Abuse Books

I am a disabled person who was overjoyed to read David Ford's wonderful exposè. My progressive condition should be causing unbearable pain and spasms at this point...and DOES without this great medicine. Someday the truth will triumph because of people such as Mr. Ford and books as bold as his. Someday this book will be a collector's item, like the Soviet flag, because of works like this. I have heard Mr. Ford on talk radio, as well. With his survivor's courage and enlightened convictions-having won his battle with cancer with a big help from marijuana-David Ford provides a wealth of knowledge and insight into the absolutely ridiculous and ineffective War On Drugs. This WOD, this total misuse of our money, is being promoted by alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical companies. Dirty politics? You bet! Marijuana is a superior product plain and simple, and more doctors would publicly agree if they could do so without negative consequences. After reading "Marijuana: Not Guilty As Charged," I would not be surprised if the future reveals some sort of conspiracy involving advocates for the gun industry and the DEA's War On Drugs...perhaps gun lobbyists pressing officials to pass WOD budgets to fuel more crime to increase the demand for firearms. In any event, the War On Drugs has achieved this: in every American city, illegal drugs are more readily available today than ever before. And not many consider the by-products of the WOD's destruction, the constant displacement of farmers in developing countries among them. CLEARLY, the War On Drugs has become an out-of-control habit supported by taxpayers coerced by ill-conceived laws. Mr. Ford's book has an easy style and light approach, but makes one think deeply...and hope for a sequel.

I have had the honor and pleasure to read "Marijuana not guilty as charged" and brought several copies of it for friends and family. As Glenn, one of the readers, so correctly stated, it should be in every household to not only inform but educate people. It once again proves that we are a spoonfed society and that it takes individuals such as this author, David R. Ford, to break through that barrier and do the work for us. I applaud you Mr. Ford on having the courage to write a book on a very controveral subject and bring the facts to a very misguided society. I am looking for (hopefully) more publishings of yours. Gratefully, Elisabeth M. Drews

I've been working with Cannabis Action Network for about 3 years now. I've recently walked away from doing any political work due to an armed robbery I fell victim to due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You would think that would have ended any relations I had with Marijuana at that point.

It's an interesting story but I wanted to say how after reading MARIJUANA: NOT GUILTY AS CHARGED and actually feeling a taste of the REAL drug war that does exist in America, this book helped me to not feel alone and to make sense of what is happening all around us that we take for granted or wish to not see and give our power over to those in Authority in whom we "feel" should be giving us the truth on drugs. When in most cases the story is far from the "truth" in America.

This book gave me encouragement to not be a VICTIM of the Crime of not knowing the facts on Marijuana and gave me a conviction in my heart to let the world know they're is healing, growth, and most importantly Hemp that can bring an impoverished land back to a land of healthy, strong, individually stable people.

After the robbery and learning so much about the legalization of marijuana from short excerpt of one page papers and people I came across, I then found this book. I had many books to choose from. this book seemed to have the right information and well spoken best of all it was all in one great book. I've managed to help many people while working as the Office Administrator for CAN after reading this book. Thank you David Ford for taking the time to reach all of the people you interviewed!

After talking to people across the US over the phone on counseling them for marijuana use while working at CAN I saw the overwhelming need of Americans who felt hopeless and alone due to pressures of family, church and friends.

I grew up living on the East Coast and this book helped convince me how wrong I've been in my thinking but that it's due to my upbringing and the way we are all taught in school and life.
This may be something we have all heard before but the way David Ford lays out the facts and in a well understood way brings one to a new state of enlightenment.

