Abuse Books

It was shipped to me within 2 days, great service and great product.

I had to read this book for one of my Woman's Studies classes at Western Illinois University. I think this is a must read book for everyone (especially those who are in recovery or have been convicted of a violent crime of this nature). It is a bit graphic and I don't recomend that anyone under high school age read it. I had to set it down a couple of times due to that, but, it was nessessary to truely understand Ms. Raine's story. You don't truely understand what someone goes though after rape without going through it yourself.

A friend loaned this book to me but it is likely a book I will never forget. Nancy Venable Raine tells her important story in a very accessible way. As a nurse who took care of rape victims in the middle 80's and now a school nurse, I am aware that the secret of abuse and assault reverberates in too many lives. And while I would never say that my experiences as a young nurse were equivalent to those of my patients, I vividly remember hearing my victim-patients stories and identifying with them. Many of my victim-patients were not that different from me--young, single, living alone. During that time, I _usually_ slept with the lights on because I wanted to try to be able to identify my perpetrator, if that ever happened to me.

Raine shows us her story, how it echoes in her life. Coming back from and integrating the experience in life is not, cannot be easy but one cannot help but feel she is one of the minority of individuals who gets the needed help to do so.

Now, in year 2007, I was acutely aware that at times Raine paired the rape experience and the torture experience. It is a source of sadness to me that we, as a nation, are perpetuating that experience for so many. There is something profound about her description of the rape victim as a container for her perpetrator's anger. And that is far from the only profound idea.

Having also read "Lucky" by Alice Sebold, I would say they are both very important books but this book is a far better glimpse into the recovery aspect.

"Throw away the lights, the definitions
And say of what you see in the dark" - Wallace Stevens

"Speech is civilization itself. The word . . . preserves contact - it is silence which isolates." - Thomas Mann

Following her rape, this author became a completely different person, a person who lived "with sudden fear the way others live with cancer. The fear was always there." It took seven years before she could begin writing about her experience. She states that the anniversary of her rape "was more significant than my own birthday, and yet there was only silence . . . I had become, the one who marked her anniversaries in silence . . . Could I celebrate my survival in silence and alone? Not according to Webster's, which defines the verb "to celebrate" this way: "to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites" . . . It pained my family and friends to remember. To acknowledge my experience might bring up what they hoped I had forgotten . . . for me to remind them that I had not forgotten seemed unkind, even cruel, because I knew they needed to believe I had. Our rite was, therefore, silence."

"I thought about Wittgenstein's observation that the limits of language are the limits of reality. Was rape off limits to our most distinctly human attribute - language? . . . I could no longer consent to silence."

Another friend and rape victim asked her, "How do I tell people who don't know, people who might become close friends? If I don't tell them, it makes it a secret, like something to be ashamed of. When I do tell them, they make it worse. They never ask me about it. It'a a part of me, part of who I am now, but they don't want to know about it. It's no-win. Just no-win."

"But silence has the rusty taste of shame. The words 'shut up' are the most terrible words I know. I cannot hear them without feeling cold to the bone. The man who raped me spat those words out over and over during the hours of my attack - when I screamed when I tried to talk him out of what he was doing, when I protested . . . The real shame, as I have learned, is to consent to them."

So she wrote an essay "Returns of the Day" in The New York Times Magazine in 1994. In response "Without exception, all of the letters from survivors described the isolation of the aftermath of rape, its life-altering transfromations."

"The victims of rape must carry their memories with them for the rest of their lives. They must not also carry the burden of silence and shame."

If you have friend or family member dealing with these issues (and the odds are that you do), here are other books that are also excellent on this and related topics, "Lucky" & "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold, & "Siolence" edited by Susan McMaster - all written by women. Rape victims and victims of relationship violence and abuse often hide their experiences and the behaviors of their abusers, feeling ashamed for even being involved with the abusive patterns. All of these books suggest women become more free and mentally at ease when they realize there is nothing to be ashamed of about being victimized. And they suggest the causes of our silences and the things we hide probably deserve more attention, new perspectives, and reconsideration.

Ms. Raine describes the trauma and recovery of rape in clear and helpful terms and I appreciate the references to other works about rape recovery and feminism. Raine's AFTER SILENCE inspired me to read another landmark TRAUMA AND RECOVERY by Judith Herman, MD. It is hard to find books about rape recovery and people who can and will talk calmly, rationally, compassionately (or at all) about this subject. Raine's AFTER SILENCE should be required reading in high school for both boys and girls! Rape is so widespread that it should be addressed more often by family and friends; local, state, national, and world leaders; educators and news media. Raine also references I NEVER CALLED IT RAPE by Robin Morgan, another excellent source for raising awareness of the frequency and extent of rape in society. My own childhood incest and young adult rape were not known to my parents, siblings and doctors for decades even though the symptoms were so obvious that I was hospitalized for months. Can't praise Raine's work enough. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to Raine and all those who made her work possible. Healing may be slow in coming, but it does come, after the silence, with the help of authors like Raine.

