Abuse Books

As an addiction therapist and recovering addict myself and the author of "Something for Nothing: Shoplifiting Addiction & Recovery" and "Biting The Hand That Feeds: The Employee Theft Epidemic," I found John Prin's book to be an extremely well-written tale of his own life that anybody should be able to relate to and benefit from. Mr. Prin has distilled the essence of all addictions and self-destructive behaviors to their very fuel: secret keeping. I would encourage anyone to read this book who needs to know the difference between healthy and unhealthy aspects of our private lives. Mr. Prin is onto something here!

In a world where we all have skeletons in our closets and many locks to keep them there, John Prin has changed the rules and thrown his closet door wide open. WOW! Is my reaction to this very honest autobiographical account of Prin's life. From a moment where he nearly killed his mother, to alcohol, drugs, adultery and finally to Christ. What courage it took to invite the public into Prin's private world of addictions, how the addictions developed and how he fought each one to become a whole person. We also learn about the toll addictions take on family and friends around the addict. It is extremely well written in a manner that keeps the reader never wanting to put the book down.
This book is well suited to the addict in recovery, the addict looking for help and the therapist looking for insight into the world of addicts.
Kudos to Prin for his unique honesty that is so helpful for all addicts looking for validation that they aren't the only ones with the problems they face.

Stolen Hours is a valuable contribution to the literature on addiction and recovery, especially as it relates to the Christian faith. Having been through drug and alcohol treatment four times myself, but then finally finding freedom from addiction concomitant with my conversion to Christianity ten years ago, I can attest to the experiential validity of Prin's account. A central part of recovery is the realization of one's true identity as fashioned in the image of God, but suffering the effects of a fallen nature. Unfortunately, this is not something that most treatment centers will (or can) impart or even endorse to addicts seeking recovery. Addiction is but one means that points to our need of an eternal Savior. Prin's book is one of the rare accounts in the literature on addiction that recognizes this. Prin uses riveting firsthand accounts and retrospective insights to unpack these concepts for us. I am truly grateful for his efforts.

John has told all about his life and how he has kept secrets. This secret keeping he has called "Stolen Hours." A very honest book. John has told his life story along with all his personal weaknesses to wake the reader up to his own life and his own possible stolen hours. He has called my attention to my stolen hours (secrets) and made me aware of them so I can begin to honestly deal with them. A highly readable page turner on one level and a very helpful book on another deeper level. I recomment it highly

STOLEN HOURS relates a true story of one man's recovery and redemption. Even if you believe that you personally have "nothing to recover from"-which may or may not be the case, despite what you admit in your heart of hearts-STOLEN HOURS will ring true and be irresistible to put down. This book resonates with the reader from page one and surges ahead with truth, honesty and power. You may find you harbor more unhealthy secrets than you know. And STOLEN HOURS will help show you the way to break free of their hidden power.

STOLEN HOURS tells the autobiographical life journey of John Prin, Upper Midwest baby boomer: A man who is `normal', functional and `happy' on the outside, yet secretly enslaved by inner demons of drugs, alcohol, pornography and disillusionment within. It took Prin many decades to start freeing free himself from unhappiness, dysfunction and self-loathing; and I suspect the process continues to this day. Although his Christian faith played a strong role in guiding his path to enlightenment, his autobiography is definitely a page-turner... and will ring true... to all secret keepers, those of all faiths or no faith at all. STOLEN HOURS speaks to everyone, and resounds with new life and possibility. Read it now-it's a fast, compelling book that will have you responding, "Yes! And yes... and yes. Me too! And now I understand why". And then you the reader, like I, will be waiting eagerly for Prin's next book.

I picked this book up out of curiosity. I was not prepared for what I read. I wish I had never opened the book. If you get the least bit emotional hearing or reading about child abuse then don't read this book because the details of what this poor child endured - the torture, mental, physical, sexual abuse - are in the book. I fear these images will stay in my head for years to come. (I think Ms. Spencer did an excellent job in the way she presented the story to us regardless of its details). Like a previous reviewer, I too could not put it down because I had to see and believe that Jenny would overcome her horrors and be saved. Unfortunately the book ended before her therapy did so eventhough Jenny made great strides, in the end the readers don't really know if she improved or regressed.