After reading "Marijuana Not Guilty As Charged" I have decided to become active in this marijuana movement. This book made me realize that marijuana is a medicine. I wonder how long our federal government is going to be wrong(about medical marijuana) to try to prove that they are right. This book addresses their own DEA administrative judge Francis Young and his support of marijuana. David R. Ford also talks about the "steppingstone theory" and addresses the fact that marijuana was once legal in this country and what happened among many other issues. This book has changed a part of my life. I now know that I cannot sit back and let everyone else do the work in the marijuana movement I have to join the fight. Like David R. Ford, I too can do courageous things to help. This book is a must read. In the book David Ford dedicates a chapter to NORML(National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws) and ten things that you can do to relegalize marijuana.
David R. Ford is so sure of the benefits of marijuana he offers a $50,000 reward to anyone who can scientifically prove marijuana is not medicine. I think this book is a must for the "non-users" of marijuana as well as the users to gain some insight into this misinformed subject. Read this book it's possible that it could help you make the quality of life better for someone you might know or for yourself.

As a Caribbean person, who has lived most of my life in Guyana and Jamaica, I wish to highly recommend Dave Ford's timely book on the issue of marijuana use and persecution. Though Ford focuses on the problem in the USA he refers to other countries, and especially studies done outside of the USA which serve to support his thesis that marijuana is not guilty as charged. Ask the Rastafarians of Jamaica. He uses an impressive collection of facts to disclaim the various medical problems that are blamed on marijuana use. He shows how marijuana regulation got caught up in the attempt to deal with abuse of drugs such as cocaine and heroin and how the government bureaucracy for reasons which reasonable people can speculate on, refuses to correct. The noted Caribbean jurist, Aubrey Fraser, documented this same issue.

The hysteria surrounding the war on drugs creates a climate in which it is difficult for reasonable and workable approaches to drug use reduction and user rehabilitation to be implemented even though we have examples around the world of what works and what doesn't. A neglected aspect of the war on marijuana which Ford also discusses is how the war has drastically reduced the cultivation and use of hemp, one of the most useful plants known to man.

I would highly recommend Ford's book to anyone who is interested in the truth about marijuana and wants to be empowered to make an intelligent choice about what this relatively harmless intoxicant really is all about. It would be remiss if I did not also note that one of the things that is lost because of the irrational approach to marijuana use is the medical benefits of this plant. This has been the subject of study by scientists around the world, including specialists in Jamaica, the UK, and the USA and is one of the points Ford makes in his book.

I am not a victim of sexual abuse, but my mother-in-law saw the author speak and sent me this book. I have a son and am so incredibly glad that I read this book. I think it is one of the most important books written. Not only was it interesting - captivating, really - it was also incredibly educational. I learned so much about sexual abuse that I never knew before. I now know what to look for and what to ask to keep my son safe. The most unbelievable things DO happen and if we all know that then we have to act and it can't continue. This is one of the best messages I got from the book.

I first picked this book up in a library, as a 'good read'.
It is all of that...well written, evocative and shocking, but best of all, it offers hope to victims and survivers of incest, child abuse and all the associated crimes of one human being against another, that we can rise above it.
Marilyn does not pull any punches, however she does offer insights and practical ways to heal, including a directory of places to go for help.
If you suspect that you need help, you almost certainly do.
Start here, with Miss America by Day

I have a friend that went through sexual abuse with your father and has been suffering from this all her life. It was good to read the book to be able to understand her better and also feel it would be a good book for those that have been sexually abused by their father or any other person. You realize that you are not alone and the book helps you to understand what you are going through and why you are feeling the way you do.

Shame threatened to kill author Marilyn Van Durber if she revealed the truth about her childhood to her daughter Jennifer.

"I believed with all my heart, that when I told Jennifer [that I'd been sexually violated by my father], she would say, `I don't want you to be my mom anymore.' I knew I would be as unacceptable to her as I was to myself.

"If you are not a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I'm sure it is difficult to understand that kind of shame but it is very real. We feel so unworthy and we believe, each time we disclose, that we will be shunned, no longer wanted. Sometimes our fears are confirmed."

Van Durber took the risk and lived. Her daughter did not reject her; in fact, she embraced her, and this led her to be able to help thousands of sexual abuse survivors face telling the truth--her reason for writing MISS AMERICA BY DAY.

Read this book, share it with everyone you know, and begin to "do the work," because all children--including the ones trembling inside adult survivors--need someone who will die for them.

