Abuse Books

This is a tale about a family, love and compassion, facing the fragile nature of life we all share. It is a story of addiction, the monster heroin, the battle for a life. And it is the story that we all know, if we dare to read our own lives at the depths.

This is a fine book, well-written and heartfelt. The death of a young adult child, according to Darwin (who experienced this) is the hardest of all life's hard things. Worried parents of troubled children will have to ante up some gumption to read it. Non-Jews will envy the Waxlers' faith in their tradition, which seems to come from the inside, unmediated by a pastor's instructions or by the stiff martini resorted to by lonesome predestinarians. English majors and professors will be reminded of the deeply moral underpinnings of their vocations. People without children, once visiting this terrible story, will understand their friends with children better than they may understand themselves. Parents will see their children as never before, vulnerable in a hard world, today in an unnecessarily hardnosed American version of it. For parents who have lost a child, this book and the strength of this family may offer consolation-but the Waxlers advise never to give advice to people in this terrible position.

Soul-wrenching and life-changing. Robert and Linda Waxler, with their incredible faith and love for their son, find a way to articulate what it means to be a parent. Through their loss and subsequent struggle to survive it, Robert Waxler beautifully and powerfully gives us a much greater awareness and consciousness of our own love and committment to our children. This book also drills home the absolutely terrifying reality that everyone's children are vulnerable to the dangers of drugs. I knew Jonathan personally and went to school with him throughout high school. He was an intelligent, witty and extremely nice guy. He was one of those people that everyone liked and assumed would be a success in life. The face of a potential addict is every child - not just those who had a hard childhood or who were unloved. Jonathan was loved and the Waxler's ability to give us the gift of his and their story is possible because of the power of that love. Read it and become a better person and parent.

This is a beautiful, heart-felt story about family tragedy and love. It is a story that should remind everyone that the stereotypes we have about drug addiction and parental grief are wrong and too simple. It shows the complexity of human experience and gets us to face our own mortality.It is a story that could happen to anyone--and it does!!

This book gives the reader a sense of the wonders of Jonathan - the aliveness and excitement of his life and the positive effect he had on everyone he touched. Through the eyes of his mother and father you see beyond his terrible struggle to the light that glowed around him.

I found this very interesting book and above all of easy consultation. In the area I believe it is one of the best for its clarity and the advice to all those that work in the field of the additions and not only. Also I can add, having known the author, that the book reflects in full everything its skill and its extreme preparation in merit.

F. Michler Bishop's seminal volume "Managing Addictions" breaks new ground in the field of substance abuse counseling and psychotherapy. The author manages to provide a perfect blend of science and clinical wisdom whereas other books addressing this difficult work tend to favor one over the other. The result will have clinicians being able to apply a variety of empirically validated techniques while at the same time not sacrificing individual style. On a personal note, this book has converted me from conducting exclusive non-substance use/abuse disorders psychotherapy to becoming interested and receiving training in substance abuse work (specifically nicotine addiction). Herein lies the greatest value of Bishop's efforts: its value to ALL in the helping professions, regardless of their training or area of specialization. Not only do I highly recommend this book, I believe it should be required reading for all mental health professionals.

In my professional opinion, Mr. Bishop's book, Managing Addictions, is one of the two or three best books written for working professionals or interested lay people in the area of the treatment of addictive behaviors. My graduate students and clinical interns have found this text to be extremely useful and helpful in developing their skills when working with their clients with addictive problems. Also, some of my clients have read the book and have been able to apply many of the cognitive, emotive, and behavioral techniques for their own benefit and positive change. Great book and a great contribution!!! Hope many more people will end up reading and using Mr. Bishop's valuable information!!!

As a master's level, state credentialed substance abuse counselor that has been in the field for over 15 years, I found Bishop's book to be one of the best texts that I have read in my career on addiction counseling, treatment and recovery. Bishop elegantly synthesizes the often conflicting models of abstinence based/12 step recovery and harm reduction. He very pragmatically values both perspectives and guides the practitioner in finding what works best for his or her individual client. I can honestly say that this book provided me with a much needed professional epiphany and I will keep it within easy reach for reference purposes for as long as I practice my profession. I highly recommend this book to anyone that works with substance abusing clients.

