Abuse Books

This is a powerful story written in a powerful way. I've been fortunate enough to have never experimented with drugs. I have, however, always stuggled to understand how and why people could mess with drugs. The brutal honesty portrayed in this story helps me to be empathetic toward people who honestly stuggle with addiction of any sort. It's easier said than done to "just quit." The pain, the deception, the physical addiction, the lies, the guilt, and the justification are all a part of an addict's life. The way Adam's story is told helps us get into the mind of an addict and we understand that they, too, are humans worthy of their family's love and forgiveness. I don't care who you are.

Only Mortals Can Be Hero's: A True Story About Drug Addiction by David J. Weaver

David Weaver had to endure the pain inflicted by his son, Adam for 12 years. Twelve years of Adam stealing, hocking, and doing drugs was enough to make a person insane, but David held on, he wanted the best for his son, he believed in him the whole time but quickly grew tired of Adam's lies and thievery.

Adam Weaver had been incarcerated, beaten, and left on the streets because of his drug addiction. He stole from everyone, his friends, family, and he can never earn their respect back. His Grandmother's wedding rings were pawned for a few rocks of crack, his Dad's TV, Stereo, and insurmountable amounts of cash all ended up in the same place; a drug dealer's hands or in Adam's nose or veins.

He tried to undergo treatment at St. Jude's but found himself back in the same mess. His father has done more than any one person could ever imagine for his son, and then to end up right back at square one all over again is so disheartening. I can honestly say at first I was feeling sorry for Adam, but the further on I read and the more he slipped back into the same old routine, I just continued to get more angry.

I did applaud Adam for seeking out the help, but I just couldn't help not feeling sorry for him anymore after stealing his brother's guitars for the third time, stealing money from his father's hiding place, and hurting his Grandmother in such a way. Adam thought death would be the best thing for him, but there was a reason he was put on this earth... I hope he has found it.

Only Mortals Can Be Hero's is told by Adam Weaver but as his father, David Weaver says in the beginning of the book, " ...he used my pen." This is a very real look at what cocaine and heroine can do. A twelve year struggle, and very few positive results lay within these pages. It is not what I would call a self help book, but more of peek into a drug addicts life. Do I think this would help an addict? No, but someone that has beat the addiction could sympathize with Adam. 4 Hearts

I've read many books on the topic of addiction, but not one can compare to this one! I honestly believe that every family that has been touched by addiction should have a copy of this book to read over and over again. There is an overall message of a young man overcoming his addiction, and the love of a father who would not allow his son to die an addict. As you travel this journey with Adam, you will grow to understand what the words "love", "choices", "forgiveness", and "life" mean. David Weaver is an exceptional writer who knows how to use words and a message of hope to delve deep into the heart and soul of a person. This is a passionate book about caring, daring, and sharing, and overcoming. Nobody will walk away from this book without being touched in some intimate way! Truly a "must read" book for everyone!

This book is full of goodies from street smarts to theology. Yet, it is fast-paced and hard to put down. It's easy to identify with Adam because he is us or someone we know. Get to know him yourself; you'll be glad you did!