Note: The author thoughtfully combines autobiographical and educational material, and does it well.

I read the article in People Magazine when Marilyn Van Derbur first told the world she had been a victim of incest. I shuddered and literally sobbed because it triggered a new memory for me. I'd just learned a couple years earlier I, too, had been a victimized, and I was in the process of healing. When I read her book I could relate over and over again to what she'd been through. This is a must-read for victims who want to become (or already have become) VICTORS! Soar Unafraid: Learning to Trust No Matter What

My wife made me read this book. I'm not one for romances, but she promised this one had enough twists, and sex, to keep me interested. She was right! This was fun! I can usually figure out a book's ending within the first twenty pages, this had me fooled. Of course I'd need a plain brown wrapper if I were to read it on the train, but it would be worth it.

A friend mentioned this new author, Debra Markowitz, and she raved about her book, Naked in the Rain. I had to take chance. I was not disappointed. As I suppose I'm like everyone else, too busy to breathe most days, Naked in the Rain was refreshing. I read it in a weekend and was laughing...and crying...like a lunatic. If you want to "feel," and also love sensual books, read Debra Markowitz's Naked in the Rain.

Naked in the Rain made me laugh, cry and blush. I actually got caught at work sneaking peaks as I could not put it down. The storyline took you to a different place yet was so real that I could easily relate to what was going on in Norah's life. The most upsetting part of the book was when it ended as I wanted it to go on. I am looking forward to more books from Ms. Markowitz and hope she doesn't wait too long.

this book was awesome! i couldn't put it down - it was a powerful story that took hold, page by page, i couldn't get enough. it was the right combination - enough sex to keep it interesting, but not so much as it overpowerd the story. i was instantly drawn in with the long island locations. i loved the way the story unfolded. this was a great first book and i can't wait for the next - keep them coming - kudos!

"Naked in the Rain," is Markowitz's first novel, and should be considered a triumph. It's the story of fourty something Norah Edwards, who brings home James, a young 20 something stud, from a bar one night. In addition to their sexual relationship, the two become fast friends; each providing something the other has been desperately seeking. For Norah, James is the rock..he listens as she attempts to explain and confront the ghosts of her past. For James, Norah is the motivated woman who helps him find direction in his own life.

Ultimately, one could call "Naked in the Rain," a romance. It IS romantic, yet not sappy. It's also very sexual and sensual, but not too erotic. It's a nice mix of romance, suspense and sadness. It's filled with secrets and surprises, and will keep you hooked until the last page.

Practical Strategies that Work
Jed Baker knows autism spectrum disorder and his strategies really work. It is an easy fast read which is important to anyone in the autism field. I read everything autism and for higher functioning kids this is one of the best out there.

Fab book used with a child in my classroom and had excellant results. It is a short and sweet book that gets right to the point. Not a lot of Goobley Gook professor lingo. Jed Baker is not afraid to tell you things that did not work for him and shares with you things that actually work.
Michele

I found this book to be incredibly helpful because it gives specific information about how to manage my kids behavior. I have 3 kids ranging in age from 5-11 and I think that the specific examples of situations and how they were dealt with to be very informative. I have already implemented some of what I read with very good results. I've read many parenting books and have usually found them to be written in a complicated way. This book uses every day language with practical advice on how to have a more harmonious relationship with my kids. I highly recommend this book.

Finally a book that is easy to read, easy to understand, easy to follow through with. A must have for all persons dealing with any kind of meltdowns. I will even recommend this for children without disabilities.

Jed Baker gives us a true insight to what is happening befor,during, and after a meltdown. Real ways to figure out why they happen, what to do during and after, and how to stop them. I will be sharing this book with the school, friends and family. It is a must read for any one who works with children of all kinds. I have already begun using his strategies and have seen what they can do for a child.

Parenting doesn't come with an instruction book, but thanks to Dr. Baker we can use No More Meltdowns. It's a practical, hands-on guide that helps you to understand WHY certain behaviors happen. I've struggled through so many of the scenarios he describes and I especially appreciate his Quick Reference Guides. This book has helped me (and my children) in so many ways that I've started giving it as a baby shower gift!!

