M Books

This was a very good book. It helped my daughter and I better understand what was going on in the NICU and with my grandson and why things are done a certain way. It lets you know the criteria that your baby needs to meet before he or she can come home. It also talked about Kangaroo Care, which the NICU my grandson was in, never metioned until we brought up the subject.

The down side was alot of the book also pretained problems with multiple births,so we could skip alot of pages that didn't pretain to us.

All in All I would recommend this book to preemie parents.

Pros: great information about what to expect, comprehensive data on outcomes and risks, talks about all stages (antepartum, delivery, NICU, early childhood, etc).

Con: 578 pages!!! And every chapter repeated some information from other chapters. The foreward suggests reading only the chapter that relates to you, and warns you against reading the whole book, but what a dumb suggestion - Of course I want to know everything! So I read the whole book, which repeats itself about 30%. For nervous fathers-to-be (and mothers too), reading almost 600 pages to get 200 pages worth of information is not worth it. My wife read the Dr Sears "Preemie" book (much shorter) while I read this one and she liked it. I was worried I wouldn't even get a chance to finish it before the baby came, which just piled on more stress - just know what you are getting in to when you buy this book.

If I had to make a recommendation - FIRST read one of the shorter books, if it doesn't answer what you want to know, THEN buy this monstrosity.

This is an excellent resource - especially if you know that you are going to have a premature baby or if you purchase it while your little one is still in the NICU. It explains all of the possibilities in Q&A format, split up into sections. It will explain in more detail what the doctors may be telling you about your baby.

I thought this book was great! My mom bought this book for me after my son was born at 29 weeks. There is a lot of information that does not pertain to everyone, but it is very easy to skip through to what does pertain to your situation. It is very informative and explained things in detail when the doctors didn't have time to explain everything as thoroughly.

When our baby was born at 25 weeks, and 1 lb. 14 oz., we were overwhelmed. My pregnancy was normal; there were no anticipated complications. Nothing really prepares you for what it's like to have a baby so small, and the roller coaster of events that follows. Luckily, someone gave us this book. We were able to understand the terminology our baby's doctors were using, the surgeries, the prognoses, and the possibilities--even the optimistic outcomes. The book is well-organized, and easy to read for the layperson. It was an essential guide for us. I would highly recommend it for anyone with a preemie who has the questions, fears, and hope that come with having a baby who has special health needs.

I picked this book up in a used book store. Although I am not a huge fan of his music I picked the book thinking it may be interesting. I was actually surprised to find out how good this book was to read. DMX discloses so much of his personal life in this book. He is very candid and does an excellent job telling his life story from his passion for pitbulls to his problems with drugs.

There aren't many people who possess the energy and resilience that DMX has. He connects with his audience in ways beyond belief. I met him at a recent performance, was on stage with him the whole time, and was literally blown away. He is one of the greatest performers in the industry today and should be recognized as such. I appreciate his honesty in his book and in his life. What a great man!!

I just grabbed this book out of curiosity. I knew of DMX and his music but no fan. Wow, was I impressed. To be completely honest, I figured it wouldn't be so good because frankly, how good of a story can a ghetto playa bring to the table?
Well, a very good one in fact. My favorite part of it was that he didn't restrain himself from sounding intimate. He would describe how he was living with nothing and then he had bought a little bouncy ball and that was the shiznit! lol I love that. He appreciated the small things. He still had a heart and needed love no matter how roughed up he was. I got mad respect for him and I feel his story was genuine. DMX did not try to make the projects seem cool or anything. I had a picture the entire time reading it. Dark, gloomy, dirty streets and bad vibes. I recommend this book. Seriously, just read it with an open mind. WOW.

Never could have imagined what a rough life DMX had. He has truly defied all odds!