This book is more complete than I thought! In my modest opinion it's magnificent. It has a great practical value and will be very helpful in my work as therapist. And it's exactly the kind of help I was looking for! This publication will be a guidance not only for me but for all of my coworkers here in my province, since I'll make sure that this useful work and his author be of everyone's knowledge.
I am a cuban psychologist working in a clinic for foreign drug dependence patients. This work has enriched our experience and it has been of great help. It combines successfully both Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and addiction. I recommend it to every therapist working in this field, including those from Latin American countries. Some of my colleagues who have already read it as well as me, have commented about the values of this book, that is, for all of us, a masterpiece!

This most amazing novel guides you through a colorful world that captures the imagination. Before you begin reading about Desmond Ruck's adventures, find a comfortable chair because your mind will ignore your body. Like some spiritual master with a bottle of Wharton's, you'll be transported into a new dimension. It's a wheel squealing ride across America's Highway to Heaven.
Think the fast pace of the Da Vinci Code, only more intense, as if Hunter S. Thompson wrote this adventure while still in Vegas, then Gunter Grass added his Rabelaisian sauce, and Mark Twain polished it up while in a good mood.

(...). Imagine a combination of Candide and "Forrest Gump" except with a lucid and intelligent narrator/protagonist and you'll be close. Add in an author inspired by Rabelais and possessing a strong humanist spine and you can start to smack the taste in your mouth. Combine these with a lean over to one side and slightly to the back at the strained pop and contemporary culture references and you'll get its overall sense. The main nuisance was the faintly antiseptic feeling of one who wants to write about being in the mud, but hasn't ever quite dipped in. Many will find it a riot, others who have led a riotous life will find it charming, but not ever quite "there". It's provocative and fantastic as it aspires to much while never standing still, like many ambitious books, waving its hands in your face demanding: "I am an important book!" This novel wants to entertain, and does copiously, but may evoke chuckles and smirks when it aspires for comedic gasps and release.

This book immediately captures your attention and makes you smile. The hero is just so darned likable. I thought it was going to be the story of how the initial grabber resolves itself, but no such predictability here. It soon becomes clear that this is as much saga as story, as much fable as fiction, and the odyssey just won't stop. It's a ripping good yarn that works on myriad levels. I recommend it with enthusiasm to anyone needing an escape, an excuse, a hero, a redemption, a purpose, or a good laugh.

Robert Grudin is both a prolific and intelligent writer. Most of his work rquires careful reading and thought, a more cerebral approach. In The Most Amazing Thing, Grudin reached a new level as an author. Every reader wishes the implied intimacy associated with the notion that this book was written for him or her. Few writers, of course, ever achieve this intimacy with the reader. I believed that Grudin was writing this book to and for me and further that many other readers will believe the same. Great writers, like Mark Twain, routinely write or wrote on this level. This appears to be a new Grudin and one that I hope will continue to serve us tasty morsels. I recemmned this book to anyone since it seems to communicate feelings of fun without any effort by the reader.

This is a wonderful book. The most amazing thing about it is the author's imagination. It concerns the adventures of one Desmond Ruck, a man bigger than most physically and larger than most morally. He stumbles upon a Bill-Gates-size fortune in negotiable bonds and a beautiful South American bookkeeper somehow connected to it, who keeps disappearing into the clutches of assorted nefarious groups from whom he keeps trying to rescue her. If I found a trillion dollars, I don't know what I'd do with it. But Desmond Ruck knows what to do with it. No futile attempts to reform campaign finance or to enjoy himself kicking up his heels in Cannes. He is a rescuer. At the same time, he is a practical man (actually a carpenter), so, once he gets past some pretty awful situations and figures out how to cash in some of those bonds, he goes in for practical rescues. He rescues people. First, a paraplegic old geezer, then a pair of brutally isolated and abused teenagers, and then -- working his way up -- the inhabitants of a bawdy house (he provides them with college scholarships) and an orphanage (he provides it with a luxurious boarding-school ranch in the Southwest), and so on. At the end, after putting Desmond through an incredible series of misadventures, the author manages to wrap up every single solitary detail, every surreptitious subtext and sidelong glance, into a smashing conclusion that kept me smiling optimistically for days.