Most of us would not begin to be able to remember our early childhood as Paul did. I guess when the memories are so hurtful and so deep, they are permanently engrained. I am proud to say that he is a wonderful friend and has certainly risen beyond anyone's expectations as a person and in his life! Touching!

I am not a reader, but I know the author and heard about the book. So I thought I would start reading it and probably never finish it. Boy was I wrong! Once I started I was addicted, I could not put it down. I think it was very well written, I felt as though I was there with Paul. I saw the the scenery, I imagined the smells and I even felt heartache. I could not believe all the trials that such a young person was going through. I am so proud for Paul to be the wonderful person that he is today. I hope this book reaches many people and touches many lives. It touched not only my heart but my family too!!
I would reccomend this book to all!!

This book was a page turner for me. I could not wait to find out what happened to the lead character next! I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to everyone.

I was one of the privileged ones to read Paul's book before it was published. I loved it so much I bought 2 when he did get it published. The book is a real inspiration to those who think they can not over come the many obstacles that you sometimes face in life. Paul's story proves you can become a productive, wonderful person no matter how you have grown up. My mom (who reads at least 6 books a week) couldn't put it down. She to loves it.

this book hit home for me. written in a very relaxed style you feel like you are there will paul the whole way through. it's truly a book that you will read in one sitting - you will NOT put it down.

it's extremely interesting to me to see what others went through in their childhood before becoming what they are today. sometimes those that have more to overcome at a young age do well in life due to their ability to overcome obstacles.

well done!

I love everything about this novel! This is one of the most powerful teen novels I've read so far. It has all the ingredients for a great read: real characters, strong emotions, incredible imagery, and all the conflict one could ever want. Highly Recommended (and I look forward to reading more novels by Ms. Erskine)!

Kathryn Erskine respects her readers. She tackles subjects that others seem to avoid like the plague. She does it with wit and grace through Matt, the sarcastic and cynical main character of QUAKING.

Matt (not Mattie, and certainly not Matilda) has once again been dumped into the hands of distant relatives of distant relatives. And this time, she has to make it work because there's nowhere else left for her to go.

But these peace-loving Quaker people will have to understand that she doesn't have any feelings, so she does not intend give in to their silent pleas for love and affection. It's just not worth it to let her guard down only to have everything taken away again.

And she doesn't intend to take their advice and stand against bullies, either. Don't they even have the common sense to run and hide at the first sign of trouble? This tactic has always served her well in the past.

Or has it? Maybe it is time to stand, especially if she wants to stay in one place for once.


This book was my favorite of 2007 Young Adult Novels.

Off to Turn Another Page....

This review was cross posted at The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents ([...])

By Professional Reviewer, Julie M. Prince
(www.juliemprince.com)

Fourteen-year-old Matt (Matilda) is a Goth, but that partially a pose to keep the world away. She uses her look, and her humor - a knife-like sarcasm - to avoid connection and taking action. But she finds at her new home, the parents, in particular the father Sam, are devout Quakers and activists engaged in the anti-Iraq war movement. As she moves closer to Sam, those same beliefs lead to her harassment at school by a big mouth bully and a pro-war civic teacher. As the title suggests, after years of an almost dormant emotional life, Matt begins "quaking" and moving toward action. The ending -- which echoes that of Crutcher's Whale Talk --is tragic, and thus befitting of a book about the Iraq war. Like my own novel Nailed Quaking also explores kids who decide not to fit in and thus turn high school into a trip through the badlands.

If you are mad at the war in Iraq you will like this book. If you wonder how it feels to be a foster kid tossed from house to house, you will love this book. If you've had a really crazy fanatical teacher like the main character Matt does, you will totally relate. Really great read.

Beckie Weinheimer, author CONVERTING KATE, Viking Books 2007.

When I saw "Quaking" reviewed on the TeensReadToo web site, I mentioned it to my best friend who is a Quaker. She said she'd read it and found it very moving, and encouraged me to read it too. I'm certainly glad I did.