This book offers nothing positive at all. DMX lived a negative life and he speaks negative rap. He robbed people (mostly women) as a youngster. He robbed other kids by using his dog. He stole cars. He stole for the thrill and because he wanted nice things without working for them. And he didn't care who he stole from. He stole a chain from his friend (TQ). He would offer his home made tapes for sell to people, take their money and not give them anything. He promotes violence. He spent most of his life victimizing people in and out of jail. At one point in the later chapters and in one of his raps, he implies raping men in jail. He summarizes quickly what his jail time was like, he avoids going into alot of detail about those years. He's showing you the slice of his life that he wants to show.

He spends too much time on the earliest years of his life which are uninteresting. He doesn't really cover the parts of his life that most people are interested in. He doesn't talk much about the actual business of music. He doesn't talk about how his life changed with the music business success. He doesn't talk about how he grew as a person or what he learned from his incarcerations. Did he spend his time in jail doing anything positive? Or was his jail time just fighting people and rapping about it?

I do appreciate his talent, but not his messages. There were alot of DMX songs that I used to listen to. After reading this book, I see him more vividly now. I see him as a horrible person who I would want nothing to do with. He isn't a person that should be celebrated, he should be ashamed for the life he has led.

You shouldn't buy this book. You shouldn't even borrow it. It's a waste of time to read, there are much better, more positive things that you could be doing with your life.

This book was recommended by my longevity physician, and I can understand why. It is a great guide to anyone using or considering natural hormone replacement therapy (which is a gift from God and Nature by the way...) This publication is not just about menopause, it is about female (and male) hormones across the lifespan. It helps you to self regulate by learning your own symptoms. And at these prices, everyone should have a copy in the family medical library!

I am now a happy, WELL-RESTED 40 yr old due to this book (and another book: What your Dr may not tell you about PreMenopause) Both of these have saved my LIFE, most importantly my SLEEP!

For the past few years (after having a 3rd child) from age 37 onward, I could no longer get REM/Delta SLEEP and NO sleeping pills (except Ambien) would work!?

Well now I've learned about DHEA, Melatonin and natural Progesterone Cream and it seems since I use Progesterone Cream every night (just a dab'll do ya) WITH a small dosage (1 mg or less) of a Melatonin pill, I SLEEP LIKE A BABY EVERY SINGLE NIGHT!!!!!

No more Ambien!:)

So as long as I use the Prog cream, any other sleeping or herbal sleeping thing I take WORKS!

All I take now is a natural/herbal female liquid tincture/tonic 2x a day and the Prog cream at night (now don't even need to use it every single night, but only for a few days before my cycle).

Buy this book (and the other one I mentioned).

OB/GYN's made me mad recommending HRT or even possible hysterectomy, ALL because I simply had Adrenal exhaustion (lack of DHEA,so low-dose DHEA fixed that) and couldn't SLEEP (lack of Melatonin and needed Prog cream, presto, fixed THAT).

I found this book to be extremely informational in helping me understand the way my body reacts to hormones. Highly reccomended read for every woman.

Recent articles in the Los Angeles Times have pointed out that pollutants discharged and mixed in the Pacific Ocean are so great, even in this diluted state, some male fish are developing eggs. This book and the companion titled "What your Doctor Might Not Tell you About Pre-menopause by Lee guides you on how endocrine pollution is effecting us and what to do about it. My doctor told me ten years ago that all his women patients that turned forty must read this book to be prepared when our bodies start to go through the change into menopause. I am now 51 and I'm back to buy another updated copy as menopause has hit me hard. My current M.D. put me on emergency medication of anti-depressants and I know this book will provide me with the tools to get off of them and get my heath back! This is the book that will teach you how to protect yourself so you don't get breast cancer (now one in 8 women), cysts, fibroids, etc. Anti-depressants do not protect you from this kind of pollution, they only treat the symptoms. Doctors were bombarded from drug companies that wanted to sell their patented fake hormones. Thousands of women died from these drugs and so now many doctors are afraid of any kind of hormone therapy. Natural hormones protect the body, which we need now to counteract estrogen based pollution. You can not afford to do nothing. Four of my family members got estrogen based cancers and none of us had the genes to predispose them for these cancers. Because these natural hormones can't be patented there is no big money to do the double blind studies nor is there anyone beating down doctor's doors to educate them. The doctors that have taken up the cause for natural hormone therapy do not have the high cancer rates in their patients as is found in the general population. Over ten years of experience is proof enough for these M.D.s to go against the norms as pushed by pharmaceutical companies.

