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.

5 comments about Never Die Easy: The Autobiography of Walter Payton.

1. The title of this book says it all! Walter Payton lived life the best way anyone should, doing your very best at whatever you do! Walter Payton was extraordinary both off and on the football field. He is a true hero who touched many lives and leaves a great legacy behind; Walter you are still missed by all! I never met Walter and I was too young to see witness his amazing football skills but I am inspired by his personal story. Everyone should read this; it's inspirational!



2. Excellent book, very well written, and quite moving.
   
   This is NOT a book about football, but rather, a book about an amazing individual, and the impact he had on so many people.
   
   It's very easy to read, as it's more like a collection of short stories, so you don't have to read-it at one sitting.



3. I am a huge Bears and Walter Payton, and absolutely loved this book. It covers all the aspects of his life, from growing up in Mississippi, to college at Jackson State, on to the Bears, his many business endeavors after this retirement, and his untimely death. You get an in depth look into his life, as told not only by him, but from his friends and family. I would recommend this book not only to Bears and football fans, but anyone in general. There are many things you can learn from Walter, whether it be treating people the right way, or always giving 100%, even when things are bad.
   
   And one last note. Be prepared before you read the last chapter of the book. It is very emotional, to say the least, but a great read.



4. and he was no slouch in football, first ballot hall of famer over 16,000 yards rushing. 13 seasons, 9 All Pros and a Super Bowl Champion, yet all that is nothing compared to what kind of man Walter Payton was.
   In this inspiring and uplifting book we get to meet the very private Payton and get a portrait of a man of faith, values, morals and integrity. We also get to learn from someone who is facing the biggest tackler in life ( impending death) in his own words.
   I cam away awed and inspired by Walter Payton and hope that kids get ahold of this book, in a time where the above qualities are rare in sports heroes, we need more heroes and Walter definantly lives up to that title.



5. Wow! What a great book. I read ALOT, but I can honestly say that not very many books have touched me the way this one has. Walter was (and is) one of my heros growing up. Second to none on the football field as far as I'm concerned. And I was born and raised in the same town that Jim Brown is revered in. The man on the gridiron is only a small part of who Walter was. What he did off the field was an even greater measure of Walter as a man and I'm sure that's how he would want to be remembered.
   
   If you're looking for an inspiring story - here's one that will make you look at life a little different. I wish the best to Connie, Brittany and Jarrett and it is so nice to know that they are continuing Walter's work through the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation.

5 comments about One Man's Leg.

1. Excellent motivator for people feeling disabled. Don't let a couple of 4 letter word obscure the inspiration of Paul Martin's story.
   Ray Ruggles Haigler, Nebraska



2. One of the most inspiring books I've ever read, Paul Martin takes us on a personal journey through his happiness and his heartaches.Through all of the successes and misfortunes, we are given an honest, and at times, very humorous look at one man's search for true joy and personal success. What does it take to be truly joyous and accomplished in life? It takes the will to try, and the willingness to take different roads until you find the one that belongs to you. It takes all that Paul Martin has to share in this wonderful book.



3. One Man's Leg shows the strength of the human spirit, and the determination of one man in particular. But rather than bludgeon us with a tale of dark adversity and eventual triumph, this book delights in its accessibility and humanity. Paul leads us through his life and evolution with humility and honesty, and writes in a natural prose that inspires genuine identification with him as a person first, and an amputee secondarily.

   I heartily recommend this book to anyone at any stage of life, for both a delightful read and a reminder that humans are capable of great things if we only rise to the occasion.




4. I usually don't get into books like this but I read a review on this one and had to check it out...and I was not disappointed. This is a great book for non-athletes and athletes alike. It really shows how someone can change their lives and become great in whatever they decide to focus their energies on regardless of the barriers in the way.

   At times the book seems somewhat self-indulgent...but if it was my book I'd do the same...overall it's a great book and recommend it!




5. This book is a must-read for anyone that has gone through a tragic event, rough time, or is feeling sorry for themselves. It puts life into perspective and shows that there is always someone worse off than you, no matter how tough things get. It shows that you can laugh at yourself no matter what, and provides insight to the strength of the human spirit.
   Paul sets the example that you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to.
   Inspirational!!!

