that wants to spend hours preparing a jaw dropping meal, but for people that need to make dinner. Preferably one that the kids will eat. Highly recommend!



4. Everyone wants to be a star, but no one wants to literally crystalize internally from sarcoidosis. That is the life, onscreen and off, of Karen "Duff" Duffy.

   For the unbaptised, if Match Game were still around, Karen Duffy is the kind of all-around celeb that would be the next Brett Somers - Wiseacre, Girl Friday, Broad-in-the-making. She also meets the pain of a chronic disease with a glee that most people could not summon.

   While a little of the "Duff" persona goes a long way, the sincerity of "Karen" is good medicine, page by happy spoonful. --Laurel825




5. Full of self-absorption & name-dropping - could not make myself read the entire book. I bought it as inspiration for my mother who has Sarcoidosis & ended giving the book to Goodwill instead.

3 comments about Loving Rachel: A Family's Journey from Grief.

1. Jane Bernstein has done an amazing job describing the heartbreak of the initial diagnosis and the ensuing challenges of raising a child with special needs. Having been in this same position with my own daughter, I felt like Jane was sitting in my kitchen watching the struggles we were having and the ones we faced with each passing day. I have recommended this book to colleagues and other families with similar circumstances.



2. I thought this was a wonderful book. It manages to be not only about what it's like to give birth to a disabled child, but about the particular nuances and responses of a family, about a marriage, an older child's attempts to navigate these waters, the narrator's complex, ambivalent but ultimately loving and couragous response to the child she has borne. Nothing is simple in this book--not Rachels' progress, not her family's response to her, not the medical world that sometimes seems to hurt her as much as it helps her, not the waiting and waiting to see what Rachel will become. Nonetheless, this is a story not only about endurance, but also about the complicated, powerful workings of maternal love.



3. I have a child who also has this disorder. Loving Rachel was important for me to read because there are no other books written which address Optic Nerve Hypoplasia or Septo Optic Dysplasia, but I want everyone to know who considers reading this that Loving Rachel is not a guide for you or your child and that no two people are affected in exactly the same way by this disorder. I could relate with some of the things Ms. Bernstein wrote about but mainly I walked away from this book feeling sad for this family and for Rachel.

5 comments about Healing: A Life with Chronic Illness.

1. Chronic illness is something that affects millions of people worldwide. And yet those in pain often feel alone, as if no one "gets" what they're going through. By writing this book, author Marguerite Bouvard has validated all of those who struggle with chronic illness year in, year out. This book can also serve as a learning tool for the families and friends of those who suffer from chronic illness. I highly recommend HEALING.



2. I can understand why it was many years before a woman as ambitious and accomplished as Marguerite Guzman Bouvard could stand before her colleagues and share with them her long-kept secret: "I am chronically ill." In her book Healing: A Life with Chronic Illness, Bouvard chronicles her own resistance to admitting her daunting physical limitations.
   
   For decades, Bouvard had been absorbed in a busy and very public life of travel, research, teaching and writing--a life she loved, a life that gave her her sense of her successful self, and one she simply refused to surrender. She fought valiantly against the reality of her diminishing energies and capacities. She found her illness demeaning, an embarrassing weakness, a symbol of her failure both as a professional and as a person. As she became less active, less vocal, she felt her colleagues avoiding eye contact and avoiding her altogether. She began to feel invisible, "an unwanted outsider," no longer a part of the illustrious team of academicians that had been her life for so long. As her condition limited her more and more she lived "...in a turbulence of outrage, fear, and sorrow..." over her wildly changing circumstances.
   
   When her illness at last became impossible to ignore, Bouvard spent years going from doctor to doctor, enduring painful procedures. Accurately diagnosed at last, she learned she had a chronic illness called interstitial cystitis, an inflammation and deterioration of the bladder lining that affects not just one area of the body but the body in its entirety. After a time, she would also develop fibromyalgia, again a miserable chronic illness involving muscle pain, severe fatigue and disturbed nightly sleep.
   