I Say a Prayer for Me was an excellent book. I had actually purchased it locally about 2 years ago and had not gotten around to reading it until we were deciding which book to read next in by Sisterhood Ministries group. I suggested this book, and everyone including myself, could not believe what a great book it was. To read about Stanice's life and her struggles with what God would have her to do, was true testimony of how Faith can turn your life around. After we finished the book, I ordered additional copies from Amazon and gave them to my sisters as gifts, and they also raved about how good this book was and have since purchased additional copies and given them to their friends. Great work, Stanice!!!!

The writer gives the impression that you can overcome herion addiction just by praying and becoming a member of the 700 club.

Whew, what can one say after reading this book!?! To read this woman's stories of what she experienced and to see her now; only God can create such a transformation in one's life. I laughed and I cried as I read through the chapters. Some reminded me of my own experiences. This is a MUST read! If you are in need of any type of healing, it will definitely take place in the pages of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Her life is an inspiration. She taught me to consider God in all things no matter how small I may think it is. Her story of her California trip was great and really taught me to witness to anyone and everyone. This was my selection for my bookclub and I was the toast of the day. We all enjoyed this one.

Not only was this book written as a testimony to show how GOD navigates our lives to help us know that we are loved it also shows that with faith all things are possible. This book is not only for those with drug or alcohol addictions but it is for those of us who suffer addictions of all kinds, it is for those of us who don't believe in ourselves, for those who have experienced hurt and also dished hurt out towards others. The lord spoke to me personally thru his vessel Stanice. Thank you for allowing your loving and gentle kindness to flow from this wonderful women who has allowed you to use her. I am and will always be in loving awe of your unconditional love.

I have tried to stop smoking many times. I have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for over 25 years. Each time I have stoped, I continued to crave cigarettes. Alan Carr's method for stoping smoking worked for me, I do not smoke now. I stopped in November of 2007. I dont crave it, I can hardly belive I ever smoked at all. This Method works so well, I have recommended it to many of my friends. Several have purchased the program and have also stopped. This was the best money I ever spent.

I thought this book was very informative,and yet unusual. He reverses your brain by opening our minds to the the brain-washing we were programmed from many years ago.I thought this book is quite incredible. I would recommed this book and Allan Carrs book on How to Quit Drinking as well to anyone who is considering quitting.It's a MUST HAVE!He is an inspiration and genius!

I don't usually write reviews but all the positive reviews about this book helped me make the decision to purchase it and gave me hope. So I hope this helps you.
I ordered this book out of curiosity and was very skeptic about the outcome. It took me over a month to finish it and I doubted myself the whole time. Yet after I finished reading, I put out the last cigarette and felt immediate relief. The first couple of days were a little strange, because I used to plan my whole day around smoking, but it turned out OK.I have more energy, feel better and even endure the company of smokers easily, without being tempted. This book is about putting your thinking in a different perspective, adopting a non-smoker's frame of mind.
Try it even if you're skeptic about it. You have nothing to loose and so much to gain!
I am getting it as a Christmas gift for all my smoking friends.

...and I am still free from cigarette smoking.

The writing style took a little getting used to, but I allowed myself to believe what it is saying, and I found that I was freed from my previously-held beliefs about smoking. "Cured" sounds far-fetched, but that's how I feel now. I smoked for 16 years, and of the many times I attempted to quit, this was the only successful method.

Try it, even if you don't feel ready to. After all, you can keep smoking while you read the book (indeed, the book instructs you to do so).

As a 15-year smoker, I have tried to quit many times, and have had partial success twice with the nicotine patch, quitting for 8-12 months before succumbing to nicotine again and starting back. I was very skeptical that anything short of a medically-prescribed shot or drugs could cure me of my addiction, much less a book. I tried Mr. Carr's book anyway based on the positive reviews here.

What I first considered a negative, was that Mr. Carr is not a doctor and has no professional training. I subconsciously assumed he was if he was writing a book about quitting smoking. He is just a man who used to be a chronic smoker who was able to quit. Several months after writing this review, I realized that this was a positive, since it seems that much of the medical community advocates Nicotine Replacement Therapy, and doesn't understand the true addictive properties of nicotine. This sounds like a ridiculous assertion to say that a doctor doesn't understand addiction, and I thought Mr. Carr was being pompous when he first made the same claim in his book, but given how many physicians smoke, and how many advocate replacing nicotine with nicotine, it is not so far-fetched. The second negative I initially gave this book was the minor annoyances at reading the book due to some of phrasing in it and how many times Carr repeats the same phrases and ideas. After reading it twice however, I realized that this is done on purpose to drill certain concepts into your head.