David J. Weaver's brutally honest chronicle of his son's horrific descent into heroin addiction is an invaluable literary work, for the protagonist, Adam, and his foray into Dantesque levels of sheer hopelessness ultimately provides readers with a poignant narrative of redemption and salvation, in which the healing properties of love enable hope to survive, to nurture, and, ultimately, to herald a resounding message of solidarity and inspiration in one father's sojourn into the horrors of his son's heroin addiction and his family's refusal to relinquish their fight to save him.
Accordingly, Weaver's narrative could not be more timely nor topical, as drug addiction, particularly the usage of heroin among teenagers from the ages of fourteen to twenty-one is reaching epidemic proportions in contemporary U.S. culture, and, as all addictions, heroin crosses gender, sexual, economic, racial, class, and regional demarcations. Accordingly, studies ivestigating the trauma predicating addicts' lives indicate self-defeating cycles of despair, recklessness, alienation from others, and impending states of hopeleness. Similarly, studies note the prevailing, incremental levels of anxiety and stress the family of a heroin addict experience as they witness, and suffer alongside, their child, caught in the throes of a bio-chemical stranglehold from which only a small percentage ever survive.
Thus, David J. Weaver's narrative bravely invites readers the rare opportunity to explore the tortured mindset of a beloved young man, gripped in the throes of addiction and the father and family who love him; they refuse to relinquish Adam to this horrific disease without a heroic fight.
To be sure, a plethora of complications surrounding heroin addiction dissuade singular therapies or simple solutions. David J. Weaver readily admits that he does not--nor wishes to--lay claim to a sole theraputic methodology for combatting drug addiction; however, the searing reality Weaver conveys to readers in his narrative details a surreal world, a subculture from which many parents generally avert their eyes as they think, or hope, "Not my child." Yet, a textual activist, Weaver refuses to allow readers to avoid this crucial topic, for the nation's children are our children--our link to the future, our connection to the past.
Through Adam, the narrative's protagonist and narrator, Weaver chronicles his son's spiral into addiction and divulges a myriad of devastation thus wreaked upon the entire family. In doing so, Weaver firmly takes readers by the hand--if not by the collar--and escorts them into the spiralling discomfiture of Alice's rabbit hole, where nothing makes sense anymore.
For any readers experiencing the angst of their own child's heroin addiction, Weaver's chronicle provides a great deal of comfort; the occasional levity to lighten the load provides an exquisite balance of reality and the dark humor at times predicating it. Weaver's poignant, searing recollections, relayed through Adam, enable any readers who also combat addiction that they are not alone in their struggle--that there is hope. As the mother of a heroin addict, I found solace in this narrative's profoundly honest recollecion of the realities and dynamics involved between family and child ensnared in addiction. Silimarly, my son recognized much of himself in Weaver's dynamic characterization of Adam, the protagonist and narrator of the work, and his ongoing struggle to find the serenity of self-acceptance, acountability, and love.
Wisely, Weaver's narrative recognizes the plethora of cultural stigmas regarding drug addiction that silences parents and shames their addicted children; this self-destructive cycle, Weaver's work llustrates, creates a debilitating stranglehold upon the entire family in society's relentless refusal to offer appropriate intervention or support.
Perhaps more important, Weaver's narrative not only speaks to parents, but also to so many young women and men in the U.S. Weaver's revealing and forthright descriptions of the plots's unfolding events may alert parents to this cannabilistic culture threatening to abduct our children, but our nation's young men and women are not surprised---nor taken aback---by a familiarity with the popularity of drug usage, from heroin, crystal meth, to crack cocaine, as the majority of young people have had some acquaintance with these drugs. My university students tell me that, even if the majority of them have never experimented with these drugs, the majority of them have encountered peers using them in their proximity on more than one occasion. When asked if they have discussed this with their parents, the overwhelming, resounding response is "No!" Their answer shocks me and would, I suspect, equally surprise their parents. So how, then, do we initiate this crucial dialogue?
Thus, I began utilizing _Only Mortals Can Be Heroes_ in my freshmen and sophomore classes, with great success, for Adam's powerful story grabs the reader's attention and encourages dialogue among the students. Weaver's narrative encourages lively discussion among my students, and, certainly, student evaluations rank it as one of the best works of literature they have read to date in a university classroom.
Although I have been delighted with student reactions to _Only Mortals Can Be Heroes_, I was even more gratified by the startlingly regularity with which students would lend their book to their parents to read after our class had completed its discussion of the work. It is a testament to David J. Weaver that his narrative incites lively, animated, and passionate discussions with university students and their peers in the classroom; more important, these students extend the dialogue past the boundaries of their classrooms to meet in their family's living rooms, speaking with their parents about the profound issues and heart-breaking events surrounding the oft-stigmatized--and, thus, often silenced--subject of heroin addiction. I applaud David J. Weaver for writing a compelling narrative that challenges students to consider the adverse circumstances in which they may find themselves or others and looking for the means with which to alter these circumstances or conditions for positive, productive change. Thus, through the narrative, like protagonist Adam and author Weaver, readers--- parents and students alike---also come to recognition and awareness; Adam's story of suffering and salvation encourages readers to empower themselves and others. Indeed, David J. Weaver's _Only Mortals Can Be Heroes_ exemplifies this textual activism and calls for his readers to enact the same. For all its pathos, the narrative's overwhelming message of the redemptive power of love---love for one's self, family, and neighbor---offers us all redemption and, yes, hope.

Dr. Michele L. Mock, Asst. Professor of English
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

First off, I have never met Linda personally and I have never been abused, although, I do have a few friends that have been and have borrowed my book. Anyways, I could not wait till she had finished writing her book and was published. When I did finally, receive her book, I could not put it down....till It was completely finished! It is a very well written and the author, Linda Fossen is a wonderful person to have written about her past, to hopefully help others in the same situation as she had been in. If you are a person that has been abused as a child, Linda is there to help you. Please read her book...it will be a guide for you...A very Strong and Compelling book! GOD BLESS YOU LINDA. Much Love to you!