What she failed to tell me is that it's a kid's book--and I love to read kid's books. Actually, Amazon has it listed in the 9-12 age range, but since the protagonist is fourteen, it should be listed as Young Adult (YA). Personally, I think it's one of those books that's a cross-over, written to appeal to adults as well as kids ... like so many YA books are.

Kathryn Erskine's debut novel tells the story of Matt (and DON'T call her Matilda!) who is an abused fourteen-year-old shunted from one foster home to another. Matt dresses Goth and memorizes the floor, hiding from the trauma of her past, spurning all offers of kindness and care. What a culture shock for her to end up in the home of Quakers Sam and Jessica Fox!

The story builds in intensity as Matt begins to care about her foster parents and becomes involved with the Quaker peace testimony. Feelings about the war in the Middle East run high in her school and her town, with the school bully ("the Rat") and a teacher ("Mr. Warhead") leading the charge against local pacifists.

Matt tries to hide her fear of the Rat and his gang, but as the town begins to erupt with violent attacks against houses of worship, she knows it's only a matter of time until the Quaker Meeting House and her foster father are victims. Eventually, in an explosive ending, Matt finds her voice and the strength to face her fear and stand up for her own convictions.

The author challenges herself by telling the story in Matt's own voice and does a masterful job of bringing the strong, loving girl out of her protective shell. She uses icons of a happy childhood to expose cracks in Matt's armor. The mesmerizing rhythm of Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham" find the first chink: <<"And then I remember how dangerous it is to go to that place. The place you think is safe. Because it is not.">>

Jessica's homemade soup dissolves the last of Matt's defenses: <<"I love this soup. I want to hide in this soup, among its carrots and potatoes and celery and chicken and warm breath ... I want to fall asleep in this soup, wrapping myself in its wide noodles and using a soft lima bean for a pillow.">>

That last passage is like magic to me; a marvelous image that may be my favorite in the entire book!

I particularly enjoyed this book because I learned more about my friend's church. "Quaking" reveals a lot about Quakers and their testimonies, but first and foremost, it's a brilliant YA novel about a young girl who opens her heart to unconditional love. I recommend this beautifully written story for the whole family.

Reviewed by: Betty Dravis, 2008

I received the item very quickly and it was in the condition as described online. Great person to buy from.

Ben Mikaelsen, Rescue Josh McGuire (Hyperion, 1991)

This is a book that comes desperately close to greatness, but manages to shoot itself in the foot at every turn. Ben Mikaelsen has a message to impart, by god, and such things as plot and characterization will not get in his way. That way, of course, lies madness.

Josh McGuire's father, on a hunting trip, shoots a bear that turn out to be a nursing mother. Josh rescues the cub, and the two of them take it home, but his father informs him that when the authorities find out, they'll take it, and it will most likely end up either at the rendering plant or used for medical experimentation. Josh decides that the only way he can save the cub's life is to take it into the wilderness, and hide from society with it until it's full grown.

Obviously, there's a lot to work with here, even when you don't factor in the subplot having to do with Josh's dead brother and the way his brother's death affected the family. Unfortunately, however, the story never gets in the way of Mikaelsen's relentless activism. Mikaelsen is unwilling at any point to let his story, which is pretty unambiguous even without the preaching, get the point across; he has to stop at every juncture he can and lecture us, or have one of his characters lecture us, about the evils of the current bear-hunting laws. The only saving grace to this is that Mikaelsen did, at least, realize that if he was going to write a book, there would have to be at least a thin veneer of story, and that story is interesting enough when he allows it to unfold. If onoly there had been more of that and less lecturing. ** ½

Even though our school made us read this, it was a really great book. I finished it in two days because it was so interesting.

I am a boy that is the same age as Josh and lives in Idaho. I can identify with the main character and the background of this book that takes place in and near Bozeman, Montana. It is a great book if you want to take an adventure in the mountains of the west with a bear cub and a dog.