This book is very helpful for anyone that is going through the change of life. I learned a lot from it.

Forget "What to Expect When You're Expecting", 1000 Questions is a much better book, with a common sense approach! It is a reference-style book with answers to all sorts of concerns an expectant mother might have. I called it my "Don't Worry Book", because unlike most articles and books geared towards the pregnant mother, this book actually eased my mind. It gives very straight-forward advice to help you through those 9 months of change, helping you take care of yourself and your unborn baby. And it is conservative, which I appreciated. The author refers to "your husband" and also mentions God in the text. I find this very refreshing in our PC society.

When I was pregnant with my first baby I read this book almost everyday. I was able to look up my concerns and read clear and concise information about my pregnancy. The over the counter drug section is really awesome and helpful! I kept the pull-out chart from the back of the book in my planner to reference as needed. Now I am PG with baby #2 and I find myself reading back over information to refresh myself on what will happen throughout my pregnancy. I have yet to think of a question that I have not found in this book!

If you are pregnant this book is a MUST HAVE!

I am an R.N. who wholeheartedly recommends this book. During my last pregnancy, I purchased a used copy of an older volume of this book. I referred to it so often, I decided to upgrade to the more recent version during my 2nd pregnancy and bought one for my sister as well. Indispensable and easy to use reference!

I referred to this book nearly every day of my first pregnancy. It seemed to have the answer to every question I could think of. I especially appreciated the chapters on prescription and OTC medicines. I also often referred to the pull-out week by week calendar. I am purchasing this book for the second time. I gave it to a friend during her pregnancy who passed it on to another.

This book is fantastic! It explains everything in a helpful, easy format. It makes it simple to find answers to questions in certain topics and cross refernces make follow-up questions easy to answer as well. Dr. Thurston writes with a happy, charismatic tone and unless you'd be offended by a reference to God creating the body to do x,y,z, I think this is one of the better pregnancy books out there. Also, it is very updated with recent scientific knowledge and advances. (I've read other books cover to cover and would truly not recommend What to Expect While You're Expecting. Most women I know couldn't stand it. I wish I hadn't wasted the money.)

Ok, here's the thing. After reading all these reviews, i thought that for once, a book could make me cry. All you Amazon reviewers said that this was the saddest book, that it made you sob. Well, this book didn't make me cry, even one tear, didn't make me even SAD, which i thought was absurd, because the concept of a mother dying IS sad, but this book didn't make me FEEL it. What a huge disappointment. I was interested in the book, sure, i gave it a shot, i reread it, but it DIDN'T MAKE ME FEEL SAD NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I READ IT!!! It was frustrating because MsMartin is usually a very good writer who makes you feel the character's pain or anger or sadness or whatever, but this book didn't cut it.
Sunny is a good character. It's a shame that the author couldn't make her into a GREAT character in this book.
This book gained 2 stars because I WANTED to read it again, plus its cover was good, and it tied up the fight with Ducky. That was decent.
Anyway, if you enjoy sad books with FEELING, this book IS NOT FOR YOU. If you enjoy reading books that have absolutely zero impact on you whatsoever, BUY THIS BOOK.
gotsa go,
but one thing 2 say,
this book DID NOT CUT IT
luvyasall & toodles
Mel-jane

Ok...well at first i thought the book was gonna [be bad] because it was assigned in school but, once i picked it up i could not put it down. Ann Martin makes you be part of Sunny. You feel what she feels and want what she wants. Its fantastic. The book made me cry and I've never cried in one single movie! I recomend this books to teens everywhere! This book has also influenced me to read many other of the California Diaries.
-Rebecca

Sunny is a teenager who is going through a tradgety. She is loosing her mom to canser. Sunny used to cope with this by skipping school, not studying, and even running away. Iused to think that sunny was a selfish character, because she didnt even visit her mother in the hospital. In this book, she stopped running from her problems. She handled her mothers death with a lot of maturity. I think Sunny is very brave. Even though she is a character from a book, i respect her.