5 comments about Switching Time: A Doctor's Harrowing Story of Treating a Woman with 17 Personalities.

1. I've always been interested in cases of multiple personality, and SWITCHING TIME is the mother of them all.
   
   I found myself immersed in the story of both the doctor and patient and cringing at the horrors this poor woman suffered (although I will admit that I'm not quite sure, even after reading the book, how many of the events she mentioned actually, truly happened).
   
   This book is disturbing at times, but also immensely interesting. For fans of the subject, this is definitely a must-read!



2. I just finished this book and it was fascinating, troubling, thought-provoking and intense. I have never wanted to write a review until now. I hope this book does well when it comes out in paperback. As you read it, you start to realize different parts of your own inner self and how they make up your own distinct personality. To imagine anyone suffering the abuse she endured is horrific.
   Dr Baer's account of his treatment is not too technical yet definitely not written for a "fiction lover". Awesome read.



3. This is a remarkable story of the truly awful abuse suffered by Karen and the subsequent splitting of her personality, an act that saved her. Her long journey with Dr Baer is equally remarkable and immediately it is apparent how important the therapeutic relationship is. Without such a relationship all that followed would not be possible.
   There is so much to say about this book and I would recommend it to therapists, psychology students, and to anyone who is interested in the mind and the effects of severe long term abuse or those who want to read a moving story. I would have liked a little more theory in the book about DID and how exactly Karen's alters formed and maybe some theoretical musings on the abusers as their behaviour was truly abhorent. The alters did a good job of explaining the function of each but I am left wondering if perhaps we all have aspects of multiplicity? The book, 'Multiplicity' by Rita Carter does suggest that.
   Yesterday I spotted a book review by Karen as she has started reading books on DID, and this prompted my review. This is a book that will long stay in my mind, and I admire Dr Baer for his dedication to Karen. If he had stuck to rigid boundaries, Karen might not be around today. Finally, how can I finish without a few words for Karen? To have suffered such abuse and then to have faced it over 18 years of therapy, shows a woman who despite the worst the world could throw at her, has incredible bravery and resilience. I am sure that readers of this book wish you well on your continued journey.......I certainly do. Your words will help many people. Lastly, a final word on the alters, in that you have many beautiful parts within you and they are all you.



4. This is one of the most fascinating books I have read in my long career of reading. Many years ago I read Sybil and found it to be a page turner but this book is even more interesting and makes the unbelievable totally believable. Coming from the perspective of the psychiatrist treating the case gives the book a very unique style. I recommend it whole heartedly and hope the patient, Karen, writes a follow up ten years from now and lets us know how she has prospered.



5. I have been fascinated by multiple personality stories since I read Sybil in high school, and have read several accounts. All are fascinating, but what I felt set this one apart is its organization. It is a reader-friendly telling, but also focuses on how the therapist worked to bring the personalities together to create a whole, as well as the story of her past.

4 comments about Learning to Walk Again: How Guillain Barre Taught Me to Walk a Different Path.

1. I became engrossed with the book 'Learning to Walk Again' as soon as I began reading it. I read it in one sitting. I learned about the difficulty of getting a correct diagonosis when dealing with various doctors and hospitals.And how you have to be persistant. It was a nightmare for Ann because of the pain she felt, until a diagonosis was found.Patients must not be seduced in believing that they just need therapy, and that it's all in their head! This book is on the cutting edge when it comes to information about Guillain Barre disease. Ann's first hand experience with the disease will help patients and families struggling with similar issues. It will act like a road map for them. It will help them to push and ask questions of their doctors. The book is well-researched about this little-known disease.
   In addition to the excellent information this book shares, it also delves into the important relationship between family members and how supportive and helpful they were to each other. Caregivers carry a heavy burden, and this book discusses the give and take that is necessary between partners and other family members.
   I also liked the writing style. Although the topic was difficult, the writing style was easy and conversational and even touched on humor. I visualized many of the scenes, a great indication of a good book, which this certainly was.
   I recommend this book to anyone who has a family member or friend suffering with this disease or other challening body problems.



2. Ann's personal story is an an amazing meld of
   knowledge of Guillain Barre and the painful (and
   humorous)process of her Recovery. A good read
   for anyone seeking hope and progress through a
   chronic illness, whether patient or caregiver.