I found this book on my dusty bookshelf and saw I must've started it a long time ago so I decided to try again. Just into the first few pages I realized why i might have put it down. But I continued to read and was instantly brought to tears of the horrific tortures this poor girl went through and the amazing capabilities she had to be able to cope. I was comletely baffled by how this child was able to endure and survive such torment and abuse from her mother, the cult, and numerous men. Though it made me sick, I just couldn't put it down. I had to reach the end to see the amazing outcome of this now grown woman. It was difficult to read but rewarding in the end knowing what those therapists were able to unveil.

Most books leave the reader with a longing for more extensive knowledge of the healing process. Not this one. Judith Spencer does an excellent job of taking the reader from discovery of the abuse, denial, DID effects, and therapy. The details of the abuse can be triggering but also affirming if there are any doubts about the memories of Ritual Abuse. The long search for adequate help within the counseling community was down right disturbing as she was misdiagnosed over and over again. The most informative part of this book is the intimate detail of the therapy relationship and process. Her therapists were absolutely commited beyond the norm to her emotional health. READER BEWARE: don't expect to find similar therapists, they probably don't exist. My only disappointment was the lack of information about the relationship with her husband. As a primary relationship, it was certainly overlooked or intentionally avoided.

This book is amazing. It captivates the reality of child abuse dangers as well as the monstrousity of satanic cults. If this book were a movie, it would make "Sybil" and "The Three Faces of Eve" look like disney shows. It is a psychology course must-read, but I read it simply for its intriguing truth and complexity.

Feels like I wrote parts of it. very scary and triggering . Read with care and if you have a past in satanic abuse, don't read it at all.

I sometimes work with people who are struggling with codependent behavior or sexual addictions. This is the book I most often recommend and I also think it is a great reference for professionals such as psychologists, personal coaches and psychiatrists.

In one very good book, Charlotte Kasl provides an excellent, easy to understand model for understanding these issues and how to overcome them. She illustrates these principles with just the right amount of relevant case histories and does it without using a lot of jargon.

This book is solid, but very readable and the author develops her topic with deep compassion. If you are only going to buy one book on this subject, I would go with this one. If you are looking for an uplifting book to compliment it that is not just a restatement of what many other books already say, then I also suggest AWAKENING IN TIME by Jacuelyn Small. She takes a very spiritual which is a synthesis of many schools of thought both East and West perspectives.

Freedom from Relationship/ Co-Dependency/ Sexual Addictions is the greatest asset to this book. I started reading it when my relationship ended with a man I cared for. My bad relationship triggered many unrealistic emotions inside myself that caused me a lot of self damage by acting out and dating guys that were all bad for me because of my low self image since the break-up.
I couldn't see it at the time but I had become Addicted.

Thanks to a friend and this book my healing began two years ago and I feel so much better about myself and about my relationships with others. This book is a MUST READ!

Study it, learn it, then be well...

I, a single, never married, man in my mid-30s, am only partially through this book and am amazed and changed by it. In today's society of lies about sex and relationships, if you are breathing you will be able to find aspects of yourself and people you know and your/their sexuality in this book. It's not whether it's an addiction but whether a particular 'use' is addictive. What a profound concept! Everyone has either done this, had it done to them, or heard about it at least once. It is all around us all the time. It is our culture, at least in the US. Broadening the addictive use of sex to include 'uses' of flirtation, provocativeness, submission/domination and sadism/masochism, fantasy, e-mails/IMing, masturbation, and pornography, as well as full on sex, is clear, effective, and true. If you are sexually active in your dating relationships and wonder why it's not working out (most singles), this applies to you. Use it to understand yourself, your friends, your children. There are a lot of examples involving full-blown addicts, but there is also a lot about sexually acting out in any of the above ways and to any extent, and you can find yourself somewhere among the pages -- men and women, guaranteed. We are all so trained by everything around us to behave in this way. It is sad and destructive. I have used and been used, and picked up this book after three very hurtful experiences with women I really cared about.