Carr's method is really just a mind set and a new way of thinking about smoking that makes it easy to quit. He doesn't focus on describing the dangers of smoking to you or try to scare you into quitting. The entire method revolves mainly around coming to the realization that you don't really like smoking, and that the only reason you do it is because you are a) addicted to nicotine b) brainwashed by social stigma. I have only been a non-smoker for a month but I am completely confident that I will never smoke a cigarette again. I am not worried about cravings, peer pressure, or the influence of drinking and being at a bar (my main problem in the past). Carr's method is different than what he calls the "willpower method," where you quit cold-turkey and see how long you can go. His book has completely changed my viewpoint on cigarettes and after 15 years, I finally realize how powerful nicotine is and how dependent I was on it. What's more, you don't even have to quit smoking while reading it. Carr actually recommends against this, and the book is so effective that by the time you finish it, you will want to quit smoking rather than be forced to.

After reading this book twice, the strongest advice I can give anyone is to FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS. If you haven't already (I had), do not quit smoking until you reach the end of the book. I can't stress this enough.

I strongly suggest anyone who is serious about quitting smoking to read this book, and then read it a second time to full understand it. It costs less than a carton of cigarettes, is a quick read, and likely will save your life.

As to the Audio CD Edition:

I previously read an earlier edition of "Easy Way" from the library, and have found that this 2005 edition is somewhat improved over the previous edition. I definitely recommend anyone considering this book to purchase the 2005 edition over an older one. I purchased this Audio CD edition because I wanted every single resource I could use to help me quit. It comes with two CDs, with about 70 minutes worth of material that they could have fit on one. The CDs are pretty worthless. 80% of them repeat the concepts in the book. That's it. Track 2 on the second CD does contain some new information that I found somewhat useful. It explains mainly how to deal with other smokers after you have quit, and how to deal with drinking after you have quit. Unless you are very addicted and think you really need it, I don't recommend the audio cd edition and would advise people to purchase The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-Smokers Using Allen Carr's Easyway Method instead, as it has everything you need.

There are so many other good reviews, that I do not feel the need to say much except read this book. It was great through and through, cover to cover.

the ending made me switch to 5. I liked the happy ending. I think what made it kinda bad for me reading this one was that I saw the movie first. So while reading I kept trying to copy parts to scenes in the movie.

What makes this book great for me is the fact that it's written by a black man about his troubled life. Most black men won't even tell the people close in their lives things like this let alone write a story for the world to read.

End child abuse today.

This is an awe inspiring piece of literary work. The narrative from the beginning inspires the reader and allows almost a walk-along journey into the author's life and the actual steps that he took. The movie was good in its setting and up to date account of a life in the 60's. The book adds so much story that went untold in the movie and is that much more moving. Antwone Fisher writes as if he has been doing this since a child.

The novel Finding Fish by Antwone Fisher is a very good book. The book is far better than the movie and i reccomend it to all. It entails his life as well as select readings from his poetry. It is a a story of struggle and beating the odds to become a success

If you have any interest in human behavior, this is a must read. It is a true story of a man who has to overcome so much to succeed. The challenges he faces are so harsh, as he struggles through life as a foster child.

This is such a helpful book, I even purchased copies for my kids. This is a topic that needs to be talked about and exposed and this book is a great way to educate others on the topic of Parental Alienation Syndrome. It should be required reading for all involved in family court law. If I would have had this book ten years ago, my family may have been saved from the horrendous effects of PAS.

This book described my situation perfectly, as far as what PAS is. I am not and my kids are not adults yet, but it was good to know there is info on this "Syndrome".

Dr. Baker's work is becoming a solid seminal reference, helping children and families around the globe. This is the first study with solid statistics to give families warring with alienation, validation, hope and resources. If you or someone you know are at all affected by Parental Alienation, this is an absolute must read. The 40 case studies Dr. Baker describes, helps us understand the effects of grown up children that were alienated by a parent. In addition to describing the behaviors of how these actual parents alienated their children, Baker conveys the process these 40 grown children went through, realizing the alienation and the effect on their lives and perception of themselves. This is a real life look at 40 lives that were willing to share their story, so we might benefit. This is the first in what is sure to become a long line of research and statistical study for abused children and their families. Thank you Dr. Baker for your work of integrity and care. Know your research provides an integral base for connecting children, who have had part of their soul stolen, to tangible resources, help and healing. I look forward to the future research and study your work is instigating and inspiring.

Being a "targeted" parent as described in the book made this book quite helpful for me to understand exactly what I and my kids have and are going through. Dr. Baker's research and descriptions from those interviewed posted incredible similarities to my own experiences and gave me a new sense of hope.
If you are in fact a parent that has been alienated from your kids by another, this book is a must read. If you were alienated as a child from one of your parents, this book is no less an important read. If you are a therapist that counsels people in this position, it will prove to be an invaluable referance tool.