3. As a fellow GBS survivor, I was eager to read Ms. Brandt's account of her experience. This disease does not discriminate when it strikes, and every person has a different journey. I suppose when you've been struck with such a life-altering experience, from out of nowhere, you seek connection and explanation.

   The book touches upon the elementary aspects of GBS, and poses some important questions. Like Ms. Brandt, I spent a good deal of time while in my recovery stage trying to prevent what had happened to me from happening to others. She reaches out to others who are in the acute phase of the disease through patient visitation, to other survivors through meetings and symposiums, and to the medical community through this book.

   Why had we been promised that we'd "get it all back"? Why isn't post-rehabilitation fatigue addressed as a separate phase of the syndrome?

   This book asks some important questions, and I hope that its publication will serve as a catalyst to get them answered.




4. I am going through recovery from GBS. Reading this book has been a great experience for me; once a received it, I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Ann's experience is very similar to mine and her book helped me in a therapeutic way; I re-lived many emotions, situations, funny moments, etc., and learned a little bit more about this syndrome. I recommend this book for people who are going through recovery as well as for those caregivers around them.

3 comments about Silent Struggler: A Caregiver's Personal Story.

1. Very informative and candid, spoken as only a caregiver with personal experience could. Dr. Mollette gives insight to life as a caregiver. He offers advice to help avoid pitfalls and hardships that the caregiver may experience. A good, easy read.



2. Dr. Mollette shares his experiences, after his wife was diagnosed with MS, with clarity and refreshing honesty. He gives down-to-earth advice for care givers in an open and compassionate manner.

   This book is a must read for care givers and disability advocates alike. It will shed light on the every day realities for people who suffer from an illness/disability and those who love & care for them.

   Also recommended: The Throw-Away Kids, for which Dr. Mollette was the publisher.




3. This is an honest and touching account of what it is like to be a caregiver. The author is the spouse of a patient with advanced Multiple Sclerosis. One day this diagnosis given to his wife not only changed her life, but also changed his life. The author talks about how to care for the disabled in most every way imaginable, from eating and sleeping, to talking and sharing intimacy. As the story in the book evolved, so did the story of his wife. He speaks honestly about his feelings about her illness and about his love for her. This book is not only informative but it is helpful to those who have disabled loved ones and who are caring for them. The name Silent Struggler denotes that the struggle is not only one of the patient's...but it is also the caregiver who struggles with increased responsibility and loss.

1 comments about Autism and Me.

1. Rory Hoy gives a glimpse inside the thoughts and emotions of someone with autism. He resides in the UK and has made many short films prior to this one. My 12 year old son who is high functioning also was impressed and wants to learn how to make a movie too, although his would be on cats and not himself.
   
   Rory compares normal people as those with divided attention while autistic peoople have 'single attention'. Rory also covered how he had to be taught to wave back to someone when they wave at you and shared how distracting it can be when trying to cross a street with the loud noises.
   
   He suggests that people say things the way they really mean them. Rory assumes it must have been hard for his parents, but noted they always understood him. In the random thoughts section Rory tells of being scared of dogs, likes to smell things and likes to listen to music to block out odd thoughts.
   
   A good book that showcases someone on the spectrum dealing with life the best way they can and sharing those experiences so others can learn a little bit about autism.

5 comments about Double Down: Reflections on Gambling and Loss.

1. The double-authorship of the Barthelme brothers makes their recounting of their addictive past with gambling provides for a fascinating memoir. At first glance, this book may seem to be merely a pop-fiction story, but the journey these two brothers goes through is deep and many-faceted.
   
   I read this book as a required text for a college course on American culture, and how society views luck and chance. The book worked well as our final text, but it can also be read for entertainment! At times, it reminded me of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing (with the obscene amounts of drugs). Definitely a book to read, and then pass on to a friend!



2. Excellent! A wonderfully entertaining story, beautifully told. The only problem, I wish it had gone another 100 pages! This is one of those stories you wish someone would develop into a screenplay for a movie!
   Final thoughts: BUY THIS BOOK! You wont be disappointed!