This book is a poignant statement on our society today that for many of us seems unreal. The idea that this kind of abuse in the family and the foster care system happens under our noses is sad. My eyes have been opened in other ways in recent times, so I'm not as naive as I used to be. This book sums it up about as well as anything I can imagine. It is a moving book, but more than that it is a beautiful story about triumphing in life with God.


Margaret says it like this in her prologue, "MY GOD BOX is the revelation of how I shattered the victim mindset; a self-defamatory attitude that actually made me more of a victim than the devastating circumstances of my life."


I highly recommend this book to anyone that has been victimized in their past or present to see how God's intervention can drastically alter your life.

Reading this book was truly an uplifting experience. An inspirational book that is very well written and hit home on many fronts. A true must read that definitely left a mark on my heart, and more importantly, my soul.

Margaret Iuculano's "My God Box" personalizes the failures of our country's foster care system. Sticking to the facts of her own childhood, Margaret lets the reader conclude who the victims and predators are. She also gives credit along the way to those who loved her, both people who were part of the foster care system and her own family members. The main hero in the end is Margaret herself. She used the power of forgiveness and overcame the hand she was dealt to become a personal and business success. This is a story that deserves to be read. I hope it is made into a movie to inspire today's child in the foster care system.

Margaret Iuculano's My God Box is an amazing testament to the power of the Lord in sowing seeds of faith in His creatures. Beautifully written, the book is encouraging and enligtening. It seminates HOPE--Regardless of the path we have taken or are forced to take because of unforseen circumstances there is always the possibility to change direction. I also appreciate the author's passion to help children--there is no nobler cause than to care for and about the innocent and the vulnerable. She will be in my prayers. This wonderful book should be read by all---those who believe and those who want to believe.

Margaret Iuculano's, My God Box was an absolutely compelling and motivational read. Her heroic story of her continuous struggle to find her home as a young adult and her ultimate redemption is truly moving. Not only does this book shake your heart strings, but it also gives you a true insight to what its really like to grow up in the foster care system. This book is a great read for anyone who has ever felt as if they don't belong, or have ever felt they were struggling to find their place in the world against the worst odds. I really look forward to her next book!

I am grateful this book has been written and published for a younger audience. When male circumcision is viewed as a rite of passage, it is often looked at as something boys do to celebrate their entree to adulthood. I've never been in a classroom where students perceived the boys as persecuted or anything less than "brave warriors." In the western world, male circumcision has medical and cultural controversy; there is very little discussion about the mere existence of FMG. What exists leaves little argument that female circumcision is truly physical mutilation. Male circumcision as a rite of passage is oft considered an allowable topic for adolescents, yet FMG is treated as taboo if ever introduced into conversation at all. I do not advocate that anyone judge this practice without much more information, and there is great controversy over whether or not it is culturally appropriate to judge it from our western vantage point. Adults can read and learn more from Waris Dirie's book Desert Flower. You can also investigate more deeply with a simple web search. The book, written with 10 year old protagonists, tells the tale of a profoundly complex issue in just the right way to begin the dialogue. I find it especially valuable for broaching this feminist, humanist, and public health issue for young adult readers. Highly recommended.

No Laughter Here, like its heroine Akilah, sparkles with intelligence and courage to tackle a subject most adults can't bear to face: the horrifying deliberate mutilation of little girls in the barbaric ritual known as FGM. In America we worry our kids are growing up too fast, with too many weighty issues bombarding them. However, other countries (such as rural India, where teenagers become second wives to 50-year-old brutes) don't share our definition of protecting children. Luckily, there are voices out there like Akilah's.

This story needed to be told. This is a wonderful story about loyalty and friendship. This books succeeds both as a stand-alone piece of exceptional writing and as a clarion call to raise awareness about this horrific practice.