All of the Amazon reader and newspaper reviews of this book (and I have used the Book Review Index to find all of the book reviews) fail to do justice to this book, and the explanation is to be found in the book itself. This book is one of the most original and most important books ever written on addictions. The reason appears on pages xii, 393, and 378-9 of the Tichnor & Fields hardcover First Edition:

This book began by request: Kasl started working with groups of women and found that some brought copies of marginally useful books on sex addiction to group. Seeing the need for a book, Kasl began writing something for her group and had it copied for them. Then the grassfire began. She handed out seven copies of her book bound in a red binding (hence her book's first title prior to commercial publication "The Red Book"). Several days later, forty women wanted copies and demand continued. A few months and a few bookstores later, thousands of copies were sold. Then the magic began: the groups changed her book and added to it because she listened to their voices.

I first got this book at a library and found that I had to buy a copy. Kasl says that her groups all found that the book is so packed with information that you want to read it a little at a time and think about it: not for nothing did so many women give Kasl feedback about her book.

I hope Kasl will publish future editions of this book with what used to be called in the nineteenth century an Analytical Table of Contents at the back of the book. Sally Vincent in her 25 May 1990 Psychology Today (page 36) book review entitled "Nymphos or Doormats" goes through the book adequately but an analytical table of contents would do a better job. And yes, as Vincent notes, about a third of the book deals with trying to readjust the self after all the abuse. But her review fails to convey the originality of the book and why it must be read.

Kasl asks readers--both women and men (there is a chapter on men because the book was written for women)--to write to her regarding their reactions to her book. I hope that someone will submit a book review that adequately summarizes this book, because I do not think that one can be written which conveys how good this book is. I have two copies of this book and expect to have my first copy rebound soon because I have worn the binding out with use. I am sure that you will have the same experience. Consider purchasing extra copies to give to friends, as I have: they will appreciate it.

This book is amazing.
It has been extremely helpful in understanding relationship behaviors. I would recommend it to both men and women.
Easy read. Good advice. Great examples.
Buy a copy.

This book made me cry and laugh and it gave me hope for the future for our two children that have FASD.

I found this book on my own, after many trips to psych. evaluations, counseling, parent child interventions, etc., with the "best" hospitals and doctors in our area. None of them ever diagnosed our daughter with FAE. Once I read this book, I went back to those reports and it was glaringly easy to see all of the comments that pointed to FASD but were never linked to FASD. Because I was armed with examples and knowledge I was able to educate the doctors, teachers, psychologists, therapists, social workers and so on. My daughter got her diagnosis (along with her younger biological brother) and is now receiving the services the school district denied her because her IQ was a mere 7 points above that of a developmentally delayed level and she didn't have a diagnosis at the time of denial. God Bless Bonnie's courage, determination, love, hope and her neverending faith that we are exactly where we need to be right at this very moment with our children exactly as they are right now. AMAZING!

Was such a relief to know we are not alone in our struggles with Alcohol related birth defects. The journey of raising these kids is long. Thanks for your insight into your journey.

Bonnie Buxton's book, Damaged Angels, will ring true to anyone who has lived the life of dealing with a child who looks normal, but has "disconnects" in their life. After adopting "a visible child with an invisible disability" I valued reading about Bonnie's experiences with her daughter,Collette. Her up-to-date overview of the most current research on FASD was helpful in my journey with my daughter. I appreciated her openness and vulnerability in describing her mothering experiences.

I think every social worker should be required to read this book as part of their training. As a mother in distress, this book was a beacon in the fog for me.

Bonnie Buxton does an amazing job in this book of thoroughly explaining the damage that prenatal alcohol exposure does to an unborn child's brain and how that plays out in real-life examples, without painting a picture that is dark and hopeless. We get to see these real families working hard to make good lives for their children, feel their struggles, grieve in their failures and celebrate in their successes. This is a beautiful book full of life and hope.

All the other reviews have said it all. The book is touching, sad, funny and so timeless. DO get the audio version if you can, its soooo much nicer to hear it from louie himself.