   But in spite of her depleted stamina, Bouvard refused to cancel a previously planned arduous journey to Argentina to work with the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, whose children had disappeared and/or suffered torture at the hands of the country's brutally suppressive government. From these exceptional and courageous women, Bouvard learned that they assuaged their grief over the loss of their children and the brutal tyranny they lived with daily by banding together, by sharing their stories, by actively rising up against their oppressors, by not keeping silent. In time, she realized that she too would find healing only by speaking the truth of her increasing physical frailty, her acute and unrelenting pain.
   
   The Mothers, who possessed a profound sense of caring for one another and a dedication to righting the senseless and horrific injustices that endangered them daily, became Bouvard's teachers. Her essential values began to change. Things she once considered important lost their significance. She stopped rushing about, stopped feeling the familiar competitive drives she had known all her life. She learned from them how to listen, how to hear and see in depth what was going on around her; she learned to pay attention, to give herself time to take things in and reflect.
   
   However, these changes happened only gradually. She admits that it took her a long time to come to terms with her chronic illness. She writes:
   
   I didn't realize this was the beginning of learning a new culture or that I would have to create a new language that would reflect my reality. Nor was I aware of one of the sources of my deep discomfort: that to become ill in this society means having the body, spirit, and mind severed. How could I speak to the people around me about my fear and anxiety, how could I speak to the self that was changing, when I was unable to find the words and had no frame of reference?
   
   Having found the language to speak her truth, Ms. Bouvard was faced with giving up the certainties of her old career. She needed to learn to navigate her life without the familiar maps and landscapes of previous years. She began to trust that ideas would come in new ways, that her career would follow a different but equally creative path. She wanted to write only about ideas that fired her soul; she wanted to write not with the objectivity of research but as though she was addressing each reader personally.
   
   She became excited as she felt herself and her life changing drastically. She began to keep a journal and as it became filled with her writings, and with cards and messages from friends, she realized she was neither invisible nor alone...no longer "an outsider" but very much a thriving human being, more connected to God and to herself than she had ever been. "Chronic illness," she writes, "has given me the opportunity to reassess my life, to decide on how I will live, what I hope to accomplish and what is important to me."
   
   We all have problems that are difficult to confront, difficult to come to terms with. This is a book that can change the lives of the healthy as well as those struggling with illness. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
   
   by Duffie Bart
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



3. Having received HEALING only this morning, I have only skimmed it and found it very insightful, enlightening and encouraging. I am a vicitim of IC myself and have been discouraged with most of the urologists and urogynecologists I have seen over the past 16 month. It was encouraging to read what Marguerite Guzman Bouvard had to say on this very subject. I am ordering 5 books, one for each of my children, so they can get a better understanding of what IC is all about.



4. Marguerite Bouvard has written a magnificent book we should all read.
   Perhaps some will not pick this book up thinking, "I don't need to be healed." But it is beyond healing. HEALING is a gorgeous book about finding the richness, poetry and meaning in life. It's Bouvard's experience with illness that is the vehicle for her healing. However, none of us has a perfect life to live and we all have "something" whether it be illness, or loss, or disappointment...that is imperfect, yet defining to our lives. Despite these "somethings," we all have the potential to have meaningful lives rich with purpose. HEALING is Bouvard's journey beyond illness to that richness-and with her journey, she inspires us to find beauty and meaning in our own lives.



5. What a gorgeous book, beautifully written, full of wisdom and insight. It's not just for people with interstitial cystitis and/or chronic fatigue, but for all of us, as we age and lose our abilities, teaching us to live with, and hopefully, embrace our losses. It's also for those of us who have friends who are struggling; Bouvard shows us how to walk on that path, helps us to find words that will make them feel "accompanied," not "fixed," language we all need to embrace. What a hero Bouvard is, for taking a life of pain and turning it into a spiritual journey. What a blessing it is for us, to be able to read this moving, illuminating book.

5 comments about Angelhead: My Brother's Descent into Madness.