This book presents an overwhelming topic in a very non-overwhelming way. Ten year-old Akilah finds her best friend changed when she comes back from a summer trip to Nigeria to visit her grandmother and go through a "coming of age ceremony." Eventually her friend confesses that her parents took her to an illegal doctor to be circumcised. Akilah promises not to tell anyone, but these things have a way of getting told.

Akilah tells the story from the eyes of a child, but this book is not meant for children. It could serve as a gentle introduction to the idea of Female Genital Mutilation or as a lesson in human rights to middle school students. There is an after word by the author including more facts about FGM and an invitation for kids to email her their thoughts. I would be interested in the sorts of emails she has gotten.

Williams-Garcia borders on overly didactic, but the tone of the book and the friendship between Akilah and Victoria save it from becoming overly so.

I highly recommend this book to girls age 12 and up.

Rarely do I pick up YA (Young Adult) fiction, but as a librarian I have the privilege to see what comes across the table in all genres and to generally see where my nose will lead me. This is a story of two families: African and African-American on American soil. The story centers around two very bright, precocious 5th graders: Victoria and Akiliah. Ms. Garcia does a fine job in creating the minds and concerns of these two young students. When Victoria returns to Nigeria with her family, she undergoes FGM. This change affects both Victoria and Akiliah in more ways than one. Whereas FGM is custom in Africa, here, in America, one sees it as child abuse if not named something else sick and sadistical. The beauty in this story is the insight into young minds, specifically Akiliah's and what causes young people, perfect students, to act out. In Akiliah's case, her perfect record is ruined when she becomes protective of Victoria. Her father has given her the name: Girl Warrior. An alter-ego that allows Akiliah to stand up for herself against everyone, including the defiance of her own mother. The reasons for Akiliah acting out are sort of justified. The author never sides in this matter, but one might surely opine that Akiliah's infractions are just and righteous given the situations she finds herself. We also see how ultra-caddy middle classed black women can be whether African or African-American. All the same except where customs and cultural values are in place. More importantly, No Laugher Here englightens and in some manner furthers the awareness and fight against female mutilation in Africa. The topic is highly serious, however, Ms. Garcia shapes this story in a manner that is easily accessible and educational for all young adults!!

The examples in this book are real. While walking to your car at night this book's advice ought to flash through your mind. One Less Victim should be read at least annually. It serves as a dangerous situation reminder and helps one to make a plan for personal safety. This book is definitely worth the read.


Maureen Stearns
Author
Conscious Courage®

Genre: Self-help
Title: one less victim
AUTHOR: Doug setter
The news today is filled with stories of horrible crimes inflicted on innocent victims. It can often seem hopeless to honest people who feel defenseless against the endless wave of crime. But it is not so hopeless if we can avoid appearing as a victim to begin with.

"One Less Victim" is a detailed guide to personal safety that covers almost every potential pitfall to victimization, from physical dangers, to Internet scams. Doug Setter educates the reader on avoiding dangerous situations, not appearing as a target, and the power and responsibility of the victim to report the crime. He uses many titles and subtitles for clarity that cover an amazingly broad spectrum of dangerous situations. It is guaranteed that the average reader will find some valuable and enlightening information here.

Doug Setter has a comfortable, streetwise style of writing, allowing anyone to easily access the information in his book. He uses many necessary references, an important ingredient in this sort of self-help book. It does not, however, read like a research project, which makes a great deal of sense when considering the diversity of people the author wants to reach.

Doug Setter has the ideal background to write a book with a straight-forward, streetwise approach to personal crime prevention. He has worked as a crime writer for a Vancouver newspaper, and as an infantry sergeant for the United Nations peacekeepers. He has studied self-defense for 20 years and has been published in several Canadian newspapers.

This book would make a great gift for many, from the new college student leaving home for the first time, to the single senior citizen. It is a very useful book that may very well save the reader from some very unpleasant situation.
Reviewer: Nancy Morris, Allbooks Reviews.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends ONE LESS VICTIM for all city residents & all school attendees, to discover how to "know thine enemy" & not become prey to criminals & bottom feeders, whether it's rapists or conmen; gangs or muggers.