An excellent book! Delivery was prompt and the book was in very good condition as promised.

Then this book is for you. Louie's description of growing up in a large family with an alcoholic father is both touching, sad and funny. It is possible to emerge from such a family fully intact with a sense of humor and to make something of your own life despite the bad parenting you received. To quote Louie, "we're all crazy people, raised by crazy people who were raised by crazy people." Whether you are a fan of Louie or not, this book is thoroughly enjoyable and a cover-to-cover read. One of my all time favorites! Thanks Louie!
Signed, A Big Fan

Louie Anderson is my all time favorite comedian. I never thought a book by him would bring me to tears, but it did. Fortunately, I did not grow up with an alcoholic father. However, I did battle gross obesity from elementary school through high school. I understand the pain behind Louie's fat jokes, and that pain is really brought out in this book. This book helped inspire me to lose 150 lbs. And, 14 years later, it still inspires me to battle my lingering demons. This book is a must read for anybody who has suffered psychological abuse as a child, whether it was the result of an alcoholic father, personal obesity, or any other reason.

This book was not only funny but really hit home for me. Louie, are you sure we weren't from the same family? Anyone scarred from a dysfunctional family due to addiction of any kind, will find this book very healing. I found that talking about your traumatic childhood helps you as an adult. I buried by memories of my father's drinking for many years, til my kids saw him once very intoxicated at my doorstep begging for money. I had him arrested and soon after sought Al-Anon for help with my guilt, shame and all other feelings I was carrying around. The sooner you talk about the past the better you will feel about yourself. Get this book. Makes you know that you are not alone. Thanks Louie.

I am not much of a book worm, but could not put this book down once I started reading it. To read about where Dr. Brown came from to where she is today, spiritually, personally and professionally...should be an inspiration of hope for anyone facing addiction issues.

This book bares a woman's soul as she struggles with seemingly irrecoverable addictions and unimaginable psychological devastation. Yet she courageously recovers and gives readers HOPE that no pit is so deep nor compulsion so strong that an effective recovery program cannot overcome.

Anita's book should be read by all who have experienced - or know someone who has experienced - the desperation of addiction, insecurity, and deep emotional trauma. Her story provides a reference for all who seek to help themselves or others put their stories in context and feel life is worth living!

Don Arthur, M.D.

This gripping ,intimate story covers a beautiful womans saga from a suburban middle class upbringing to pot smoking, alcohol- use then abuse. Her journey in and out of education, bars, sex, drugs and rock and roll....After years of stupid, self destroying behavior...She finds a 12 Step Program,learns to live a complete life then Graduates at the Top of her class from 2 of the Nations finest Universities and emerges as one of Washington DC's most respected,dedicated and devoted Counslers/Psyco Analysts. Her story is riviting and an inspiration.

This is a remarkable story of courage and perseverance, but most of all hope. And one of the most important "take aways" is that recovering from addiction is more than not just using - it is about allowing changes in attitudes, beliefs and actions to permeate the rest of your life. Dr. Smith does a wonderful job in allowing this part of the story to unfold, as she takes us through her journey through a "new life."

I've read it 3x since purchasing it about a month ago. And I never fail to find something worthwhile even when picking it up to peruse a few pages. Lots of lessons here!!

I very recently read this book and would recommend it to anyone who is in recovery and looking for answers on how to get better emotionally and spiritually after addiction. While many books have accounts of the active addiction, this book is more about understanding the underlying causes and the way out to spritual growth. The author's deep understanding of the addictions that have affected many in our society, gives hope to the newly recovered alcoholic and drug addict looking for a reason to continue in their search for sobriety and meaning in their lives.

The first time I read this book, I was a young teenager. I thought the author really captured the essence of a teenager and what kind of pressures they face. I highly recomend this book... It was very well written.

Great book for early teens, even pre-teens. Kids at risk identify with the main charactor, love the animals, wish for someone like the old man to be there for them.

Imagine having a mother who doesn't seem to know you exist. Unless she needs money or someone to take her frustrations out on. Imagine having a father who hasn't had contact with you in two years, even though he lives only a couple of hours away. A father who kept taking you back to an abusive mother until he became too busy to even come see you at all.