As a targeted parent whose daughter has not spoken with him for the last 5 years, Amy Baker's book, "Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome: Breaking the Ties that Bind" has been the most informational and encouraging book I've read on the P.A.S. topic so far.

The reason is simple: This book is comprised of interviews of the KIDS (now adults) who were poisoned, not the parents who were either the alienator or target.

It was astonishing to read what these people, who as children were manipulated into hating one of their parents, had to say once they "woke up".

Without going into all of the results, let me mention the two most important lessons I learned from these kids:

1. The average length of time it took these kids to "wake up" was 20 years. Yikes! But, at least they woke up.
2. The overwhelming majority had wished the targeted parent tried harder to re-develop the relationship, regardless of how much they were "hated".

These two revelations are telling me: "Don't ever give up. Don't ever stop trying".

Thanks to Amy for doing this study and writing this book. It could prove to be the most important document I will see until I eventually reunite with my daughter.

Regan is desperate for her own life: a good family, a circle of friends, and perhaps even a boyfriend. She wants to feel like her life is normal, except she has to deal with something that she can't tell anybody about. Her brother, Liam, is transgender. He lives his life day to day in a boy's body, but longs to look like the girl he feels like on the inside. Regan keeps the secret, and allows Liam to transform nightly into Luna, but as she gets older, the secret becomes harder and harder to deal with.

This book is told in the point of view of Regan, but I felt her bond with Liam was strong enough to allow us to understand his emotion's as well. I loved the flashbacks that Regan had about her childhood throughout the book. They were strategically placed to allow us a bigger insight in to their lives and struggles.

Luna has a unique storyline when dealing with Liam, but most people can relate in some way to the siblings. Regan and Liam aren't that much different from each other, for they both wish to be loved and accepted. I enjoyed this book immensely and felt that Liam's struggles were dealt with in a nice, realistic way. I only wish that we could continue their story and find out what happens to Regan and Liam in the future. Luna is funny, thought-provoking, and emotional.



More? www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com

Luna is a well written description of growing up transgender. I speaks of the complexities and heartbreaks of living in an intolerant world. I would recommend it to anyone who relates to transgender issues.

this was a phenomenal story about struggle and rebirth. the story focuses on a transgendered guy through the eyes of his sister. and quite honestly i didn't go to sleep last night as i read it from start to finish.

the whole story is about how luna (liam's true self) is trapped within liam, and liam is a construction what the most acceptable way he can exist without revealing his true self turns out to be, which throughout the book we are told is like a shell of a person. regan, the sister, has known from a young age that her brother is really a sister and devotes her entire life to keeping up the facade of liam and dealing with luna's problems. as a result regan doesn't really have an identity. both she and luna are repressed 'liam' liam being society's rejection of transgendered individuals, and 'liam' stifles those who know the truth to the point where the death of the individual wouldn't matter because the spirit, their soul, is already dead, crushed by society's rigid rejection. as depressing as that sounds however, this book is a phoenix rising out of the ashes story. for most of the novel everyone rejects luna, even regan and liam as they are more embarrased and wanting to keep luna underground more than anything else. as the story progresses however, luna decides that she needs to make herself known, she needs to break free, so she hesitantly goes about doing this, at first just recognizing this fact, than taking ever growing steps toward freedom. people accept or reject her as this process takes shape, but the only viewpoints the readers focus in on are luna/ liam's and regans. we never hear the final conclusion the other characters come to, which is appropriate as we can fill in our own selves or those we know into those characters, because this is very much an unfinished story as sexism still exists in a huge way today.

for most of the book regan is just used as a lense through which the reader can learn about luna and has no personality or character of her own, but she along with luna, comes to the realization that she has no 'self' because of 'liam' and though she doesn't act on it the way luna does, she gets proddings from the outside world (in the shape of a new guy in school) to bring attention to her own life and not focus everything on luna.

i teared up a few times reading this. everyone has an inner self to let out, it's a struggle we all go through, some more so than others.

I enjoyed the vivid portrayals of the four family members -- mother, father, sister and Luna, the male-to-female transgender teenager. Luna is impatient and exercises poor judgment, just as one would expect of a teenage transgender individual. Luna's younger sister is actually the central character, as she finds herself conflicted, caught in the middle and consumed by Luna's needs, all of which is tough on a shy teenager trying to make her own way through school and relationships. The reader pulls for her every step of the way. Although the book's crisis scene is somewhat predictable, it is still entertaining as it impacts the well-characterized family members. There is even a twist or two at the end to make for a very satisfying read and a sense of completeness, even though Luna's life in many ways is just beginning.

Regan's brother, Liam, is one person by day and another by night. Literally. During the day, he is Liam but during the night, his inner-self comes out in the form of Luna, a girl. She spends the night in her sister's bed room, trying on wigs and clothes.