This book shows how a boy my age, has the potential to change an old hunting law that states that hunting bears in the spring, when they are mothers with young cubs, is okay. Many cubs are orphaned like the one in this book and usually die because they cannot live on their own yet.

....

It's a kind of book that looks at all the different perspectives of the story with characters. Josh McGuier is the main character, Sam & Libby McGuier are Josh's parents, Otis Sinclare is Josh's friend and Deputy Bruster Bingham is the officer that is heading up the search to find Josh. Josh's family is breaking apart because of the death of Josh's brother. Sam McGuier is having a hard time coping with the death and turns to drinking and verbally and physically abuses Josh. Josh is having trouble with the death also, and wishes that his family could be like it was before the accident that killed Josh's brother Tye. Libby McGuier is trying to hold her family together and get some answers from the police. Otis Sinclare and Deputy Bingham are on Josh's side but wants Josh to be home safe and sound.

This book teaches you to communicate with each other and maybe things will work out better. I like the ending but I am not going to give it away. You will have to read it for yourself and go on a adventure with Josh, Pokey and Mudflap.

In Bozeman Montana, life has been really hard for 13-year-old Josh McGuire lately. Ever since his older brother died in a car accident his father has been drinking excessively, and taking his anger out on him. But when he orphans a baby bear cub one day, it's more than Josh can stand! Josh insists on rescuing the bear cub, and he gives it the name Pokey and takes it home. He finds out how to take care of it from his friend Otis. But soon Josh finds out that he will have to give the bear to game officials, and that it will be sent to a research laboratory. So he makes a defiant choice. One night he takes his brother's motorcycle, the cub, and his dog, Mud Flap, and runs away to the mountains vowing to stay until the hunting laws are change.

When they get to the mountains, Josh quickly finds out that his journey has suddenly become a battle to survive --- hunting for food, looking for places to sleep, and trying to keep warm from the cold weather. When Mud Flap gets injured trying to save the cub from a black bear, Josh knows he needs to get help from someone.

Meanwhile, back in Bozeman, everybody finds out that Josh has run away with the cub and the police are searching everywhere. When people realize that the game officials still plan to kill the cub, everybody starts wanting the hunting laws changed, too. Will the laws get changed so that Josh can finally come home?

This book will have readers on the edge of their seat because it's fast, suspenseful, and exciting. I liked this book because it had animals in it. So if you like animals, and survival books that have a lot of action and adventure, then I think you will enjoy reading this book!

--- Reviewed by Ashley

Somaly May is a true Heroine. My heart still breaks for all she has & continues to suffer. I wish she could see herself as others do and not as she was made to feel during her horrific childhood. I will be haunted by her story for the rest of my life.

It seems like the reality of the sex trade and sex trafficking is public knowledge these days, but for whatever reason, it takes the real experience of one girl to really shed light on what's happening.

The book is well written and easy to read, although the last couple of chapters feel a little disjointed. But her story is captivating - I read it in one day - and moving.

Thank God for her courage to set aside bitterness and stand up for these women.

Some books are dangerous; reading them opens your eyes and makes you see the world around you in a different way. After reading them this new understanding of reality lingers and is not easily dismissed. Stories like these drive you to action, serving as a call to take up arms. Somaly Mam's memoir, The Road of Lost Innocence, is one such book.

Born in Cambodia during years of political turmoil, Somaly never knew her parents - she still doesn't know what became of them. Left by her grandmother in a tribal village, her early years were spent outdoors, roaming amongst the huts looking for food. These years were happy compared to those that would follow after leaving northern Cambodia with a man who claimed to know of her parents at the age of six.

This man, her "grandfather" would proceed to beat and molest her, sell her virginity to pay his debts at the age of 11, marry her to an abusive husband at the age of fourteen and finally sell her to a brothel at 16. As you can imagine Somaly's story is not an easy, feel good read. The list of travesties, betrayals and corruption she has known is far too lengthy to detail here.