Sean just plain doesn't care anymore. So he's been suspended yet again for fighting - big deal. It'll be just another vacation. That is, until he's assigned community service at a local ranch. Starting immediately.

Mr. Hassler, the old geezer ranch owner, puts Sean to work cleaning out stalls, spreading manure, and unloading feed. Things change when he helps deliver a colt that imprints Sean, instead of its mother. Their bond helps him explore his tangle of emotions about his parents and Mr. Hassler.

HERO is a heartwarming story about a young man in search of someone to love and respect, including himself. Rottman leaves the reader wanting more as Sean faces a new future with his dad and the ranch.

Reviewed by: Cana Rensberger

Now here's a book that clearly defines the meaning of "hero". Rottman's books always have a good message for us. They often deal with mature subjects, drugs and alcohol, but never glorified. His books are great for mature readers. A clear look into what life is like for many young adults today.

I think this is a good book. I like all the characters and I like how this book is setup. This book is good for all ages. Good classroom book for teachers. I read this book in my reading class. I got into the book really fast and I couldn't put the book down. My favorite character in this book was Sean. He was a nice kid inside and it shows you in the book. At first he seemed like a trouble maker and later he shows you the real him. With a farmers help (Mr. Hassler). I really don't read books. It's not my thing but when I read this one it had me going for another one.

Hooked is a facinating story of five peoples lives and should be read for this alone. The author does a great job of telling their stories. Painlessly wrapped inside these stories is a Masters Degree on the drug treatment system.

Hooked will give you an insight into drug treatment systems without the bias of the creators. Hooked will give you years of development history and terminology.

Finally, if your state or county is going to start or start-over a drug treatment program Hooked will tell you the best approach. The approach selected has results that clearly make it the plan of choice. (Read the book for the answer.)

I work in the drug-use prevention field. I purchased this book for my own education. I became emotionally involved in the lives of the drug addicts featured in the book. It was beneficial to learn about their backgrounds and to see their daily lives in detail. I learned a great deal and am even more passionate about my work now!

drug rehab right between the eyes that pulls no pun ches and shows us where we need to go next

This book is amazing. I rarely give books 5 stars, but this one is exceptional - fair, honest, compassionate without being treacly, thorough, thoughtful, well-written. Shavelson does a remarkable job profiling his subjects, the reasons for their drug use and how it turned into abuse, and the challenges they face just finding treatment (not to mention completing it). He describes each program fully and carefully before evaluating them, so that the reader can understand the basis for his criticisms and form her own opinion. Despite the sad outcomes of some subjects, Shavelson offers the reader a glimmer of hope by showing us what is likely to work, why addicts are worth saving, and why numerous "second chances" at treatment are necessary and eventually pay off. Read this book!

Hooked is a very good book. It starts of as one of those investigative journalist things with a description of real drug addicts. Often books of this type look at these people as if they were the inmates of a zoo, but rather than doing that the book uses their problems to illustrate the difficulties which plague organisations which provide assistance to drug addicts.

One woman suffers from a combination of mental illness and drug abuse. Her attempts to find help are continually frustrated by the fact that when she applies for assistance from mental health professionals she is told that she has a drug problem and she is referred onwards. When she speaks to drug agencies she is told that she has a mental health problem and told to see a psychologist. In the last chapter of the book she is able to find an agency which will help her, but this occurs only after the intervention of one of the doctors. The intake staff is concerned about accepting her as they prefer people who have fewer problems and who are easy to deal with.

A lot of the book is focused on one person Mike who attends a live in facility for close to a year. His story illustrates how current rehabilitation facilities fail to have access to services such as detoxification and also use ritual humiliation as a means of controlling the inmates. Mike breaks a rule by developing a relationship with another inmate. He has to sit in a chair for three days and to go through a re-education session similar to those that featured in the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The author makes the point that the people running the program are generally untrained and not able to work out when such treatment is appropriate or whether those who might be put through it could suffer from major mental illnesses. Those people who suffer from substance abuse problems generally will have a background of some difficulty. In this case Mike was a person who was raped repeatedly as a child. There was however no psychological treatment available in the program. More important however is the inability of the program to deal with relapse. Drug addiction is a problem that is often defined by the tendency to relapse. However the response of Mikes program was to kick him out. That is despite the fact that if allowed back into the program his prognosis would have been good.