This book opened up my heart into a new perspective. I couldn't imagin loosing my mother but this book opened up my eyes and made me see more of what a tragedy loosing your mother is. After all the [stuff] she gave to all her freinds they all realized that it was a time of need for her. With her freinds coping her every step of the way she managed to survive the tragedy of her loss. If you are a fanatic as I am READ THIS BOOK and have a box of tissues reading it you'll need it.

im a great fan of ann martin. SUNNY DIARY#3 was EXTRAORDINARY. it is SOOOOOOOO touching. i think it is the best in the seires. SUNNY is a WONDERFUL. SHE IS A VERY rich charachter. she is ,in her third diary,facing her problems at last. she is so hurt and the reader feels it,it is so HARD to say goodbye or farwell to a person especially if it is your mom. ann has succeeded in going deep through her.the readers tears is a great evidence. im 16 and i see the book is suitable for all ages. anns aim isnt describing sunny s suffering only but i think she wants to tell us how LUCKYwe are. we should VALUE our parents more and stop complaing about our lives. all over the world many people are suffering even more than sunny .the diaries give us HOPE. .even sunny HAS a bright side to look at. She still has her friends . so she will be healed soon. in fact ANN shows sunny that her mom ISNT DEAD. she WILL be always be with her.in her mind. in her heart ,in Sunny herself.i think ann deserves the nobel prize,doesent she?so ahead and read CD#12.

"Beautiful Joe" is a wonderful story. It was given to me in the late 50's when I was about 10 years old, and I think I read it three times. It's always amazed me that so few others know of it. But it is a beautiful and enriching story especially suitable for a 9-12 year old child who loves dogs. It is very sad (and distrubing) in the beginning, however, so I would never recommend it for a young child.

I read this book countless times when I was a child in the 1950s; I was delighted to find it still in print and even more delighted to find that it is as moving and meaningful as ever. Today's children may find the language somewhat formal and will need to broaden their vocabularies, but they and their parents will find the small effort well worth it.

I love this book. Everyone should read it young or old. Beautiful Joe and the rest of the animals will touch your heart. I have never read this book without crying at the end.

I am not reviewing the edition but rather the book...and it is...of utmost excellence. Although written for its time period, it is something one can read now and enjoy...Beautiful Joe captures your heart, makes you share his opinions, memories and feelings...then leaves you wanting more.

Just thought I should say something. =)

I first read this story as a Whitman abridged edition when I was about eight years old. It was hard for me to believe that some people were so cruel to animals, but I loved the book's old-fashioned narration and of the adventures of and lessons learned by Miss Laura and her family in raising Joe. The moment I learned what the word "abridged" meant, I went looking for the complete story; it took me a long time to find this Applewood Books edition that included three of the farm chapters that were missing from the supposedly complete version I later purchased, and oddly, the Applewood edition is missing the chapter about the crow that is in some other editions. (I believe this is because the Applewood volume is a reprint of the original story and the chapter about the crow was added in a revised edition.) The story is full of memorable characters, both animal--Joe, Jim the spaniel, Billy the fox-terrier, Bella the parrot--and human--Miss Laura, Ned, Willie, Jack, and Cousin Harry. If you are tender of heart, you may find many scenes heart-rending, but it reminds us too that we have much to still work on in the area of animal cruelty.

My husband was experiencing crippling lower back pain, that was also running down his right thigh. We were wanting to avoid pain pills and another surgery. I bought this book based on the reviews, and he has been faithfully doing the back exercises at least every day. He found relief within a few days. It's worth a try if you are going through this kind of stuff. He had been through one back surgery that relieved his pain, but we misunderstood the need to do exercises initially. When the pain started coming again, in a different area, we thought he should try this first. I would highly recommend this book.