Beth Hendrickson

The most shocking thing about Linda Fossen's book, Out of the Miry Clay: Freedom from Childhood Sexual Abuse, is the realization of how many "normal" homes, even among those that consider themselves "Christian homes," are places where sexual abuse flourishes -- and how many former victims, suffering from scars, could benefit from this book.

This book is very frank, and the details are painful to read. I highly recommend it for anyone dealing with the aftermath of sexual abuse, and also for anyone sitting on the fence of denial. Childhood sexual abuse is real, and it needs to be dealt with or it will fester in the lives of both the abuser and the abused.

The complacent among us wish to believe this doesn't happen in "good Christian homes." It is indeed an oxymoron, because a home where sexual abuse flourishes cannot possibly be a good, Christian home.

There's help, and Linda's book points toward it. This should be required reading by anyone seeking to understand the impact of sexual abuse within the bounds of church and family, and the importance of dealing with it.

As someone who spent many hours during our teen years at Linda's house, this book was incredibly painful to read, but it compelled me to finish in one sitting. Linda has bravely laid bare the pain and shame that accompany abuse suffered at the hand of one who is trusted to protect us and be our spiritual guide. She has written a book that offers hope for healing and living with true joy for anyone who has suffered childhood shame and secrets. Not content to just expose Christianity's dirty secret, Linda has an insightful call to action guide for those who work with children to help detect and prevent abuse.

It was the strangest thing...how I reconnected with Linda Fossen...I remember her well... both of us growing up together...a small town in Minnesota. I remember her laugh and her engaging ways...I remember she was smart, efficient and a natural leader. I remember the pain she tried to hide...even as a young girl....I remember something being very wrong.

Strange...when we look back...we often see signs of serious deception in "Good Christian Families". As an author myself to Confessions of a Good Christian Girl...the secrets women keep and the grace that saves them....I know the truth and reality of Linda's story. When you read these words...prepare yourself...you will be shocked...and then you'll get angry...real angry...Why oh why have allowed such lies in our church...some have said for the sake of our "witness"...God help us all...

Thank you Linda for such courage...to survive it...to heal from it...to actually tell "it"...You are a hero to many...you give hope where darkness reigns...thank God for Jesus...and for Good Christian Girls who will be silent no longer...

I highly recommend this book. This is a frank book not to be read by children but it is a powerful first hand book dealing with a secret within the evangelical community. It is not only some Catholic priests but also some evangelical pastors who have victimized the innocent. Most Catholic priests and most Evangelical pastors are good at their calling but if there is one bad one, it is too many. As pastors and priests, we must read books like this, if not only to be aware of the issue, but what it does to the victims, their spouses and future. I am so grateful for God and the healing power of the Holy Spirit. I am grateful for the God gifted counselors who work in the trenches bringing God's healing to the broken and setting them free.

I had heard about the book and because I knew her, her family and the church a long time ago, I ordered the book. The events have a feeling of real believability having known some of the people.

For the last four years I have been working as a program director for an 18-month, faith based behavior cognitive program for medium security prisoners till I retired last spring. While doing so, I have worked with a number of men who have been sexually abused and who have been abusers. I have heard numerous stories, not unlike Linda's, of men grooming children. As I read her story her emotional struggles, the acting out behavior, the performance issues appear to be consistent with those men that I have worked with.

Excellent book. Really inspires the reader to think philosophically about the way we are living our lives as well as the way we raise our children. Largent and Breton create a solid perspective which we all should consider as we make an effort to evolve as a society.

This book provides a profound, insightful survey of many issues individuals need to take a good look at -- and our society needs to know -- to heal on a very deep level.

We have been programmed to live in fear. We are controlled and manipulated by fear. It's time to break out of the fear box. Many years ago, Gerald Jampolsky wrote, "Love Is Letting Go of Fear" based on "A Course In Miracles".

If you'd like to live a higher quality of life, read this book, study A Course in Miracles, Combined Volume: Text, Workbook for Students, and Manual for Teachers and start releasing fear/guilt. The more you divorce yourself from fear and guilt, the more awake, aware, alert, free and alive you will feel.

If you were circumcised, don't overlook the importance of letting go of that trauma... such an early, preverbal unhealed wound can be a big obstacle in the way of feeling love. See my book on FGM in the USA, The Rape of Innocence: Female Genital Mutilation in the U.S.A..

We all deserve love and respect and protection from harm. We all deserve to be free of fear. And the good news is, if it had a beginning -- which fear does -- then it will have an end... "Healing is always certain" and "All healing is essentially the release from fear."