Catching glimpses of a better life, Somaly is eventually able to escape from the bondage of sexual slavery. Using the only currency at her disposal she begins to make alliances with foreign men - those with wealth and power - and uses them to begin her slow ascent out of prostitution. After achieving her freedom the girls she left behind haunt her. Knowing the devastation trafficking in girl-flesh wreaks she cannot stand motionless while atrocities are committed; hopefully you won't be able to either when this story comes to a close.

Presented in spare, matter of fact prose the writing itself mimics the Cambodian attitude towards life; silent, understated. Coming from a people who disguise their emotions to the utmost - simply writing this memoir is a break with traditional Cambodian culture. Somaly however, has long since ceased to be a traditional Cambodian.

The words seek to describe without betraying the depths of emotional pain behind them, but it still seeps through. Between each and every line, in the silences and pauses the pain is there alongside the fear and anger. The Road of Lost Innocence is the anguished soul cry of a woman who has never truly been loved, the heart breaking sobs of a shattered little girl.

Somaly brutally exposes the truth of modern sexual trafficking in south-east Asia through her own story and that of those she has rescued from slavery. She outlines the beginnings of her non-profit organizations that rescue girls and women from brothels, sketching out plans for their reintegration into society. Free of her physical bonds and able to offer hope to those in chains, she remains a broken woman. The aching sadness created throughout her life's circumstances is still present; only slightly mitigated by her relentless drive to rescue the weak and defend the defenseless.

She tells her story not to evoke sympathy for herself, though her pain is apparent. She writes, offering herself up to the public eye to draw attention to the plight of the girls and women who are still captive; taken against their will and viciously used. Somaly truly wants nothing for herself other than the opportunity to continue working with the victims of sexual trafficking and to draw awareness to their plight.

Truly, every responsible citizen of the world should engage Somaly's work. The difficult stories need to be told, more than that - they must be acted upon. Only with eyes opened to the atrocities surrounding us can we step out in faith, reaching into the darkness to rescue those bound there.

This was a very good book on giving an overview of the sex slave industry and what is done to many young woman and children all over the world. There were times I had to put it down and come back later; especially during the victims chapter. A good read and very eye opening.

I just returned from a mission trip to Cambodia where we visited orphanages & womens' shelters who have been rescued out of sexual slavery. This book is a MUST read, & I'm so thankful People magazine ran an article on the book, or I may never have heard of it. Incredible memoir of an outstanding woman, Somalay Mam is a true heroe!

Kimberly Baltakis just wants to get her life back on track, after a bad trip down the road of matrimony. "Seven Blackbirds" is a novel of her journey. Filled with humor and wisdom from the days in the life of a single mother, Helen Black writes out Kimberly's story that many divorced women will laugh and take comfort in reading. "Seven Blackbirds" is an original, deftly written, elegant work of fiction that is certain to please many a reader of literary fiction.

The book is well conceived in many aspects. First, it gets to the basis for the story right away. Once engaged, there's still plenty of anticipation because it doesn't segue with depressing, emotional back-up. It's seasoned with humor, touching moments and well delineated visual effects that bring the story to life. Also, the main character's realistically drawn in that she's unexpectedly talented and well educated, yet has fallen into the battered wife syndrome with all the challenges it brings. Finally, the timing in the phrasing presents it as having been written by a good storyteller. There's a lesson there between the lines and by the book's end, you know you won't be served the annoying happy ending, but thoughts to ponder.

This book goes from 0 to 60 in two seconds flat. The first page is intense, but you keep reading and reading because you keep wanting to know what happens next. The characters are human, believable, the story is multi-layered and satisfying. I never thought you could write about this subject with humor, but this author does it. That deftness plus the total absence of clichés makes this book very original. I could almost see it playing like a movie in my head while I read it. I liked it that the main character, Kim, had some very real, very tough choices to make but she made them, and became the stronger for it. Inspirational.

Seven Blackbirds is the most powerful and memorable book I've read in years, and strongly recommended.

Seven Blackbirds introduces the character of Kimberly Baltakis, an insightful and resilient character caught in a disastrous marriage. Through artfully arranged flashbacks the author juxtaposes critical points in the past and present of the relationship, and then convincingly shows the turmoil of Baltakis's inner and outer lives as the divorce progresses. At the end a compelling character has made a difficult transition.

