2 comments about A Pained Life.

1. Amazing. I was 29, 3 years ago, when I developed TN. I had a few of the same procedures and doctors as Carol. I also had an MVD, which basically ruined me for a long time.
   Anyways, it was nice to hear someone else's tale about the horror of TN. I thought I had a hard case, but Carol is a true inspiration to me. She really went thru a lot and, it turns out, is a wonderful writer!
   This was a book based on medical info. But it wasn't boring at all. It was a real page turner. I couldn't put it down and had to finish it in a few days. I plan on loaning it out to others who are dealing with the "fun" of TN issues. Thanks for a fabulous book!



2. This is the true story of the author's struggle to overcome the debilitating pain of trigeminal neuralgia. Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is widely accepted as the most painful comdition known to medicine. It is a disorder of the fifth cranial (trigeminal) nerve, occurring in only 155 people per million, which causes intense intervals of electric shock-like pain in the areas of the face where the nerve branches. Carol Jay Levy begins her story as a young woman about to pursue a career on the stage in NYC. Suddenly, her hopes are dashed, as this disorder invades her existence. Diagnosis is elusive (she is "too young" for TN) and doctors repeatedly try to pigeon-hole her as mentally ill, due to a history of depression. Finally, the diagnosis is made, but treatment is ineffective, and she considers suicide, as some 80% of people with TN are thought to do.
   "A Pained Life is ... is so real, so honestly told, so suspenseful, that it is hard to put down. Carol Jay Levy's courage and perseverance can help light the way for others who endure pain and a medical maze, with little hope and less help. Medical professionals might also gain insight from this personal story of someone at the other end of the stethoscope."
   Reviewed by Kathy Lyons 3/28/04 for the American Chronic Pain Association.

1 comments about Lessons in Laughter.

1. A book that is difficult to put down. Follows the life of an amazing actor who just happens to be Deaf. His battles & his loves. Giving a look at how society looks at the Deaf community & how the Deaf look at themselves & society.

5 comments about Halfway Home : My Life 'til Now.

1. Firstly this review is not intended in any way to be objective. I love the man who is Ronan Tynan, I love his voice and all that he has contributed to the world. Halfway Home is the story of a man who is passionate, driven, inspired and someone who refuses to beaten down in any way. He is a Maverick, who in this side-splittingly funny book, outlines just some of the things that he has done in his life. What makes this book special is that his accomplishments that are detailed in this are done so with such humility that it seems as if he is with you in your living room having a friendly chat. I met him a few weeks ago and he is just as funny and outgoing in person as this book suggests. One of life's true heroes.
   
   Dennis Charles



2. This is one of the few books I've had trouble putting down. It's the story of an amazing man that I truly admire. I would recommend this book to everyone. Also his CD's and those of the three tenors are beautiful music to say the least.



3. Dr. Ronan Tynan has to be one of the most friendly, inspirational, and heart-warming people on the face of the planet. I'm convinced of it. For a man who has had to persevere as much as he has, his outlook on life, his accomplishments, and his stories are awe-inspiring.
   
   I first learned of Tynan when I heard him sing "God Bless America" on TV. I was enthralled. I had never heard a voice so pure, so powerful, so emotional. His voice touched me, it caused goose-bumps. I immediately began to research, trying to find out about the man who had just amazed me so.
   
   After reading "Halfway Home", I am even more impressed with the man. In every aspect of life, he has triumphed over odds and circumstances that would have buckled the average person. To be accomplished in so many ways, to have lived such a rich, full life, is a dream for which we all should strive. The blueprint for such a goal is in Ronan Tynan's approach to life, which is guided by kindness, decency, hard work, love, passion, and faith.
   
   At times the book is a bit boring, as is nearly all biographical material, but the inspiration overcomes, just like Tynan. Add him to my short list of personal heroes.



4. In the book "Halfway Home-My Life til Now" Ronan talks about family and those whom he has met so far in his life. He also talks about the women he has slept with so far. Which I find appalling, and just plain bad taste. He should apoligize to the women he talks about in the book. I wouldn't let anyone under the age of 21 to read this book. Keep it away from children.



5. This is an inspiring book. I cannot overstate that. Ronan could have folded his cards and done nothing in the face of adversity. He could have just stayed inside and watched tv or something of that nature. Instead he did not even let it bother him at all. In fact he hurdled right over the adversities.