Here was another library book that I just had to own! More than another self-help book, Chris Largent did an admirable job of explaining how paradigm conditioning has worked throughout human history - but more so toward America's present-day societal paradigms and how we got here.

Simply put, everyone of us is the product of our biological, physical, educational, emotional, and media environment. From birth, we have our innate survival instincts which start with recognizing we'll get some attention if we cry. Subconsciously we learn how to maniuplate those around us and yet, we are just as manipulated. In other words, we become addicted to our paradigm - sometimes good, sometimes bad - thing is, once you recognize the patterns, you feel great become you know you can change your world.

This book is not a fast read. Not that's it's complicated, it's just worth your time to absorb the message and find out surprising things about yourself, your family, your community, your friends, your government. Highly recommended.

This book is a brilliant, inspirational guide to recognizing the inherent addictive and destructive nature of many dominant paradigms in our civilization. The authors weave their discourse around the spiritual insights of Rumi and Native American steps to "peace." The authors delineate how paradigms function and protect themselves from the threat of alternative approaches. They also expose the addictive nature of paradigms that dominate modern culture, while offering guidance for those wishing to consciously evolve and transcend the self-limiting, divisive patterns that dominate society. This book is a powerful, enlightened examination of what keeps humanity oppressed, allowing us to reflect on ourselves and the world around us. For those who recognize the flaws in existing patterns and paradigms, this book will resonate and provide insight into how we can individually and collectively develop a progressive, expansive framework for human civilization. I highly recommend this book!

The content of this book is excellent, wonderfully written, down-to-earth, very readable, eye-opening...I believe everyone who seeks true freedom, should read this book. I would have given it 5 stars, unfortunately the publisher appears to be part of the problem to which the authors refer. One of the messages in this book is that we don't really reach our full potential while being controlled and having our soul stifled. One result being goods and services that are not top quality (money being the most important, not people, not quality)...when I got to page 33 of this book, the pages started falling out. I had to laugh, given the incredible paradox in that and wondered what the authors would think of it. Even considered that it was an additional synchronous message pointing to how this controlling society is presently crumbling. The pages continued to fall out as I read... I decided to write the publisher and see if they would -shift their paradigm- and either send me a new book or refund my money. Yes, I had bought the book month's before from Amazon...but, apparently that's too late for an Amazon refund. The publisher (not surprisingly) said I should contact Amazon. Darn, no paradigm shift there :( Breton/Largent, I loved your book, but please find a new publisher, so other's can actually pass this valuable information on...all in One -peace- :)

I got it in a timely fashion at a cheaper price and it was in excellant condition.

My only issue was that it smelled a little old and there was a dead bug in it but I aired it out and it was fine in a day or so. I guess it's the nature of an old used book.

I'm an AA. My former wife was an Al-Anon though she is now deceased. I've devoted 19 years to researching the spiritual roots of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Twelve Steps, and the early program. Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous: A Sixteen-Year Research, Writing, Publishing, and Fact Dissemination Project. One of the first books I was given by an A.A. oldtimer was Lois Remembers. And I hustled out and bought two Al-Anon books. I believe all of us in the recovery movement should have the perspective of both A.A. and of Al-Anon. My former wife and her sister (both married to alcoholics) believed they never could have made it without Al-Anon. And whether we recover, reconcile, or just make amends, we need to know this family program. I also think Al-Anons and AAs need to know how much the two programs were alike at the beginning. Early A.A. in Akron dealt with families--fathers, mothers, children.Real Twelve Step Fellowship History. They all attended. Dr. Bob's wife Anne Ripley Smith dealt with the wives, and actually counseled Lois Wilson with some frequency.Anne Smith's Journal, 1933-1939: A.A.'s Principles of Success. Henrietta Seiberling was prominent in early A.A. development, and so was Clarace Williams, wife of T. Henry Williams, at whose whom the family meetings were held.Henrietta B. Seiberling: Ohio's Lady with a Cause, Third Edition. Anne Smith started a woman's group a year after A.A. was founded. And Lois herself wrote that Al-Anon people should never forget the important role that Anne played. In one sense, we are all in this together. For those of us who are believers, God is the One with whom we relate and seek to establish a relationship.By the Power of God: A Guide To Early A.A. Groups and Forming Similar Groups Today . And the Biblical principles of early A.A. were applied alike to women and family members. The Good Book and the Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible (Bridge Builders Edition), and The Good Book-Big Book Guidebook. Excellent reading. Important!