1. This book is work of art for me. It's style has depth, and is lyrical and brutal and bold and beautiful. This is one of the best written books I have read in my life - incuding literature/classics etc - and one of my very favorites.
   Angelhead opens up parts of the inner life that only one who has suffered can reveal. Greg does this powerfully. There is clarity to be found in madness. There is beauty in the deepest pain. There is love moving in its pages without sentimentality. Angelhead is a smart, sensitive portrayal of life both sane and insane (whatever that really means) and a book I will read again and again.
   
   Greg, if you're reading this, I'd love to speak with you.



2. I was very disappointed with this book. With 38 generally positive reviews I borrowed Angelhead from my local library. I read it straight through. Unfortunately while the writing is gripping at times it is boring and repetitive at others. In part the story relies too much on the sensational and extreme nature of this family's dreadful experience. There is no question however that the story is fully heartbreaking throughout. Overall the author lacks insight except in the gaps both in a medical and a personal sense.
   
   While it is hard to overstate the grim prognosis and difficulty of schizophrenia, this case was clearly worsened by the parents' denial of the obvious disease including their denial of their own family history of mental illness. This is a typical trap and cautionary tale which the author fails to fully explore. On the other hand, even when the disease was diagnosed and acknowledged, their very typical difficulty in obtaining help for their son shows the inadequacy of the current mental health laws and the mental health system.
   
   I have watched as one young acquaintance descended into schizophrenia and have followed his ongoing struggle with this crushing disease. I know both personally and in my capacity as a nurse, many others who are permanently disabled by schizophrenia. The side effects of schizophrenia medications are truly dreadful but need to be dealt with in order to deal with the disease. This important medical fact is never mentioned by the author. While this is very much a story that needs to be told and read about this book is truly inadequate to the task.
   
   Two much better memoirs of the experience of schizophrenia which I have read recently are The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness and The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness



3. Recently having read "angelhead" in a day by Greg Bottoms I found a few disheartening things.
   
   I had seen this book many times an anticipated reading it, I had hoped it would have been similar to the account of "tell me I'm here" by Anne Deveson.
   
   Instead it was a story showing the tragedy that strikes where there is no compassion or help given in a time of desperation.
   
   Bottom's facts are clearly not researched. Although a good read for the story value I would not support taking his facts as good statistics as they are poorly researched:
   
   ""schizophrenics as a populace have a much higher instance of committing both murder and suicide (just during the writing of this book i have tallied six national news stories about paranoid schizophrenics committing homicide or multiple homicide and those mind you are only the ones making national news like the unabomber) violence against family is most common." -Greg Bottoms
   
   If Bottoms had researched his facts he would not have based them merely on News reports he personally had seen during his time of writing his personal account.
   
   with Homicide rates are typically quoted as per 100000 people per year in the USA.Where as murders by mentally ill are 55-60 per year.
   
   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/248841.stm
   
   I feel Bottoms book should only be looked on as the perspective of one families experience with schizophrenia.
   
   The family lacked compassion, Bottoms noted that they did nothing for a great deal of time assuming he was merely reacting to prolonged use of drugs (even that not being a motivating enough reason to get him help).Even once understood he had a mental illness the family did nothing to help the son even sending him to another state with a one way ticket and a bit of cash until he showed up starving several months later.
   
   I feel the mother is the only one in the book who showed compassion towards her mentally ill son, who really tried. The youngest brother admitted he hated him and Bottoms stated he did deep down wish his brother with schizophrenia had died when he attempted suicide.
   
   I give the book a good rating for story value, I feel a vast majority of his statistics are poorly researched but if You would like an account of how one family dealt then this is one of many stories to take into account.



4. A harrowing tale of one family's suffering through their son's mental disorder (schizophrenia). Told from his brother's perspective, I found it fascinating, but sad. It was a quick read for me. I would recommend it if you are interested in how mental illness can disrupt an entire family, but there are no real answers here. Parts of it are disturbing.