3 comments about Saving Jack: A Man's Struggle With Breast Cancer.

1. Saving Jack is THE book to read if you or a loved one has cancer. Although it covers the author's personal experience with one type of cancer, breast cancer in a male of all things, the lessons learned are invaluable. It is a personal, first person account by a brilliant, funny and often poignant man who takes you on the roller coaster of the cancer patient's inner world. This is an excellent read for those who treat cancer patients and their families. This book is engaging from beginning to end, and I too, read it straight through! It is the best book of this area for demystifying some very scary issues on a personal level. If life hands you lemons, this is the gourmet recipe for lemonade. This book had an unexpected effect on this reviewer on the most visceral level. It was comforting. Never saw that coming.



2. This is a heartfelt book. The author takes the reader along on his journey in dealing with a disease that many people do not think men can get. From finding the tumor to a missed diagnosis through a mastectomy and chemo therpay. Jack Willis is able to draw you in with his funny and warm writing to feeling that you actually know him and his family. He does a great job of including his family and thier struggle in dealing with a loved one going through cancer. It is a must read for anyone who has had cancer and anyone who has loved someone with cancer.



3. Jack Willis was my instructor and adviser for five years in Oklahoma and I was there through his ordeal with cancer. This book is the perfect mix of journalistic reporting, along with the charm of a memoir. Mr. Willis is sweet, sad, yet funny throughout the chronicles of his battle with cancer. Throughout his turmoil, he managed to produce several top notch journalists, and reading this book reminded me why he was the amazing teacher and friend that he is. I started the book one night and finished the entire thing- you simply can't put it down. Every page is heartfelt and the writing and editing is as strong as I've seen in any book.

5 comments about Genie: An Abused Child's Flight from Silence.

1. This book is moreso about the scientific aspects of this case, as opposed to the story of the child.



2. This is not only a scientific tragedy, but a human one as well. It's not easy to read about Genie's unimaginable childhood torture, nor her early progress being shunted by being shuffled from abusive foster home to foster home.
   
   This year, I believe next month (April), Genie turns 50. Now that her mother has died, hopefully some of the people who worked and cared so much for her (Susan Curtiss, the Riglers et al.) will finally be able to make contact again. Somehow perhaps, in middle age, Genie can finally find some peace and happiness.



3. I read this book in a day and a half. It was an unusual way to approach a book about scientific research, because it really reads like a novel. I am fascinated with this story, and I would reccommend anyone interested read it.



4. What do you do when you find a girl as abused and isolated as Genie? When a girl has been locked away in solitude for so terrifyingly long - the only life she'd known since birth? When she is physically disabled as a result of her abuse? When she is disturbed beyond comprehension?......Why, make her the subject of linguistic research of course.
   
   I'm a linguist (specialising in children's language and language acquisition) and I've been haunted by Genie since I studied her myself from film footage, Curtis' dissertation, other books, and now Rymer`s book. I will never get over seeing Genie on film. Till the day I die. She was as unfamiliar to human life as an extra terrestrial, a beautiful ghost, `there' but not really `there`.
   
   I felt some strong emotions - I wanted to (and still do) fly to America and look after Genie myself. I wanted to take her away from the research, the tests. I was angry with Curtis for even making research a part of Genie's life - sure Lenneberg, Chomsky and Piaget's theories need exploring, but in a case as extreme as this, who really gives a **** about linguistics? I was angry with Jean Butler for putting her own interests ahead of Genie's and I was furious that Genie had been abused in the first place. As with many people at the time and since, I have been massively affected by her story, and I wasn't even born when she was rescued.
   
   In my `struggle' to deal with my emotions on the subject of Genie, I thought Rymer's book might help me, teach me more about her, give me more detail on her since the 70s, more about her and those around her as PEOPLE.......and help me to grieve.
   
   Sadly, as some linguists did back in the 70s, Rymer doesn't distinguish between Genie's life and linguistic study. You get 4 or 5 chapters on theories and studies which make me sick to the stomach. I'll read those elsewhere, but isn't this supposed to be Genie's story? Isn't that why it's called `Genie' - I don't need chapters on `Victor' from 1800.
   
   You can get most of this information from other sources anyway - there was little revelation in Rymers book for me. There is just so much missing. I have read it twice now and I still have a thousand questions.
   