If you are working the steps, this book is a great guide. It offers Insight on the steps, members Experience, Strength and Hope, and some guiding questions.

You want recovery? Work the Steps and Traditions. This is the book that will help you do it if you have been affected by someone else's drinking, thinking and/or behavior. As one other reviewer has already stated, if I could have only one Al-Anon book, this would be it. This book is truly a blessing.

This is written by my 11 year old daughter:
I thought this book was amazing and it deserves a 5 out of 5.

Have you ever read a book that you just couldn't stop reading and you had to find out what was going to happen next? That's how I felt while reading Tadpole. It was such a good book that I had to just keep reading it. That's because the book had a good plot and great character's.
I liked the plot because at times the book was sad but at others, it was happy. Tadpole was trying to find a different home. Uncle Matthew, the owner of the house Tadpole was staying at, didn't treat him right. If he did something wrong, Uncle Matthew would slap Tadpole on the back with a horsewhip. Tadpole ran away to the Collin's house, his cousin's, so he could get away from Uncle Matthew.
The main character's were Tadpole, or Tad, Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, and the girl's mom, Aunt Serilda. I liked them because they all had their own personality's. Kentucky was popular, Virginia was pretty, Georgia was smart, and, well Carolina, she didn't quite know what talent she had, at least until Tadpole came, and that's what I love about him. He is nice, honest, he include's other people, and he helps people too. That's how Carolina found her talent, by Tad. She found that her talent was singing, finding the harmony in music, and also, playing the guitar, she was a natural at it. She could also identify car engines.
As you can see, I really liked this book and I didn't have to say anything bad about it. This book was made up of a great plot, great characters, and so many other reasons!

One mother, four girls, and one fun music loving cousin named makes this a great book. I enjoyed this book because the author had a great style of writing, and the plot of Tadpole was good too.
In Tadpole Ruth White, the author did a great job of writing this book in a way that an eleven year old girl in the south would have talked. Ruth White used words like `cause instead of because, and git instead of get. Details like these makes Tadpole more realistic book.
Tadpole was about a mother, four girls whose father left them because he was tired, and a cousin nick named Tad whose parents had both died. Tad had been living with his abusive uncle Matthew Birch, who had adopted him but, he uses him as free labor until Tad turns 18. One day when Tad's uncle was really mad at him he decided to run away and go to his mother's sister Serilda who lives in a small house with her four daughters. In the middle of the night he goes to his aunts room and tells her all about what his uncle has done to him. Carol who is the youngest and sleeps in the same room as her mother woke up in the middle of their conversation and decided to listen in, so she heard a lot and it became her secret. Mama tried to get a herring with a judge so she can be his legal guardian, but the judge won't hear the case.
This is a great book I it think should have a sequel, to tell more about Tads life and if Uncle Matthew tries to do something to Tad, or if he leaves him alone.

Tad
Have you ever read a book that you didn't want to put down? That's what it was like when I was reading Tadpole. Tadpole was the best book ever! I loved the plot but I thought it was really sad at some parts. I also liked the characters in the book.
I loved the plot of the book because it was sad at certain times but it was happy at other times too. Tad, as he likes to be called, is focused on finding a home where people will take care of him and treat him right. His Uncle Matthew, who has been beating him up, is where Tad has been staying, so he ran away. Tad ran away to his Aunt Serilda's house with her daughters Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and Virginia. They kept Tad there but he was scared of getting caught by his uncle. Carolina felt like she didn't belong in the family and Tad helped her feel better about herself by helping her discover some of her special talents she didn't even know she had. Like singing, and finding the harmony of songs and she could hear and identify all the different kinds of cars and she would help keep Tad safe if she heard an unfamiliar engine because it might be Uncle Matthew.
I liked the characters in Tadpole too. The characters in the book lived in Kentucky and had a southern accent. The main characters in this book are Tadpole or Tad, Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, and the girls mama and Tad's Aunt Serilda. I liked the characters because each one had a different personality.
I loved this book and as you can see I didn't have anything bad to say about it and if you read it, I'm sure you won't either!

Have you ever read a book that you just can't put down? That's how I felt when I read an amazing book called Tadpole. There were so many exciting sections that made me jump out of my seat. But the best part that I liked was the characters.
The first exciting event was when Tadpole came to Aunt Serilda's house and lived with the four girls for a while. It got me excited because I thought was not going to be that good. It turned out to be very suspenseful. Another section of the book were there was excitement was when when Tadpoles uncle came to their house to find him. When his uncle came it got me very excited because they hid under the bead and it put a picture in my head right away.
The characters were very funny, but one, Uncle Matthew. He was very cruel and mean. He would abuse Tadpole when he lived there, but he eventually escaped. Tad was very entertaining and funny because he played the guitar and sang. The best character was Carolina because, she reminds me of ME! She reminds me of myself because, because she's nice and quiet.

