No comments about By God's Grace.

No comments about Breaking Barriers : Blind Rites of Passage the Extraordinary Stories of Uncommon People.

No comments about Ryan White: My Own Story.

No comments about The Life of a Real Girl: A True Story.

1 comments about Diary of a Believer.

1. If you have ever doubted God's existence then this is the book for you. It is about a young girl who loses her mind and unborn child behind the walls of a cold and lonely mental hospital room. Vivid descriptions are given of the events that take place including her visions of the paranormal. The poetry is very prophetic and beautiful. It will touch the very core of your heart. A heart breaking but victorious story of her triumph over self-defeat and a cruel world. A must read for anyone who thinks they have reached the end of their road.

No comments about Addicted to Suicide: A Woman Struggling to Live.

No comments about Glass Houses: A Battle With Cancer A Battle Of A Lifetime.

3 comments about A Forever Family.

1. There is such a need for books that are applicable to families that adopt children beyond infancy. It is a shame that this is out of print. I was able to find it at the library, though.



2. This story is perfect for children who were adopted, particularly those adopted at an older age. The simple text is accompanied by photographs of the co-author, Jenny Jordan-Wong, who was adopted in the early 1990s at the age of eight.

   Her life with her Mom and Dad, an inter-racial couple, is normal and loving in every way. Jenny plays and runs and reads like other kids. (She especially likes Nany Drew.) She takes piano lessons and plays Hula Hoop.

   But she is different from other friends who want to know what it was like to be adopted. She explains that her biological parents had a lot of problems and could not take care of her. So when she was three, she moved to a foster family, a temporary family who "take care of you until you are adopted." Of course, Jenny knows that not everyone gets adopted.

   Jenny has pictures of her second foster Mom and Dad, who took her in when she was 6. She still visits them, as she does the social workers who helped find her parents.

   "It was scary meeting my new mom and dad," she writes. But after visiting on several weekends with her family, "We knew we wanted to be a family. They wanted to adopt me and I wanted to live with them. We would become a forever family."

   The story also includes photos of the court session which made the adoption final and of Jenny's extended family--aunts, uncles, cousins, and her friends.

   This book helps kids realize that others have been through the same thing, that new things take some getting used to, and that questions are okay. Alyssa A. Lappen




3. As an adoptions professional I am continually searching for books that reflect the experience of children who are adopted after they have been removed from birth parents. Many of these children are between the ages of six and ten when adopted. Kids I have shared this book with have not wanted to give it back. It is a very useful tool in helping children understand adoption. Jennifer's journey from instability to having a forever family is not sugar coated but presents what is true for the majority of adopted children. I am very disappointed that it is out of print. I think this is a great loss for our kids.

No comments about Hell on Wheels: An Autobiography.

5 comments about Journey from Madness to Serenity: A Memoir Finding Peace in a Manic-Depressive Storm.

1. This book is truly a success story. Akilah takes you inside her life, mind, and heart. I feel it an honor to have had the opportunity for Akilah to share her personal story with me. Akilah not only addresses the issues of being afflicted with Manic-depressive illness but shares her intimate thoughts of self-doubt and the feelings of inadequacy in addition to how men attempted to manipulate her in to believing they were some extraordinary men and the only one willing to take on the burden of this illness with her. My heart went out to her when I read the part regarding the lack of support she recieved from the person she probably needed it most from, her mother. How could a mother make a child feel less of a person? How could a mother justify those actions? How could a mother contribute to these feelings of inadequacy supporting a man who is too weak and pathetic to assist a woman in becoming stronger because her weak moments are his only security, wishing them never to leave for fear that she may realize she could do a lot better than him in the selection of a partner. That isn't love. There is no justification for it. I salute you Akilah. I am also afflicted with manic-depressive illness and refuse to allow anyone to use this illness to mask their own inadequacies. The love of God be with, comfort, guide, and protect you always.



2. This book is definitely not one of those "Woo Me" stories. Instead it's an inspirational story of one persons experience with manic-depression. The author brings not only her remarkable compassion and but also a bit of research to bear on this devastating dilemma.

   I read the book in one day. I shared with a friend, and he read it in one day. Therefore, I would say this is not one of those books full of unnecessary detail, yet the author holds you with an interesting story. Akilah, shares with you her life with manic depression, with clear and precise events that takes you into her life. It doesn't get too technical in regards to mental illnesses or depression. If you have background knowledge on depression and mental illnesses, you could probably relate more. However, if you haven't, it explains enough to move you along. The author gives you enough background to understand how manic depression alters one's life.

   I encourage persons living with depression, to share this book with close friends to help them gain a better understanding of how depression can alter your lifestyle. Reading Akilah's story will help close friends understand 'What Not To Say'to a person with manic depression, and how to recognize the signs. Many peoples first reaction dealing with loved-one with depression is to attribute all their actions to being depressed. Ultimately, those loved ones make the mistake of assuming they amplify all feelings and emotions.




3. This book is definitely not one of those "Woo Me" stories. Instead it's an inspirational story of one persons experience with manic-depression. The author brings not only her remarkable compassion and but also a bit of research to bear on this devastating dilemma.
   
   I read the book in one day. I shared with a friend, and he read it in one day. Therefore, I would say this is not one of those books full of unnecessary detail, yet the author holds you with an interesting story. Akilah, shares with you her life with manic depression, with clear and precise events that takes you into her life. It doesn't get too technical in regards to mental illnesses or depression. If you have background knowledge on depression and mental illnesses, you could probably relate more. However, if you haven't, it explains enough to move you along. The author gives you enough background to understand how manic depression alters one's life.
   
   I encourage persons living with depression, to share this book with close friends to help them gain a better understanding of how depression can alter your lifestyle. Reading Akilah's story will help close friends understand 'What Not To Say'to a person with manic depression, and how to recognize the signs. Many peoples first reaction dealing with loved-one with depression is to attribute all their actions to being depressed. Ultimately, those loved ones make the mistake of assuming they amplify all feelings and emotions.



4. This book is definitely not one of those "Woo Me" stories. Instead it's an inspirational story of one persons experience with manic-depression. The author brings not only her remarkable compassion and but also a bit of research to bear on this devastating dilemma.
   
   
   I read the book in one day. I shared with a friend, and he read it in one day. Therefore, I would say this is not one of those books full of unnecessary detail, yet the author holds you with an interesting story. Akilah, shares with you her life with manic depression, with clear and precise events that takes you into her life. It doesn't get too technical in regards to mental illnesses or depression. If you have background knowledge on depression and mental illnesses, you could probably relate more. However, if you haven't, it explains enough to move you along. The author gives you enough background to understand how manic depression alters one's life.
   
   
   I encourage persons living with depression, to share this book with close friends to help them gain a better understanding of how depression can alter your lifestyle. Reading Akilah's story will help close friends understand 'What Not To Say'to a person with manic depression, and how to recognize the signs. Many peoples first reaction dealing with loved-one with depression is to attribute all their actions to being depressed. Ultimately, those loved ones make the mistake of assuming they amplify all feelings and emotions.



5. Much more than the dull, ubiquitous "let me tell you my story" books weighing down shelves at the bookstores, Akilah takes you on a life journey with her through some personal, emotional and mind blowing experiences. Her detailed accounting of events leaves you never wanting to put the book down to see how she triumphed or fell prey. She has demonstrated her ability to bring you into the life of a diagnosed Manic Depressant and help you to understand and read the symptoms leading up to such a diagnoses. I truly enjoyed the education and research she provides to help someone else who maybe having some of the same challenges. She should be praised for her accomplishments in spite of her circumstances. Most of us couldn't have done it in our right minds!