The author is an admirer of the Drug Court system. The reason for his admiration is that the Drug Court is better able to make the diverse and not well functioning elements of the treatment system accountable. Thus they use relapses to build the drug addicts skills in dealing with their addiction so that they are more likely to stay clean. They can also ensure that rehab placements accept people, provide them with appropriate care and they can also direct addicts to detoxification.

The book is not only an interesting discussion of the issues the author is able to interest the reader in the story of the addicts he studies. One can see them as humans and follow their struggle to get on top of their problems and to live lives as valuable citizens. A book which should be a must read for anyone with an interest in the area.

It's Dan Dunn at his best. It is totally inappropriate. I mean that in the best way possible. If you are a fan of his writing, buy this book!

This book is easily the best book I've ever written... the only one, actually. Dan Dunn is great. Dan Dunn is me.

Dan Dunn has written a book that is not only freakin' funny, but is also a very informative tome about the history of booze. If you are unable to travel this year, pick up this book, pour yourself a drink and take a trip with Dunn as he traverses the world in search of free booze and food. You will not be disappointed.

"Nobody Likes a Quitter" rocks, which makes sense, because author Dan Dunn apparently likes his liquor on the rocks and, well, in just about any other form. Dunn, a professional booze writer for numerous magazines and newspapers, manages to bundle up his social life, professional life, and the life of the various skid-row bums he calls friends and roommates --- who may or may not be completely real but who are unfortunately at least 75% real --- into a tight roman à clef narrative of debauchery and merriment.

It's hard not to see the parallels to "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Dunn's mentor and one-time bothersome Colorado neighbor, Hunter S. Thompson. (The two used to hang together in the 1990s, and Dunn apparently has the crazed late-night voicemail message from Thompson on his machine to prove it.)

Admittedly, and Dunn would have to agree, Quitter isn't as literary as Fear and Loathing --- there's no stated quest to find the American dream, although Dunn seems to be living it; no stated agenda of capturing the essence of generations x, y or z --- but the rhythm and the fun and the spirit (and spirits) are there. Whereas Thompson was on assignment for Rolling Stone and his fuel was his narcotics, Dunn consumes nearly every known mainstream and indigenous intoxicant in North America and Europe while remaining ever so loyal to the Deadline, capital D, and his responsibility to his readers.

Dunn is proud and irreverent, with 12 chapters in Quitter based on AA's 12 steps. This is the stuff he obviously couldn't put into his newspaper columns. Aside from the sex, which is sloppy enough to believe, there's the feeling that any responsible newspaper editor, knowing the true background, would send Dunn to rehab instead of footing the bill for his drinking orgies.

I'd call this required reading for any serious educated drinker. There is a narrative, sort of, in a hazy drunk kind of way: The letters between him and a Fox TV executive about some ill-fated pilot are worth the price of admission, as is the high-as-a-kite Larry King story. Yet layered in here also is the history of booze, in sidebars, and lessons on cocktail making. Like a Long Island Ice Tea, the various poisons somehow mesh in an intoxicating read.

-cw

If you love fiction and comedy, you will love this book. Dan dunn is a unique writer and his book is worth reading. Just take a look at the endorsements and you will know that this book is for those with a sense of humor. Buy, read and enjoy. We did!!

Totally beyond belief! I too am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse living in Australia and Rhonnie's story still shocked me! An unbelievable survivor, Rhonnie shares her raw emotions with the world to put forward the TRUTH behind child molestation. She lived through the nightmare, suffered the after effects, gained strength and now has stepped aside from what could have been a soul destroying future.

Rhonnie is a woman of pure strength, which also shines through in the success of her non-for-profit organization, Leaps and Bounds, dedicated to survivors of child molestation. Child abuse is a global problem and the torment it leaves in its survivors is unparalleled to none. Rhonnie is here to help... not just survivors, but all those who either directly or indirectly come into some contact with this unforgiving crime... or may be yet to realise that they are already unknowingly linked to it. Are you hearing what I am saying? If not, read the last three lines again...