I really liked the book because it was exciting, suspenseful, and the characters were very funny. There are so many more reasons that I liked the book Tadpole and I'd read it again. Maybe, if you read it too, you would like it also.

I read this book and tried to hold back tears through a lot of it. Its hard to imagine that a human being could be that cruel to another human being. Its also hard to believe that it went on as long as it did and nothing was done to stop it. Its hard to imagine someone surviving all that and then going through everything afterwards. Though this would be a hard book to read without any emotion, it was extra hard for me because I am good friends with her brother Chiefy and his family. Knowing what happened to him and his siblings brought an extra tear to the eye because it felt more personal. I am glad that all the birth siblings of the author and Mrs. Thomas herself all moved on and started families of their own and found eachother. It really puts a happy ending to a nightmare begining.

This book was written very well. The story it tells comes across very honest and candid. The most important message it conveys is that we should never ignore the warning signs of child abuse.

...like so many others I was unable to put this book down. It is a book that I keep on my desk at home and refer to often. I have highlighted many words as they are what I have been trying to put into words for years. There was no sexual abuse, starvation or foster care in my childhood. I instead suffered only physical and emotional abuse untill my teenage years. Like Kim I blocked those events from my memory. I am 48 and only remember my life clearly from April of 1974 when the person I thought was my "MAMA" died. I have two sons and an ex-husband that don't understand why I keep telling everyone "I want to go home." I met Kim in March of 2004 and consider her my best friend I will ever have. We don't talk or see each other often but I knowthat she is the only person I have met to date that truly understands what I feel inside. Kim has the strength and courage to pursue what I have only dreamed about. My heart is with her and those that are still hiding secrets of thier past. With Kim's determination and support from her books I beleive we all can "go home" someday. We can make peace with that fact that we are not to blame for the actions of those we trusted with our futures. We are victims and we can speak out to prevent the abuse cycle. Thank-you Kim for letting the world see abuse thru the " eyes of a child."

Takes a brave woman to tell her story, she is no doubt a remarkable woman. Unfortunately for me, there were a few stories that she shared, that I myself remember as a child and I realize that I do not have to courage to reveal those secrets...Thank-you for sharing your story with myself and others. I have passed this book's title along and several of my friends are reading it.

I live in the same town as your brother Chiefy, at least when he is not on his ship. He spoke to me off and on about his childhood and it was just so sad,then I read the book and there were parts when I couldn't help but cry and there were parts that just disgusted me. It's so hard to believe that a human being can be that sick in the head-and to think he got away with it just revolts mee. Chiefy told me he has passed away though, so I'm sure now he is paying for what he did. I certainly hope so because no human being deserves to go through what all of you did. I'm surprised and glad that you all kept your sanity and are normal people today. You all deserve alot of credit. You're a good writer. I can't wait to read your next book.
Mimi M
Lakeside,CA

I'm a tough cookie to please, but I must say that this book has excelled my expectations. This is a book I would recommend to those who are serious and open to exploring their true self. A masterpiece not to be judged by the misleading cover that does not match the depth of the book. Really well done.

This book is truly amazing and everyone needs to read it. Thanks amazon for selling such a wonderful book!

the book was very easy to read and I thought would be applicable to many people. I liked the print size, line spaceing and general set up, so the content was very good, as well as how the eyes and brain re-acted.

Do you know anyone who doesn't have thoughts of doubt or that sabotages themselves? Everyone does it, in one way or another. Let Darlene Braden help you control your thinking and reach your goals and dreams. This book will help you make more money, face your fears, overcome rejectioin and feel confident, strong and motivated. Start working on yourself today by reading this book.

Are rejection, fear and anxiety stumbling blocks in your life?
You are not alone...This book will help you find exactly what is stopping you from success and why. It will help you

Conquer self-sabotage

Set your goals and reach them, for the first time in your life.

Lose weight for life
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What ever it is, you now have the power to make it happen. Darlene Braden's simple way of teaching is easy to understand and easy to apply to everyday life. Have the confidence to break free and live the life of your dreams!