Regan is the only one who knows about Liam's true identity and she isn't exactly sure how to deal with it. Besides dealing with Liam, she struggles with normal teen problems - boys, grades, and her job.

When I picked up this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. For my local book club, we had to read a book about accepting people and another one of the girls suggested this book to me. I have absolutely no problem with the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender issue but I wasn't sure if I could handle reading about it in detail, especially not knowing what to expect. However, since I respect Julie Anne Peters as an author (Far From Xanadu is brilliant), I decided to give it a try. I wasn't let down.

This book is great and you should definitely read it as long as transgender doesn't bother you. It doesn't go into too much detail, but explains the struggles of Regan dealing with her older brother whom is truly a girl inside. The characters are believable, the dialogue is great, and the plot is amazing. It's definitely a book you won't want to put down once you start. I read it in less than five hours with a few breaks. Even if you aren't sure you'll like it, give this book a chance!

My father, a well-intentioned school teacher who never met any situation that couldn't be turned into an object lesson, gave me this book to read when I was 14. There was no preamble, just, "Here." To this day I remember several passages in horrific detail, so I can safely say that the writing was clear, effective, and moving.

I somehow doubt my Dad thought I was going to become a child abuser someday, but this book certainly fixed in my mind the horror that a child can endure at the hands of adults and I believe in my heart that I would never do anything like this to a child. I don't know if it could have that effect on everyone, but perhaps it should be assigned reading--it certainly couldn't hurt to try.

I'm in the Navy. I'm 32 years old with a 3-year-old girl. I think I read this book about a year ago and it touches me every day. I think about it all the time. I picture Ursula, I pray for her, I pray to God she's with him. I look at my little girl with her long, blond locks and think that in around two years she will be Ursula's age. It breaks my heart to know she is learning the alphabet as Ursula did. It causes me to cringe deep down to imagine such an innocent, lovely creature such as a small child would endure torture at the hands of those she was supposed to be loved by and who should have cared for her. The truth is that I finished it in spurts, crying and yelling at the bathroom ceiling when my husband was at work and my daughter at preschool, the only time I could find to devote to little Ursula's story. I see her picture in my mind's eye. I have a BS in Business Admin, and not in Social Work, but I hope to retire from the military someday and find my place in the world helping children instead of residing in the business world, as I had previously planned. I owe it to Ursula, and I owe it to my little girl so I can help her see that people should care for each other and try to make a difference.

How can you read this book and NOT feel compelled to help a child who is suffering...? Children can't protect themselves. Even as strict as our laws are, we need them to address, above all, crimes against children as the most heinous of our society. Protection of all children should be our #1 priority. It's the only way to make our future bright.

I read this book and it took me about a week!! Why??? Because everytime I started to read it the tears just started flowing! It is unthinkable what this poor child went through. I cannot even imagine what the mother was thinking or should I say "monster" because she is by NO means a mother! I can just feel for this little girl, she was so wanting to please her monster to no avail. Right up to the end thats all she wanted to do. HOW can people do THIS??? There is barely a day when I don't think about Ursula and wish SOMEONE had done SOMETHING to stop this! To me it's ridiculous how people can just ignore it or not see it. This world just gets worse day by day. For you URSULA I say the world is cruel. I love you!

I grew up and still live in Central Florida and when this book came out, it was required reading in high school. I will never forget how the book made me feel. It's a very hard book to read and has many emotions all wrapped up into such a small package. I highly recommend this book. It's basically the authors recreating the last days of this little girls life.

This book is the true story of a woman who allowed a live in boyfriend to abuse her child - to death. It shows also how many people the child tried to reach out to (next door neighbors) and how many people witnessed her suffering (doctors, teachers) and did not do anything. It is a horrifying account of a man's desire to control a child's behavior through evil and dehumanizing tactics. Children need to be understood. It is wrong to expect behaviors from children beyond their years, comprehension, abilities. This little girl was a normal child with normal behaviors, and unfortunately her mom chose someone to be with that was unable and unwilling to cope with having a little girl around. It is tragic. Please read it.

I'm maybe a third of the way through the book and I just had to write a review: this book is absolutely amazing! It had me in tears by the second chapter. It is unbelievable just how wonderfully intricate we are and I commend Ms. Rose for outlining this and gently guiding the reader to shed the negativity and create his/her own dream life.

The key is, it's all WITHIN us and within OUR OWN POWER to make these fundamental changes for the better, which will indubitably improve and enlighten our lives.

Thanks for writing such a meaningful, wonderful book! I will purchase a few more copies for my friends.