   And Rymer's experiences are almost as second-hand as mine.
   
   This is a page-turner, but Genie's story is.....



5. Although this is one of the saddest books I've ever read, it's also one of the finest. Genie comes alive as an individual despite the fact that she has no language; the author portrays a unique spirit and yet does a brilliant job of demonstrating how captive that spirit is without expression. The scientific theories at work are well-described, intelligent and thorough without being difficult for the lay reader.

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'.

2 comments about Sound Of Falling Snow: Stories of Recovery from Autism and Related Conditions.

1. This book is filled with stories that wrench any parent's heart - and then fill it up again page after page - with new hope and inspiration!
   
   These amazing recovery stories are a wonderful testimony to the devotion and unconditional love of unrelenting parents who will stop at nothing to recover their special needs child.



2. This is another extraordinary collection of personal accounts of people on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum who have been successfully treated with Auditory Integration Therapy (AIT). People with autism have trouble synthesizing sensory modes and have "hyper" sensitivity; that is, extraordinarily acute senses.
   
   James, whose mother wrote about his spectacular progress in Stehli's previous book, "Dancing in the Rain" describes his personal experience with autism. A bright, well-rounded young man, James appears to be very accepting and open-minded. I like the way he was avidly interested in the "American Girls" series and saw no reason not to learn knitting; it was a real skill he had and he found it a soothing activity.
   
   I loved it when James said, "...when you see your child lining up cards, for example, don't punish him for perseverating...don't see it as acting strangely. See him as the architecht or draftsman he could become, designing the strongest buildings or drawing the straightest lines." James speaks to hope and potential. He also addresses the very real problem of the word "perseverate" in any tense. While many professionals and parents might find it a helpful "shorthand," it is really just a negative and destructive word. It is highly damning, judgmental and has hurt many and done far more harm than any good.
   
   James, like Stehli's daughter, Georgiana Thomas is an author. Articulate and insightful, James focusses his chapter on the positive aspects of having autism. Georgiana Thomas has written "Overcoming Autism," about her personal experiences and at the time of this review, her book is currently available only on her web site. Her book, together with James' work, "The Self-Help Guide for Special Kids and Their Parents" deserve places of honor along with this book.
   
   This is one of the most inspiring and uplifting books about autism that I have ever read. Hats off to the people who shared their stories and for the Rays of Hope they have beamed each reader's way. We need this book!

5 comments about A God Called Father: One Woman's Recovery from Incest and Multiple Personality Disorder.

1. I also am a christian with DID. I certainly understand where she is coming from and the struggles involved. This is a highly individualized condition where no two cases are alike. There are however some consistencies in most people with DID. The average time spent in therapy is between 8 and 10 years. Her book only spans 2 years in which she discovered, worked with, and integrated most of her splits. This is almost unheard of. She ended the book very ubruptly because she wanted to get it published, not because she was at a point of healthy living. She was open and honest about her marriage and relationship with her therapist, but I kept wondering about her kids. She stated that she had two children but in all her family stories, they were never mentioned. DID effects all relationships. Why leave such a vital part of her life out? The struggles and guilt of what this does to a mother is horrific. That is what other's with DID would have related to and wanted to hear. Finally, her constant preaching, praying, and bringing her parts "into relationship with Jesus" made healing seem like a formula. She almost implied that healing and integration depends on them becoming christian. I don't buy it!!
   
   There are better books to read on the subject.



2. Just as encouraging to read the second time around as it was the first. I recommend it for anyone diagnosed with DID or living with someone with DID. Especially if you have religious questions like "what about God in this whole picture ? Where was He, where is He, and does He even care?"



3. This book is well written, honestly and accurately written, with true, practical answers. It gives the only answer to a person's needs, God, as He reveals Himself in Jesus Christ, but in a way that is easily grasped by a person who has gone through what she has gone through.



4. Even though I found this book hard to read at times because of the author's struggle -- presented in such intimate detail -- I found a thread of hope that compelled me to continue. This is a beautifully written book, real literature, that explores the human spirit's capacity for transformation in the face of tragic and overwhelming human depravity. As a victim of incest myself, I found it very encouraging. I recommend it!



5. This book held my attention and read more like a suspense novel than an autobiographical true story. I wouldn't usually read a book with a "Christian" view, but this one is down to earth, real, gritty and honest. If you have been a victim of abuse this book offers realistic hope.