Hello
Like many of you, I love to read. I often get lost in books for hours and dream of one day writing one of my own. I was online one day looking for volunteer opportunities in rape crisis centers, shelters, etc. and I stumbled across www.watchyourdrink.com. I read the details on the website about the book, "Who's Watching Your Drink?" and immediately sought contact with the author. When I received the book a few days later after having asked her to send me a copy, I read it in one sitting. I was suprised, upset, crying, laughing - it was a mix of emotions because I could relate. When I was 15 I was date raped and that person had used GHB. To this day I still don't know everything that happened. It was comforting to know, though, that his woman was dedicating her time, money - life - into spreading awareness of these horrible occurrences. I would strongly suggest that every person buy this book. Statistics show that somewhere (now, don't quote me on this) around 1 out of every 4 women are sexually assaulted - before the age of 18! If you are one of the fortunate ones you haven't experienced this terrible assault, chances are you probably know someone who has. This book contains information on date rape drugs as well as the author's horrific experience. You will be shocked to see just how easily men and women fall into others' traps when they accept a beverage they themselves did not pour, or if they consume a drink they temporarily left unattended. Ms. Jackson wrote this book to educate others. Please check out this book. It helped ME to know I wasn't alone, and it also educated me. Hopefully, it could do the same for you.

Once I began reading the book, I couldn't put it down. It is more than just an ordinary book to read. It is a true life story that really happened. It made me realize that it could happen to anyone, including myself. I admire Sharon for having the courage to bare her soul to the world by writing this book. While reading I tried to imagine what it was like and simply couldn't get to that point. It was too difficult to even imagine some of the things she shared in the story.

I would encourage everyone to read this book. Mothers should read it and pass it on to their daughters.

Hats off to you Sharon for sharing this experience with me and the rest of the world!

I am a male and was totally captivated and amazed at what we do to each other. Sharon is one of the most courageous women in the world to share this incredible story.

It is remarkable how our minds work and how much Sharon was able to recall after so many years. She includes a free coaster with the book so that your loved ones don't go through what Sharon did.

Sharon, you are deserving of the greatest rewards that come your way for caring enough to share your story with others. I hope your foundation takes off in great multitude for men and women alike. I have an 8 year old daughter and when she gets older, she WILL have one of your marvelous coasters to protect her from what you went through.

What an incredible story and tremendous lesson of forgiveness and determination! Amazing author and an amazing story!

This is a great book to read whether you are male or female. If you have daughters, be prepared to be very angry and extra protective!

Sharon Jackson's 'Who's Watching Your Drink?' is not an easy read, but it is a 'must'read. You will be stunned, outraged, angry and then thankful that Sharon was courageous enough to tell her story so that others could be warned of the increasing dangers of date rape drugs in our society. Mandatory reading if you are a parent! The drug coaster to test your drink that comes with the book and can be re-ordered is a stroke of genius! I now make the coasters available and emphasize date rape drugs at the monthly Reality Tour Drug Prevention program I direct in Butler, PA. This book will change lives and save lives! Give the book to students going off to college. I only wish the circumstances endured by Sharon were extremely rare. Her tools for recovery are just as remarkable as her willingness to suffer the sharing necessary to write the book.
Thanks Sharon!

Sharon's book is wonderful! Once I began reading, I could not put it down! All of the different emotions I had while reading this book was unreal. I felt sadness, anxiety, tension and most of all compassion for Sharon. This book is a must for all adult readers! Thank you Sharon for having the courage to tell your story to people like myself!

This book is a great overview for anyone dealing with an alcoholic or drug addict in the family. It gives you information on everything from treatment options to dealing with the impact on other family members. It is written clearly and concisely, and it's very easy to read. The author uses tidbits of his own story to illustrate his points. Add this book to your collection - you'll be glad you did!

I bought this book when it was first published, I have people in my life who are actively using!! I actually bought 3 and gave them out to friends as well. I absolutely could not put the book down!!!! It was amazing to me that someone could write something that I had lived with almost to the T. It gave me understanding from a different perspective and enlightened me on different ways of seeing the disease. I would highly recommend this book. If you know or have anyone in your life with addiction this book is a MUST HAVE!!!!!!! It will help you understand things you never would have thought, AND will help you deal with and know what is helping the addict, and what is hurting them!!!!! You need to get this book TODAY!!! It saved my sanity!!!

I have read several books and literature on Alcoholism and this is my favorite one. I highly recommend it to anyone who is struggling with addiction or knows someone struggling with addiction. Mr. Herzanek shares some real-life stories that we all can relate to. He speaks from experience because he himself has come a long way in recovery from his addictions. This book tells of ways you can show the addict "tough love" and ways of "bringing up their bottom" while still loving them and having hope that one day they will "get it". It also gives hope to the addict that no matter how bad things are, it CAN get better!!!