I purchased this book because a phrase was mentioned in my daily meditation. I was so moved to further my inquizative, hungry mind & soul. I was very excited to receive the book and begin it imediately, as i did. I was not dissapointed as it kept me at my edge. I wanted to read more as i digested all the wonderful, hearty visions and fueling words and messages. This book lead me to my next and then to another and i realized i was on a journey of no return. Thank you both the author for providing me with the resources to feel whole and motivated and complete. :) Penny

Make no mistake about it, Know Yourself is one of the best I've ever read because it covers it all. Each stage of life, what's been missing inside ourselves, how to regain what we feel we've somehow lost inside, and the chapter on abuse is right on target. That would only apply if you've been abused and the nagging effects of it can make you feel that you're not worth much at all until you discover you are.

One of my favorite passages comes from page 46 during the written exercise part of the book. It says in quotes:
"The choice of what to put on your list is all yours. No one on this earth can create your life. No one other than you knows exactly what you love, what brings you joy, and what fills your entire being with passion. What you are about to write is the real you that lays beneath should's, societal expectations, cultural attitudes, and what you have been taught that opposes what you feel is true for you. Now, it's writing time to bring the real you to up to the surface on the following pages."

Know Yourself taught me how to turn my attitude about myself around. It did its job and then some. It has been a gift to me that I'm sharing with friends.

In "Know Yourself" Barbara Rose did an outstanding job of bringing insight where I previously had confusion or uncertainty. There is a chapter covering abuse that helped me un-do more hurt from the past than I thought it would, and for that I am grateful.

I wanted to quote directly from the book from page 98 because I feel this can help anyone, which is the purpose of this great book.

"Letting Go of Criticism
Another part of cherishing others is to, with loving compassion, let go of any criticisms made of you; blame the criticisms on illusions the people had at the time; for had they had healthy and pure minds, they would not have taken anything out on you. Instead of blaming them, cherish them for being your teachers--and for teaching you how to feel self-value despite anything they may have said or done.

Do not ever take to heart hurtful comments others make. Do not make them a part of your being. Know yourself and you will know truth.

Know who you are. What you believe in. What feels right and true for you.
If you dream of changing your career because of the passion you feel for a new field, enjoy the process; never let anyone stop you with their illusions of so-called failure or impossibilities.
Nothing is impossible.

I learned this saying: "Whether you believe you can or you believe you can't, you're right!"

If your heart is pulling you in a certain direction, then this is a part of your truth, and you must honor it.

This is where a solid sense of self comes from. It comes from knowing your truth. You can be sixty-five years old and decide you want to go back to school to become a doctor because you have always really wanted to help people. Go back to school!

Don't ever let chronological age hold you back. Many people, both men and women, have uplifted countless lives and have achieved their greatest self-actualization later in life.

Wisdom is the hallmark of a life lived from the heart, without judgment, and with compassion for all others.

No matter what it is you want to do, do it because it is a true expression of who you are. The joy you will experience by honoring what your heart and soul came into this life for will far outweigh the pain and disappointment you will feel if you don't honor your truth."

There is much more that I can quote from, much more that has helped me.

While doing the written exercises, simply and clearly spelled out in the beginning of the book, I experienced what many people call "A-Ha" moments. Each one brought more about what was holding my back into my awareness, and then following the guidance in the book I was able to un-do the old, and replace it with truth that feels much better!

I read this book twice so far, and am now re-reading it again. It's an excellent book for anyone male or female!

I'm sorry but I found this book extremely unhelpful. It was very disjointed. It wasn't even clear what you were supposed to be writing in the workbook pages. It just seemed like a stream of consciousness of trite phrases like "everything happens for a reason". Maybe it's helpful to people who have never thought beyond their nose for their entire life. I don't know. I couldn't find anything redeeming in the entire thing. I ended up just skimming the second half so maybe there was something redeeming in there.

This novel about a young girl forced to confront adult issues latched onto my heart and refused to let go. Mara struggles to find answers we take for granted. Longing for love and a real home, she probes until those around her finally tell the truth.

Mary shows us Mara's heart, her courage, and her determination to survive. The theme of God's answers to a child's prayers weaves it way seamlessly throughout the book.

I can't wait to read the sequel, as well as Mary's other works. Don't miss this classic example of the triumph of good over evil.

The whole time I was reading this book I kept wondering if this was intended for adults or children? The subject matter certainly did not seem appropriate for children but I found the book "childish". The characters are portrayed as either evil or good without exception and Mara is not a believeable heroine.

A disappointing book.

I read this book a few years ago, but I recently ordered a few copies when Amazon was having a sale. I realized I'd given mine to somebody at church and that I really needed a copy for my library because it's worth reading twice - or more. I love DeMuth's lyrical style and how beautifully she writes about human emotions that are difficult to talk about, let alone admit they exist. This is one you should add to your library.