5 comments about If You Could Hear What I See.

1. really good book. no matter who you are, it will keep you turning pages



2. This poignant and beautifully written tale is both inspiring and hysterically funny! An easy read, but brilliantly written, it ties the reader to the book. Without pity, Kathy portrays herself and shows her life through wit and humor that can bring a tear to your eye without making you feel sorry for her. Instead it helps you see your life in better perspective and inspires the reader to attain higher goals. Excellent read.



3. I totally enjoyed this book. Kathy is an inspiration and I wish her nothing but continued success in the future. The book is hard to believe in some points - that so many bad things can happen to one person. It is amazing to see the metamorphasis Kathy goes through in her life and how the total of all of her life's experiences both good and bad have shaped who she is today. She's triumphant!



4. Kathy's severe hearing loss lead to an early diagnosis of mental retardation: she was also molested, run over, and stricken with cancer all before the age of thirty but she never lost her sense of humor. If You Could See What I Hear provides her life story and how she kept this sense of humor through the darkest of days. A powerful memoir and personal account of hope.



5. wonderful. inspiring. positive thinking.
   one of my favorites.
   a treasure.

5 comments about Imagining Robert: My Brother, Madness, and Survival: A Memoir.

1. I learned alot about the life of someone with a non-trivial emothional problem(s) and how society (and families) treats them. I also experienced an absorbing personal story that made it hard for me to put the book down. Well written, highly absorbing, educational, and highly recommeneded.



2. I absolutely loved this book. Reviewers here have complained that it's not just about Robert, but about the author and his life. I loved that fact. I too have a brother w/ a mental illness, and I too am a teacher and I like to write. I found all of these stories -- the story of Robert, Jay's connection to him, Jay's struggle to tell Robert's story, and Jay's life as a father -- all equally compelling. I finished the book in 2 days and sent an effusive email to the author, who sent me a kind email back that very same day. This book moved me deeply, made me think and want to write.



3. This book was terrible, it was an expolitation of his brother, and a shameless way to promote his other books. No matter the situation, the author found a way to make a reference to another book he had wrote. It was poorly written, and jumps around quite a bit. Don't waste your time or money on this book, or any book of this author's.



4. As someone who has made a career of helping the mentally ill, This book broke my heart. Yet I believed the problems existed as stated.

   As the parent of a child who, as a teen, developed the need for the safety of psychiatric hospitals, I cried for Jay and his family.

   As someone who became clinically depressed after my child's serious suicide attempt, I easily understood the need for what sometimes seemed like unrealistic optimism.

   This book offers something for anyone involved with people who are mentally ill. Read it. Keep it. Learn from it.




5. First, the good things: it must have taken courage to write the book, because of the possibility of betraying the privacy of the family. At the same time, the writing process must have been immensely satisfying. I imagine Jay finishing it, sitting back, smiling, and saying "If God takes me tomorrow, that's ok; the story has been told." In fact, Jay came to visit my college English class, and he told us that's exactly what he was thinking. I know how difficult it is to tell a true story about oneself in such remarkable detail, which is why the book earns three stars. But based on its execution, I'd rather only give it two. Here's why...

   Is this book really about Robert? How many times does Jay congratulate himself on rising above a background that was out to get him? He went to Columbia, you know. And did he mention he's a writer? He throws that in so many times, you just KNOW he views being a writer as the noblest and most enviable profession in the world. The phrase "my accomplishments" crops up an awful lot, especially in a book supposedly dedicated to a mentally ill brother. Also, did Jay mention he's a writer?

   And yes, the sentence structure was maddening (pun intended). A sentence can go on for an entire page, sometimes to such ridiculous lengths that I'd walk down the hall and read it aloud to my friends, just to show them with what I was dealing. I understand this problem a bit, though. I imagine Jay sitting at his desk with so much to say, afraid that if he doesn't put as much down as possible, as soon as it comes into his head, he'll lose it. So he erects a quick parenthetical fence and sends it down.

   Basically, when I'd finished reading the book for my English class, I wished that Robert could come to visit instead of Jay. Much as Jay tries to overshadow him, Robert is the star of this book and a truly fascinating character. I realize that I only know about Robert through Jay's writing, so I respect Jay for that. But the book irritated me to no end. I guess I'm just not sensitive enough.