I recommend this book for anyone that has a family member or a friend with an addiction. The book gives you first hand experiences from the author that has been there. I can't recommend this book enough. It is a book that when you start reading it, you can't put it down. It helped me to understand what my son must be going thru and pretty much what to expect. It is a book about real people.

Joe Herzanek, former drug and alcohol abuser, has done more than get treatment for his addictions. Herzanek conquered his demons and has spent his sober life serving others suffering from addiction. He founded the Changing Lives Foundation [...] and has served as a chaplain and counselor at jails and prisons for fifteen years. Herzanek is currently the Chaplain at the Boulder County Jail in Boulder, Colorado. Why Don't They Just Quit? is more than the typical self-help book. The winner of a Next Generation Indie Book Award, this book is gritty, honest, and full of practical tips, resources, and an Alcohol and Drug Addiction Self Test. I loved the myriad quotes sprinkled throughout from such diverse individuals as Mother Theresa, Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln, and Herzanek's own family members. In the foreword, Joe's wife, Judy, the Creative Manager for the Changing Lives Foundation says, "Joe speaks from firsthand experience, having survived shattered relationships, a life-threatening disease, physical and mental withdrawal, police problems, and raising two teenagers." It is the intimate way in which the author shares himself that lends what could be "just another addiction recovery book" a fresh and hopeful voice. I would recommend this for anyone who has been impacted by the effects of addiction. (Recommended by Julie McGuire, Associate Editor, The Internet Review of Books - [...]

Perhaps this book is not suitable to those who dismiss medicine as a science, but for readers in search of scientific facts, this book is indeed insightful as it adds valuable knowledge to the field of substance treatment. I commend the authors of this book for stating a fact that had been unexposed for too long. After watching Dr. Nikakhtar on CNN, I ordered this book and found it useful and intelligent. The authors of this book look far into the biological factors of addiction and diligently report what the scientific community has held to be true for a long time--that substance abuse is not the fault of the addict but the result of biological conditions that can be addressed and treated. The authors have painstakingly outlined the source of addiction and have finally de-stigmatized addiction, explaining that it is a medical condition that can be treated and CURED!!!
I've recommended this book to my colleagues in the field of health care and they have found it equally helpful in their treatment of addiction.

The empire of Alcoholic's Anonymous and its enfeebled crew of inbred 12 step groups have occupied the field of "substance abuse recovery" to the point of becoming a dictatorship. This volume appropriately calls this bully to task for its monolithic and monotheistic occupation of the medical field and calls for research that goes beyond that which currently panders to the 12 step oligarchy. Thanks to pioneers like Dr. Nikakhtar and Dr. Stanton Peale this archaic AA orthodoxy which has so slowed medical advance and kept addiction science in the dark ages may soon deservedly lose its exalted status and be sent packing to join like minded control cults in the relative obscurity now enjoyed by the flat-earth society.

The authors have dissected the anatomy of addiction and have exposed the causes of substance abuse. This book is a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to understand drug addiction and recovery. Finally, the authors cleverly illustrate how recovery is achieved and successfully maintained. The book is quite an accomplishment in the field of health and science.

Perhaps this book is not suitable to those who dismiss medicine as a science, but for readers in search of scientific facts, this book is indeed insightful as it adds valuable knowledge to the field of substance treatment. I commend the authors of this book for stating a fact that had been unexposed for too long. After watching Dr. Nikakhtar on CNN, I ordered this book and found it useful and intelligent. The authors of this book look far into the biological and psycho-social factors of addiction and diligently report what the scientific community has held to be true for a long time--that substance abuse is not the fault of the addict but the result of biological and psycho-social conditions that can be addressed and treated. The authors have painstakingly outlined the source of addiction and have finally de-stigmatized addiction, explaining that it is a medical condition that can be treated and CURED!!!
I've recommended this book to my colleagues in the field of health care and they have found it equally helpful in their treatment of addiction.

This book, written in layman's terms, is a fast read while loaded with invaluable information. It is the most innovative approach to substance abuse recovery. The authors dispel the notion that substance abuse is a character flaw, from which one will never recover. They set about empowering the medical community to take action in helping those who are self-medicating via substance abuse. It inspires those who are self-medicating via substance abuse to feel empowered to resolve the underlying issues that have caused the substance abuse in the first place. This is a book that eliminates the victim mentality of typical 12-step programs and encourages self-empowerment. It is a must read for anyone in the medical field, as well as for anyone who has or is self medicating via substance abuse, or has someone in their lives who is self-medicating via substance abuse.