This novel so accurately described a child's thought patterns when forced to deal with a situation beyond her wisdom and age. I suggest that every parent, educator and neighbor read it to learn to be aware and protect the innocence of those who are most vulnerable. It is both a tragic and beautiful story made more poignant that it reflects the authors own story and her desire to use her experiences to help others (shared in her non-fiction "Building the Christian Family You Never Had"). Thankfully, there is hope and assurance at the end, but left enough hanging to look forward to the sequel.

In her debut novel, Watching the Tree Limbs, Mary DeMuth introduces us to Maranatha, a creative girl who longs to color her world and to belong. As nine-year-old Mara struggles to cope with life-changing circumstances and rejection in her small Texas town, she falls prey to a neighbor boy who sexually abuses and terrorizes her. Although her story is heart-wrenching and painfully sad at times, it is not depressing or hopeless. Mara's story is also sweet and funny, especially her interactions with her best friend, Camilla, and her guardian's housekeeper, Zady. DeMuth gives the reader a beautifully written tale of grace and hope, transformation and deliverance. Mara plays real-life Nancy Drew with Camilla to solve the mystery of her past, which adds an unexpected element of suspense to the novel. As she grows, so does her faith, not only in God but in those He puts in her life to help and love her. The faith DeMuth portrays is not full of simplistic, pat answers and platitudes. Mara rages at God and wonders how He could allow such a thing to happen, even as she views her abuser as having almost supernatural powers to see inside her head and know her every thought and action. I look forward to continuing Maranatha's story in the book's sequel, Wishing on Dandelions.

Yhis book belongs on the bookshelf of all those interested in the early days of psychedelic research and it's social ramifications. One word for it: Excellent!

Can't think of a more informative and interesting way of describing this period of time. I loved this book. Big thanks to the authors!

_Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond_, first published in 1985 and revised in 1992, by journalist and author Martin A. Lee and author Bruce Shlain is a fascinating and wild account of the history of LSD in America. The implications of this journalistic history are startling in that they show the role of the CIA and the government of the United States in creating much of the LSD culture that grew up during the Sixties. I should add that one advantage of this book over Martin A. Lee's other book _The Beast Reawakens_ (1999) is that Lee is able to keep a cool head and write about LSD without lapsing into paroxysms of hysteria as he does when writing about Nazis. This is very fortunate for the reader because it spares us from having to sort through a lot of irrelevant nonsense. The history of LSD in the United States is a fascinating one, and the creation of a drug culture in the Sixties as well as the links between this culture and the hippies, the New Left, and the anti-war movement offers much interesting material. But, lurking behind the whole thing is the nefarious role of the CIA and the government, originally in testing out these drugs in a series of unethical experiments and later in possibly manipulating the very culture that arose from their newfound prevalence itself. This is a fascinating story and one that should be told particularly in light of the complex relationship that has always existed between the drug culture and the state.