A nation continues to see a remarkably high divorce rate, and like all men my age I have seen numerous divorces among friends, neighbors, and co-workers. There comes a point where the divorce so distorts the lives of the parties that they seem irrational and impossible to spend time with. Reading this novel was the first time that I got to hear the inner life of a character going through divorce, and it brought significant insights. Reading this novel will bring some understanding and possible more success in supporting others working through the issues.

Other reviewers have commented on the author's descriptions of domestic violence. I note that while the descriptions are disturbing, they are not extended or gruesome. I'd guess that the author wants to make clear from the very first pages of the book that the marriage is over, that the characters are not in love or able to fall back in love. This book is not a heart warming romance about reconciliation and renewal - it is an energizing and inspiring story of resiliency and self-renewal by a young woman who has the blessings of a baby and a good mind.

A final note - I normally read history, and read this novel on the recommendation of a friend. Comparing the two, remember the chestnut "In history, nothing is true except for the names, dates and places. In fiction, everything is true except for the names, dates and places." One leaves this book confident that a chunk of truth has come through to you, the reader.

An inspiring book about life. Yes, we can all overcome the obstacles of life and in the end go full circle and still become all that we were meant to be. A beautiful book about a beautiful woman with the hidden strength of her dead father to help guide her through life. The emotions of the main character, Kim Baltakis, are so eloquently conveyed by this talented author that the reader cannot help but feel Kim's pain, her hope her love, her woman.

This was a great look at personal accounts of domestic violence. This book shows there is no typical DV victim profile. It can happen to anyone. This book also challenges some beliefs out there. The author asks us to stop blaming the victim and instead of asking why the victim does not leave, we should ask why the abuser commits the abuse. Very good.

I have been working with domestic violence victims for about 7 years. I love this resource book. Ms. Weiss shows compassion for victims while she gives practical, safe advice for victims, their families and friends. I have already lent it to a victim as she was preparing to leave her abusive husband. Keep writing your books, Ms. Weiss and I will keep reading! Stacey M. Geurds, Esq.

Well written and filled with practical advice, heartbreaking case studies and a sound voice of independence and advocacy. Here is a book that those who suffer or have suffered must read - and those who love them need to understand.

Elaine's book is just as impressive as she is. Her sincerity and dedication to helping people hurt by domestic violence comes through on every page. Highly recommeded reading!

It's been going on 12 years since I escaped my abuser. I'm back to school now, working on a social work degree. I want to help others in ways I wanted to be helped back then. While researching material for a research paper on domestic violence I happened across this book. It came to me, along with several others, from the library, borrowed for research.

From the moment I picked it up and sat down with the purpose to skim it for relevant data on a Friday night, until late Sunday night, when I finished it, I was riveted with the stories of the women who were told within the pages. I couldn't just skim with this book. I had to read every page of it, allowing it to dig up memories within myself that had been forcefully buried years ago.

Dr. Weiss does an extraordinary job in telling the stories of these women without any "props" to make their reality any better or worse than what it was. I like the way she begins with her own story in the beginning and then, when telling the others', she uses examples from her relationship with her ex husband to emphasize just how much she identifies with the brave and courageous women who found often ingenious ways to escape from the oppression of their batterers.

Dr. Weiss has the sensitivity and the writing skills to be able to articulate the often subtle aspects of domestic violence. She helps those readers who may not have been victims but who want to learn more about domestic violence to see that it is much more than about blatant physical battering.

I want to thank Dr. Weiss for writing the book and honoring the lives of the women who are in it. I want to thank the women whose stories are told for being shining beacons to those who might read them and gather hope and strength from them.

Perhaps the most powerful messages from Dr. Weiss' book are that women CAN escape from horrific battering circumstances; and that if you see a batterer victimizing their significant other in a public place, acknowledge it! Your acknowledgement could very well become the victim's beacon of light they focus on to find their way out of the darkness.