This book is excellent. Suffered for over 20 years with back pain, diagnosed with degenerative discs and multiple level herniations. Experienced many times the kind of intense pain that finds you on the floor. Tried physical therapy, chriopractors, acupuncture, pain management, anything to avoid surgery. But I was afraid that surgery was my only hope. Now since I've read this book I no longer worry about surgery. Because I'm pain free and can even do yoga - something I never thought possible.

As someone who has had back pain for many years, I learned alot of helpful techniques and strategies to ease the pain. I am now practicing many of ideas outlined in the book and am feeling somewhat better. Definitely worth reading for anyone with chronic back pain.

I purchaed this book for my elderly mother, a retired nurse, who had been to four back specialists and resorted to pain block injections for her spine, which looks like a twisted road in an X-ray. Nothing the doctors told her to do or take, including physical therapy, seemed to alleviate the pain. But when she started doing the exercises in this book, she was able to sleep and function 85% better than before. She does the excises in bed morning and evening. I would recommend it to anyone with back pain, regardless of their age.

This is a wonderful book! When you read it, you know instinctively that what you're reading is true. If you're in enough pain to try even some of the exercises and ideas in the book, it will help you.

Though it is a little wordy and long for a 2 year olds attention span, the rhymes are funny and entertaining; a key for a mom who reads each book many, MANY times!

This is one of my favorite children's books ever, one that I remember reading when I was a child (probably twenty years ago!). It's told in a rhyming format (like a Dr. Seuss book) and full of cute, silly conversation among jungle animals regarding an elephant who is about to sneeze. This is silly fun that's great for kids who are being read to (plenty of opportunity for voices during storytelling) or for children who are just past the beginning stages of being able to read themselves.

I read and LOVED this book as a child. Now, I read and LOVE this book as an adult. It's a silly, descriptive, story that children really enjoy. I have a three-year old nephew who adores this book and asks his parents to read it to him every night (even though he's already memorized it!). I just bought it for my twin baby nieces and know that as soon as they can talk, they'll be following suit! It's the kind of book that you won't mind hearing 940382094 times and that you'll keep forever. Buy the book now and enjoy it for a lifetime!

This was a childhood favorite that I was lucky enough to read forward to my two kiddos. It was read to me at the laundromat on Saturdays as that's where the only copy I knew of was. Later I purchased as a young adult for when the time came to read it to my own. Alos, this book is a must have for any Pre-K classroom or child of the same age. Wonderful artwork...clever dialogue...and a surprise ending! My preschool class LOVED it when I read this one.

A wonderful book to read aloud to kids. It is one of our favorite family books.

The Little House series are great read aloud books.

Our daughter is five and this series is perfectly age appropriate, even though an older child would enjoy them equally as well. For younger ones (three or so), there is a great picture book series called "My first little house books," or something like that. One of these is a story based of a chapter in this book and is called "Christmas in the Big Woods."

These CD's are great for long trips in the car. The narrator's voice is wonderful. The adults will find themselves enjoying listening themselves.

"One the Banks of Plum Creek" is the best of the series. It is the one where Mary and Laura go to school and where the character of Nellie Olson is introduced. Her brand of spoiled rotten meanness is nothing short of tantalizing to a five year old. Also, there are the wonderful Christmas chapters.

Just excellent, all around. I highly recommend the books to read alound and the CD's.

Whether you have read the Little House books or have never heard of them, this book on tape is wonderful for everyone from small children to adults. The narrator who reads it does an amazing job of capturing the childhood wonderment and emotions Laura was trying to convey. It is also so interesting to hear the way families lived back in the 1800's. I could listen to this book on tape over and over again.