The book begins with an Introduction entitled "Whose Worlds Are These?" by Andrei Codrescu. This Introduction lays out the use of LSD as presented in the book both through the experiments of the CIA and as promoted by such figures as Captain Al Hubbard, Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary, Owsley, Art Kleps, Ken Kesey, and others. The book proper begins with a Prologue in which the authors explain the discovery of LSD-25 by Dr. Albert Hoffman, who was later to give an important speech to psychedelic followers in 1977. This Prologue also details the role of the CIA and through such projects as Operation MK-ULTRA engaged in unethical experimentation with LSD on unwitting participants. The first section of this book is entitled "The Roots of Psychedelia". The first chapter of this section is entitled "In the Beginning There Was Madness . . . " and details the role of the CIA in the unethical use of LSD and later in promoting the LSD subculture. This chapter includes sections entitled "The Truth Seekers", "Enter LSD", "Laboratories of the State", "Midnight Climax", and "The Hallucination Battlefield". This chapter details the role of the CIA in experimenting with LSD through projects such as Operation MK-ULTRA, mentioning such figures as William "Wild Bill" Donovan, Allen Dulles, Dr. Sidney Gottlieb, and the hijinx of George Hunter White. The authors explain how originally the model for LSD was that the drug mimicked psychosis, but that eventually this model was to change. The CIA saw the drug as potentially useful for interrogations and engaged in many experiments on unwitting participants with the drug. The second chapter is entitled "Psychedelic Pioneers" and details how the drug was moved from the CIA clandestine operations to the counter-culture. This chapter includes sections entitled "The Original Captain Trips", "Healing Acid", and "Psychosis or Gnosis?". In particular, this chapter explains how government funded psychiatrists and psychologists came to believe that LSD may have some therapeutic potential thus abandoning the original "psychotomimetic" theory of LSD. The government engaged in much research on this drug, and by taking place in government sponsored experiments as participants, many prominent counter-cultural figures became involved with the drug (as a case in point there is the case of the poet Allen Ginsberg). Some figures came to see LSD as revealing deep secrets and as having a profound effect on human nature leading to the popular perspective that LSD offered a form of "gnosis" thus replacing the government's "psychosis" perspective. The third chapter is entitled "Under the Mushroom, Over the Rainbow" and explains how prominent individuals including Harvard professors (such as Timothy Leary and investment banker R. Gordon Wasson) became involved in the drug counter-culture. This chapter includes sections entitled "Manna From Harvard", "Chemical Crusaders", and "The Crackdown" - showing how the government eventually sought to crack down on LSD use eventually leading to its illegality. The fourth chapter is entitled "Preaching LSD" and discusses for example the hijinx of Timothy Leary (who some maintained was a CIA agent). This chapter includes sections entitled "High Surrealism", "The Psychedelic Manual", and "The Hard Sell". The fifth chapter of this book is entitled "The All-American Trip", detailing the rise of the Merry Pranksters who followed Ken Kesey. This chapter includes sections entitled "The Great Freak Forward" and "Acid and the New Left" - showing the problematic relationship between the LSD counter-culture and the political New Left. The second part of this book is entitled "Acid for the Masses". This part begins with the sixth chapter of this book entitled "From Hip to Hippie" showing how the LSD counter-culture created the emerging phenomenon of the hippie. This chapter includes sections entitled "Before the Deluge", "Politics of the Bummer", and "The First Human Be-In", in particular this chapter discusses how the "bad trip" came to emerge from a cultural matrix in which LSD was regarded as harmful by the establishment but as liberating by the counter-culture, virtually assuring that many would experiment with the drug themselves to find out for themselves the effects. The seventh chapter is entitled "The Capital of Forever" and includes sections entitled "Stone Free" and "The Great Summer Dropout". The eighth chapter is entitled "Peaking in Babylon" and includes sections entitled "A Gathering Storm", "Magical Politics", and "Gotta Revolution". In particular, this chapter shows how the LSD culture emerged in Haight-Ashbury and how it interacted with such other phenomena as the political New Left and the anti-war movement emerging as opposition to the Vietnam War, mentioning such things as the Diggers and the Yippies. In particular, many on the politically reductionistic New Left saw the whole hippie phenomena as an attempt to drop out of politics entirely and thus regarded it negatively. Further, many hippies became easy prey for dangerous psychopaths such as Charles Manson. The ninth chapter is entitled "Season of the Witch" and includes sections entitled "Armed Love", "The Acid Brotherhood", and "Bad Moon Rising". This chapter explains the relationships between the New Left and the anti-war movement forming as a force of opposition to the Vietnam War as well as the continuing and complicated relationship with the hippie culture and the phenomenon of folk music. The tenth chapter is entitled "What a Field Day for the Heat" and includes sections entitled "Prisoner of LSD", "A Bitter Pill", and "The Great LSD Conspiracy", in particular, this chapter maintains that behind the scenes the CIA may have been manipulating the drug counter-culture and may even have seen the Haight-Ashbury district as a social laboratory. The book ends with a Postscript entitled "Acid and After" and an Afterword.

This book offers an interesting study on the Sixties and the drug culture focusing around LSD that emerged out of this decade. In particular, after reading the book, it becomes clear that the hippie movement was easily manipulated by psychopaths such as Charles Manson and larger forces out of their control such as the CIA. Further, the naïve belief of many that LSD would lead to world peace turns out to have only been a passing phase. Another problematic raised by this book is the relationship between LSD use and New Left politics. Unfortunately, the New Left sought to reduce everything to politics so failed to appreciate any sort of development that lay outside of their own political sphere. This book offers a good examination of a troubled era and some of the hopes of people in that era that were ultimately manipulated by larger forces.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2NWFN612DXX3 My video review of Acid Dream. Really great bookAcid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond. ***** 5 stars =)

This book is perfect - It offered everything I was hoping for when I first purchased it. It covered from the end of the 50's and the Beat generation and how their influence lead into the hippie generation, and it ended in the early 70's tying in the beginning of rock and punk. It is a true spectrum of the 1960's counterculture generation.

It's a large book but its facinating to learn about the history and the culture. Like previous reviewers said, it really ties up everyhting and clearly shows the correalation between the drug counterculture and the govn't & society during that time period. I was born in the 80's and this book really showed me alot about the 60's counterculture and the attitudes towards drug use and young people during that time. I can see alot of correalations between that era with Vietnam as the war that they were protesting versus todays war in Iraq and the amount of US citizens that are against it.

The author also goes into government policies at the time and conspiricys and covert CIA and classified documents. I was amazed by the actions of the CIA and thetesting of LSD on unsuspecting American citizens. It is like the stuff movies are made of but it really happened! Truly and amazing and interesting book - I could not put it down. I reccomend it to everyone, regardless of your view on LSD or drug counterculture - a true wealth of information on 1960's America.