Her ongoing dedication to this devastating, shocking act is a tremendous achievement and deserves unparalleled credit. I have nothing more than respect and admiration for this wonderful woman. Rhonnie is here today for many purposes, to be a survivor, a teacher, a leader, a mum, a wife, a family member, a friend... but I think the most important purpose is to share this book with YOU. You definitely don't have to be a victim yourself, it is written to all of society, not just aimed at your town, state or country, but globally!

Life is too short to let chances pass by. Rhonnie's book will change your views and understanding, if not your life! It may just open your eyes enough to help save just one victim... or many. What would you give to know that you made a difference in someone's world? Don't let that chance pass by...

An amazing "MUST READ"!!!!! Whether you have lived through abuse, know someone who has or only heard about it, this book tells it all, through the eyes of a child and on into adult years. The struggles are many and I applaud this author for her tremendous strength and ability to get it all out in words and share this with all of us. She is an inspiration to all who read this book.
Deb Ontario Canada

In my work with the abused ( I am a lay counselor) I have recommended Rhonnie's book time and again. Rhonnie's book is difficult to read. Those not prepared or ready to confront the truth about abuse, will not be able to read this book easily. Some won't be able to read it at all. If you live in denial of these issues and don't want to be a part of the solution, you will want to put it down. I urge all of you to press through the hard stuff and READ THIS BOOK. You will end this book proactive towards child abuse, rather than choosing to ignore it. This is part of the answer to stopping the epidemic of child abuse that is rampant in our society today! We must be OUTRAGED with adults abusing children, and get involved, report it, and seek help for the children, as well as the abusers. Get this book in the hands of everyone you can! It will change your perspective and change your life!
I am so impressed that Rhonnie had the courage to write her story and open her life for all to read about. That couldn't have been easy. It put her in a position with famiy to be targeted for her refusal to stay in denial of the family secrets. Thank you, Rhonnie, for caring so much for America's abused children, that you subjected yourself to persecution, ridicule and facing your own pain and agony.
Rhonnie's book has been instrumental in my husband and I considering opening a "HOUSE OF HOPE" for troubled teenagers in our area. When I finished her book, I wanted to make a difference, as she has. The Lord willing, we will open a House of Hope in the near future where abused and hurting teens and their families can come to find healing and grace. Thank you, Rhonnie for inspiring us into action!!

Valerie & John Norton
Living Waters House of Hope (To be opened)
Healing for America's Teens

America has a secret hidden epidemic lurking, protected and secure, in the American family home. It is child sexual abuse. The strength and courage of one woman to tell her brutal story will give everyone who reads it an understanding of child molestation necessary to change this cycle of abuse carried through generations and generations. Comprehension of this unspeakable crime will get people speaking. Rhonnie speaks about her own abuse and I could not stop reading. Through the tears and the anger, I kept reading. After reading her story, I wanted to cup my hands around all the abused and neglected children of the world. Thank you Rhonnie for this eye-opening, riveting book.

First of all I want to say that I am proud to call Rhonnie my friend and kindred spirit. What she has done in this book is spectacular, in putting you in the head, heart and body of an abused child. I found myself caught in her skin and feeling everything she felt...as well as those of her siblings. I wish someone would be brave enough to make a movie from her book and make it a must see. Child abuse in any form is devastating and destructive. Rhonnie reaches out with her pure portrayal of her life and lets the world share her pain and the pain of every other individual who ever suffers this horror. The chain is seeminging endless, but Rhonnie is going to make a difference in this world...because she is a survivor and one of the bravest and kindest people I have ever known. If each victim of child abuse and molestation would join hands and start standing up for this cause...the voices would be heard around the world. Rhonnie,you are the greatest and I truly feel you are worthy of Oprah and every other talk show on the planet that will help you and all of us in this fight. Your book is precious and I would not take anything for it. God speed dear one.
Jane in North Carolina