Book review
I did my report on the book called On the Banks of Plum Creek.
The author of this novel is Laura Ingalls Wilders. It is also historical fiction.
This story is about a family that is very close. There is baby Carrie the littlest, the middle child was Laura but her nick name was Little Half Pint, and the oldest is named Mary. Mary was such a little lady she always did what her mother told her to do. But Laura was the rebel in the family she was always getting dirty or getting into trouble. But Carrie is too little to have a background. Pa traded his horses and bunny for a dugout from Mr. Nelson. There was a creek close to the house and they played there often but they must never go into the deep waters with out Pa or Ma (Laura learned that lesson fast).
I loved this book because I love the time period it was set in and I have read many stories by the same author like Little House in the Big Woods. It would suit some one who loves Family stories and the time period and his farm world it is more like a fun book to read but it is Historical fiction as well.

Laura Ingalls is now eight-years-old, her sister Mary is nine, and Carrie is still just a tiny tot. While they are all still quite young, they are expected to help out with the chores around the house - from sweeping to dusting, cooking and setting the table. But this year, the girls are in a strange new place. Looking to settle in an area where a school and church are close by, and the Ingalls' have a chance to grow a wonderful crop that will provide quite a profit, the family heads to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Traveling by covered wagon, the family, along with all of their belongings, travels all the way through Indian Territory, across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, stopping at their destination in Minnesota. There, they are surrounded by Norwegian's who speak very little English. However, they are good neighbors who assist them in times of trouble. Trading their horses for a home located under the ground, Laura's family begins to call Minnesota their home. And, before long, Pa has built a lovely home by the banks of Plum Creek. He believes that his wheat crop will provide enough funds to pay off their debts when the time comes. But when locusts invade in cloud-like swarms, eating everything in their sight, the family must endure hardships that were unexpected.

But things are not all bad. Having never attended school before, Laura and Mary are finally near enough a schoolhouse where they can attend daily lessons that help them develop reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. It is at this particular school where the two older Ingalls girls are exposed to children - both male and female - who are close to their age. Some of whom title Mary and Laura "country girls." But the label does not affect how the two sisters view themselves, or their family; and only gives them the courage to befriend various girls who love to spend time with them. It is at school, however, that Laura encounters the spoiled, yet oh-so-pretty, Nellie Oleson, who goes out of her way to give both Laura and Mary a hard time. But Laura isn't having any of it, and resolves to get even with the vicious Nellie, even if it upsets her Ma and Pa. Luckily, with Ms. Beadle - the schoolteacher - around, Laura and Mary have the confidence to stand up for themselves, and receive the education that their Ma always wanted them to have; while getting the socialization they deserve. But even attending school doesn't excuse them from having to assist their family when the going gets tough.

Up until last year, I had been a diehard fan of the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE TV series, but had never had the opportunity to delve into the wonderful tales told by Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. Upon reading the introduction novel, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, I quickly fell in love with the Ingalls family all over again; and, since then, they have taken up residence in my heart, and kept me fascinated with the various adventures they experienced throughout their lives. Laura is such a lively, brave, fun-loving character; whose ambition, kindness, and, oft-times, naughtiness, make her appealing from start to finish. Her relationship with her family is hard to resist, as she manages to please and displease them on a daily basis, all to the jovial laughter of her father. I believe that Pa (Charles) is one of the most important characters in the series, as he is such a kind, loyal man; who rarely scolds, and spends his downtime entertaining his family with music from his fiddle, and stories that leave you chuckling. The family, as a whole, are the type of people you would absolutely love to have the chance to know. They are kind to strangers, helpful to neighbors, and both Ma and Pa are two of the most selfless people in literature. The information regarding Rocky Mountain locusts was both interesting, and frightening; but truly provides a wonderful history lesson for the young reader. While the introduction of the devilish Nellie Oleson provides quite a bit of humor, as she and Laura trade insults with one another at almost every meeting between the two. Ingalls did a marvelous job of penning such a cheerful addition to the series; and, thus far, ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK has become my favorite LITTLE HOUSE book yet. A can't-miss addition to the series!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK -- Who could forget the plague of grasshoppers, or spoiled Nellie's encounter with the crab, or Pa's sojourn in the blizzard, among other adventures?