5. Angelhead was a book that I would read over again.. It came from the heart. I wish I could express myself as well as Greg has done in this book about his brother. The story is powerful and well written. He has shared how mental illness affects the whole family.

5 comments about Losing My Mind : An Intimate Look at Life with Alzheimer's.

1. This book was written by a gentleman with Alzheimer's disease. I had the privilege of hearing him read part of it in person. It is quite moving.



2. We can probably all relate to this title, however, this is a road map into the mind of Thomas DeBaggio, who was a professional herb grower and journalist, and how he dealt with his journey into Alzheimers disease. It wanders a bit, as the mind does with this disease, and your heart will go out to him struggling to be his own person.This disease robs you of your person.



3. 
   At one point in this sad autobiography the author states, "We are foolish, those of us who think we can escape the traps of aging." In Mr. Debaggio's case he found himself caught in one of those traps when he was 57 years old. Healthy and robust, with an optimistic look to the future he one day is told that he is a victim of early onset Alzheimer's disease. The author, who is a talented writer of books on gardening, decides to write a book describing his gradual mental deterioration.
   
   Losing My Mind shifts back and forth between comments on his present condition, excerpts from medical articles, and reminiscences on his past life. This is not an inspirational book. Mr. DeBaggio is depressed, frightened, and filled with despair over his future. Fortunately his writing skills are still intact enough that he can fluently describe his descent into the abyss.
   
   It is not the author alone who suffers. His wife is grief stricken that she is going to gradually lose her life's companion, and she feels totally frustrated in knowing that she can do nothing to help him. His grow son shares her grief, and also worries that he will eventually suffer the same illness.
   
   Increasingly he has to hunt for words to express himself. He raises herbs for a living, and begins to forget their names. He goes to a store to operate a copying machine, and finds he can't figure out how to operate this rather simple device. Writing this book helps him to hold on to our world. He spends a lot of time reminiscing about his childhood, because those memories still are clear in his mind.
   
   Mr. DeBaggio has received, as he puts it, a death sentence, and that thought remains constantly in mind. He courageously tackles each day one by one, but knows he is fighting a losing battle. I am an older person who has a deteriorating condition that gradually causes me increasing pain, so I have a glimmer of what he is going through. What will our status be next month, next year? It is interesting that he mentions that dealing with his diagnosis is one thing, but dealing with some of his well-wishers is often more difficult. There are the people who suggest that if he would just take some sort of sea weed or herbal medicine he would be restored to normal. Folks like that mean well, but their suggestions show a total lack of understanding of the forces at work in his physical condition, and, in a sense, diminish the seriousness of the problem (I've experienced the same thing).
   
   This book is remarkable. It gives us a view of the problems, thoughts and torment that are part of an Alzheimer's sufferer's life. It is anything but a joyous book. It is one that points out how close we live to the threat of ultimate disaster.



4. Mr. DeBaggio is so wonderful to have shared his experiences with diagnosis, physicians, others reactions, and his own struggle to understand and deal with what is happening to him. This book brought a new enlightenment to me, newly dealing with a family diagnosis. It is so easy to forget the person who is actually fighting with the disease when it affects so many in the family. His true account of what his feelings are throughout the months it took to write the book has given me more compassion for my mom and the ability to be angry at the disease as the culprit for all of the cruel things that are happening to all of us while we watch the progression. Thank you, Mr. DeBaggio, for opening my eyes to my mom's struggles.



5. For those interested in this subject this book is an engaging and rewarding read. Some may find DeBaggio's anguish a bit excessive, but to me it was a genuine expression of his emotion, not buffered by what is 'proper'.

1 comments about Su Luz Interior: Historia de su Hijo (Jet de Plaza & Janes).

1. La enfermedad mental en un familiar es bien triste.Y mas si la persona es tan joven.Este libro es de suma ayuda para personas que como yo tenemos un familiar maniaco depresivo en la familia.La lucha es bien fuerte y necesitamos hacer todo lo mas posible para evitar perdidas tan jovenes en manos de doctores que realmente no conocen nada de enfermedades mentales.