3. First, the obvious: neither Barthelme brother would have cushy college-teaching jobs had not their eldest brother, Donald, been a trendy post-modernist icon. The younger brother, Steven B., has managed to publish exactly one (1) book of short stories; Rick, the larger, plumper one, has some sort of gossamer reputation among those who like trailer-park fiction. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of better writers with better qualifications who would kill and maim with gleeful abandon for jobs at Southern Mississippi -- and who would devote themselves to those jobs, and to their students, rather than run off two or three times a week to squander Daddy's money at the blackjack tables [disclaimer: the undersigned thinks she is one of those "better writers"]. That said, this slender volume does indeed fascinate: I read it straight through in five hours, and so will most readers of a literary bent. The brothers B. have in fact done me a service, one years of shrink visits and antidepressants have failed to do -- in one stroke, they have made me glad, glad, glad that I abandoned the academy, failed to obtain a Ph.D., and find myself teaching high school English thirty years after my Iowa fiction MFA. Theirs is a cautionary tale, of what may happen to smart people with minimal reality contact and few, if any, day-to-day responsibilities. The cavernous lack of common-sense knowledge they display in their forays to the Gulf Coast casinos would be inconceivable to anyone who's punched a clock or handled an insurance claim. They are actually surprised to find that casinos have a corporate identity! Gee, they thought those people were their friends ... gahh! As for the dead father they apparently despised, I felt sorry for D. Barthelme Sr. His hard work, his habits of deep thinking and attention to detail, become monstrosities in the ham-hands of his two youngest sons, who in fifty-plus years on this planet have not managed to obtain perspective one. The book is good -- the descriptions of gambling's intoxications, the minute processing of each foolish and silly and self-deluding thought as it arises, are executed with consummate skill -- and yet one can't help concluding, as the memoir shrinks down upon itself into a puddle of anticlimax, that six months or so in prison would have been good for these men, taught them a painful life-lesson or two. Crucial to an understanding of the brothers' plight is the fact that neither Barthelme bothered to have children, thus giving themselves the right to be babies forever. They are not so much perpetual adolescents as they are pre-pubescent (wife and girlfriend notwithstanding), mired forever in Fiftiesland where, if you want to be a cowboy, you just put on the hat and yell, "Bang-bang!" They are not intellectual -- or accomplished -- enough for the ivory-tower defense they so quickly assume; what they are, are second- and third-tier journeymen blessed with a famous name and a glib ability to sling the relativist Crisco. While one may end up wishing Barthelme Sr., who unlike his sons appeared to be able to distinguish right from wrong, had willed his inheritance somewhere else, this reviewer is grateful for the folly of his heirs. A job at Southern Mississippi may be gravy, but that thin gruel isn't nourishing. Real life is the real meat.



4. Double Down is a terrific book about loss. Frederick and Steve Barthelme are brothers who moved to Mississippi to become college professors. They come from a very close knit family, and when it is unwoven from the death of their Mother and Father, a gambling addiction is triggered. Steve and Frederick become regulars at The Grand, a local casino, and they start going at least once a week and spending the whole night there all the way into early morning. After blowing all of their inheritance from their parents, they are acussed of cheating. They were indicted and charged with a felony, and forever kicked out of their favorite casino. This didn't stop their gambling addiction, however it did slow it down. They make fewer trips, to another casino and are less intense gamblers.

   The book was well written and for the most part it kept my attention. Some parts they seemed to ramble off about their parents and family, and it gets slow. The accounts of their gambling binges keep you wanting more. They know they should stop, but keep throwing their money in anyway. I recommend this to everyone who is intrested in gambling.




5. Double Down, a book about two brothers who discover the world of gambling, has the suspense and drama needed for a good gambling story. The two brothers, who happen to be respectable college professors, move down South to Mississippi to be around their parents. The family, which has drifted apart through the years, has come together for their parent's final years. Soon after their dad die's, the inheritance money starts burning a hole in the brother's pockets. Riverboat gambling puts out the fire. The wild ride lasts for two years, until the Casino accuses them of cheating. Through it all, the brother's learn about themselves, family, and why people do the things they do.

5 comments about The Siege: A Family's Journey Into the World of an Autistic Child.