We -- my three homeschooled grandchildren and I -- are going through the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books for the second time. We read them aloud during story time, and love every minute. These are books written about an American pioneer family in the 1800s with a strong moral compass. In an unsentimental style, the author writes simply of the day-to-day life she experienced firsthand growing up. As the title of this review suggests, a central theme, not only of this book, but the entire series, is that "Pa loves Ma, and Ma loves Pa, and all's right with the world," including in the face of all kinds of adversity and opportunity alike.

I enrich this time for my grandchildren by stopping occasionally to explain and discuss what we are reading about, be it an unusual word usage, a custom no longer practiced, how to do something by hand, historical facts... We have even stopped to do some research and measure out the height of a bear. Our family tradition is that the eldest grandchild (now 11) reads the last page of these books. Otherwise, I usually do the reading. We also try to get started right away on the next book in the series, the same day as we finish the one before, so as not to lose our momentum.

After going through the series the first time, we discovered (almost by accident at the local library) several other series of books, written by other authors, about Laura's great-grandmother Martha in Scotland, her grandmother Charlotte in Boston, and her mother Caroline in Wisconsin, so we decided to start over with the first of those books and carry on through. There is also a series about Laura's daughter Rose which we have not gotten to yet.

Reading through the other series in order has been time well invested. Like Laura, we have strong family roots in Scotland. We have four generations of our family living within close proximity, so my grandchildren know my father, their beloved great-grandfather, quite well, and this series helps them gain a feel of family and historical continuity, generation to generation. (Check for related book series under: Martha Years, Charlotte Years, Caroline Years, Rose Years).

I am investing in and building our own set of all these books in hardcover, having told my grandchildren that I plan to be around to read them to *their* grandchildren!

This book was quite an eye opener for my husband and I. We actually read it together and was able to identify many of the issues addressed. We feel armed with the knowledge of what we are dealing with (as knowing is 1/2 the battle), but we are still uncertain as to how exactly to deal with the narcissitic parent/family system in certain situations. We plan to continue reading about this topic, discussing how best to be in control of our own actions/feelings, and moving foward past the narcissitic upbringing. This book was definitely the place to start.

The book was very imformative if you feel you come from the type of family written about

I have read this book recently and am amazed at how much it is helping me become a better person. The stories are amazing, the analysis is genius. I can't but help recommend this book for people who are interested in learning about themselves and how to improve themselves.

I always knew my mom could be awful and my dad was passive, and that our household wasn't normal. But because there was no obvious abuse - no alcoholism, no hitting - and my parents paid for sailing lessons and an Ivy League college - I thought my adult problems were unrelated. Even after two consecutive therapists labeled my mother a narcissist, I couldn't make the connection between my upbringing and my chronic depression, indeciveness, insatiable desire to please others...until I read this book.

It's not a "blame-your-parents-for-everything" tract. "The Narcissistic Family" simply illustrates dysfunctional behavior with examples, articulates the impact of that behavior on the individual child, and explains the reasons behind it.

For instance: you know that your mother's yelling at you for low grades was crummy, and that you weren't really lazy or inept. But did you know that by getting angry, she was making YOU the problem? The normal response would be to investigate tutoring or time management or a different coarse load. (The problem is the homework, not the child.)

In a narcissistic family, the other parent responds by calming the narcissist (in my case, mom). The child's actual problem is ignored. The parents, essentially, are focused on their own needs. Before reading the Pressmans, I was never able to make sense of my parent's generosity and attention with being made to feel like an incompetent when I couldn't finish my homework on time.

Even if the term "narcissist" sounds harsh, read the book. At worst, it will be interesting and won't apply to you. At best, it will give your life-altering perspective.

This is one of the most dynamic books I have read that deals with the true nature of most people's early lives. It is easily read and understandable on the laypersons level. It is a tool you can repeatedly use - it certainly is not a toss-away book! I highly recommend it!