1. Since other reviewers offer details, I will refrain from an overview, but I will call this an excellent, up close and familial view of autism. I would strongly advise this book to all who are interested, EXCEPT parents of a newly diagnosed child. Waiting until one is more comfortable with the diagnosis, this book would afford that parent with a much heartier and thorough delivery. I gave the book 4 stars because the actual writing was sometimes difficult to follow.
   This book is particularly good for two reasons:
   -it offers a historical (late 50's early 60's) look at autism
   -the book describes and investigates specific detailed behaviors of an austistic child



2. This is one of the great books about being human. Clara Park is a superb author, biographer - George Eliot would be her closest counterpoint in the world of fiction - and Jessy Park is an entrancing and inspiring figure. The book is about autism - but really about so very much else. The reader will learn as much about him/herself as about Jessy.



3. One feels that the Author could have achieved better results in dealing with her Daughter's Autism if she had been able to read this book: "Nobody Nowhere: the Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic by D Williams"
   
   The disparate conclusions/revelations contained in both are remarkable.



4. In 1957 when Jessy Park was born (called "Elly" in this book, but later identified by her mother in the sequel "Exiting Nirvana"), very little was known about autism. Elly/Jessy presented behavior that Kanner described more than a decade earlier (1943) when he first coined the term "autism."
   
   Elly/Jessy was largely nonverbal for much of her childhood and had difficulty connecting names to people. She loved mathematics and could do complex equations and recognized many polygons. She developed a fascination for counting that has since stayed with her. In 1961, Elly/Jessy then nearly 4 was formally diagnosed with autism. She was enrolled in special needs programs and made progress. She also as is noted in "Exiting Nirvana" proved to be a very talented artist.
   
   This is an excellent book that chronicles in minute detail autistic behavior and a family's love and acceptance. Elly/Jessy's three older siblings love her unconditionally as do their parents. Theirs is an intellectual family whose literary pursuits are quite evident throughout this account. It is one of the best early personal accounts of autism in a family.
   
   What makes this book unique is that when it was published, it rightfully challenged the parent blaming routine that was the order of the day. Elly/Jessy had three neurotypical (NT) siblings which automatically flies in the face of the disproven and completely asinine parent blaming. At no time was she neglected. She was loved, nurtured, encouraged and accepted.
   
   Her special interests in counting and polygons are recognized as an asset, an ability. Fortunately, she is not charged with "perseverating," a harmful and damning word that has caused more harm than it ever helped. It is an extremely judgmental, negative and destructive word in any tense that is best avoided. At no time is that harmful word ever applied to the NT population and the behavior is not limited to the autistic population either. That word is best replaced with "special interests," "repetitive verbalizations / behaviors" which are more accurate and also speak to tolerance whereas "perseverate" simply does not.
   
   The book closes with Elly/Jessy at age 8, making progress in her way and at her speed. She and her mother have blazed new trails that continue to weave throughtout autism awareness and acceptance today.



5. I have a 9 year old son with autism, and have aspergers myself, and I could not have written such an insightful book as did this mother.
   
   I got concepts and ideas I hadn't had prior to reading this book, such as the reason behind all the pronoun reversal which she theorizes and explains so well.
   
   I was then and am still now in awe of her meticulous record keeping and devotion to her daughter while still maintaining balance in her home and in her personal life. Our household seems to revolve around iep's, perseverations, dr.'s appts, everything 'autism'.
   
   Anything I try to say, I fear will come no where close to describing how essential this book is to the library of any mother with an autistic child, or how much it meant to me.
   
   Despite the fact I'm not especially fond of reading, I plan to read this book again, fearing I may have missed some wisdom there was so much.
   
   I found everything she wrote accessible to my life, despite our difference circumstances. Can't say that about many books I've read. And, I got Exiting Nirvana at the same time, and was glad I did, and eager to read it directly after The Seige.
   
   While all the books by Williams and Grandin and Attwood and the more medical type books by Shaw and Candles and Greenspan are super, this one was a STORY, you didn't have to DO anything or make appointments or grasp heavy medical info. Yet it gave me a more FOCUS and future vision and ideas for my child, to give him as successful, fulfilling and happy future.

No comments about When the Diagnosis Is Multiple Sclerosis: Help, Hope, and Insights from an Affected Physician (The Praeger Series on Contemporary Health and Living).