ONE LESS VICTIM is a no-nonsense pocket book which tells it like it is. No flowery or foul language. Just the facts, information, anecdotes & advice the author has gleaned along the way as a Vancouver newspaper crime columnist, a self-defense master, a welter weight kick-boxer, & an infantry sergeant for United Nations peacekeeping operations.

If you know someone who is going to live in a new city or neighborhood, do them a favor & give them a copy of ONE LESS VICTIM.
If you know someone who's going to college for the first time or a new school, pack a copy of ONE LESS VICTIM in their bag.
If you know someone is getting old & living alone, get a copy of ONE LESS VICTIM, & read it with them. Because sooner or later, you, or they, are going to face any one of the situations given, & what you've learnt from this slim volume could save your bacon, not to mention your money, your sanity & your health.

Easy read. Good wake up call. Setter points out the danger signs that most people do not see coming. Preparation, not Paranoia. Must read.

--Erl Julien, Body Guard--

Living in East Vancouver, I have frequently witnessed a considerable amount of what Doug Setter has written out in this book. He explains how to recognize dangers and danger areas, and how to avoid them as well. This book helps clear a lot of naivety and demonstrates how YOU can become ONE LESS VICTIM without relying on paranoia and sensationalism, just on hard-earned truths and stunning true life examples.
This is a highly recommended book for all walks of life to read. The difference between a victim and a survivor is how to read the signs of impending dangers and learning how to avoid these potentially life threatening problems. Whether you live on the tough side of town or in the prissy end, this book covers every possible angle of those that are set out to harm you and your family, and it is guaranteed to cover ones that you have never even thought of. ONE LESS VICTIM will help ensure that you will never have to be one of those people that say "I knew I shouldn't have....." from the hospital bed... if they have the chance to say it at all.

[...]

My first inclination was to skim this book enough to write a review. Instead I wound up reading it cover to cover--the story is that engaging.

The book can be read on three levels. First, it is a story of a family devastated by one of its children sinking into the drug culture, with the anger, lying, secretiveness and mistrust that come out of that. The mother slowly watches her real son fading away, replaced by this total stranger she calls "The Other Son." She cannot understand, predict or trust what this "Other Son" is or will do next. She describes in great detail the burden carried by everybody in the family who cared for him and hated what he was doing to himself and them. I think every parent who has gone through the process of a child or relative gradually self-destructing in this way can relate to this story on a very personal level.

The second level describes in painstaking detail how there are very few effective solutions available for parents with an "Other Son." The author describes how they tried the police, a voluntary treatment program and the courts, among other things, with no positive effect. In all these attempts, they learned that he had his "rights" which the law demanded be respected. Many of the people they looked to for help understood what was happening, and sympathized with what the parents were trying to do, but their hands were tied by the law. The author in an anguished cry asked about the rights of others he was abusing and if anybody gave any consideration regarding the responsibilities he was shirking. The response was at best an ineffectual expression of sympathy from all sides.

The third level is a detailed description of what it took to get his attention and gradually bring their real son back to life, out of the self-centered, pleasure-oriented, irresponsible "Other Son." After all these failed attempts, what finally worked was a private boarding school that works with children with these attitudinal and behavioral problems. Called Everest and placed in Connecticut in the book, in reality it is a long time boarding school in Maine called Élan. Élan (Everest) follows the model of a therapeutic community where the main curriculum is to teach the students to be responsible for their actions. Their main tools in accomplishing this are a tight structure (where, contrary to most youth institutions, consequences are immediate and appropriate) and utilization of a positive peer culture.

This book is probably the best description I have read of how a therapeutic community works in the lives of real people. What she describes regarding therapeutic communities is a key ingredient for success that has been adopted by many of the successful therapeutic boarding schools in the private parent-choice network of residential schools and programs for struggling teens. The ideas of a therapeutic community have heavily influenced not only Élan, but many other schools including John Dewey Academy in Massachusetts, the now closed CEDU schools in California and Idaho and all those schools with key staff heavily influenced by what they learned at CEDU, which is a significant percentage of the successful schools and programs in this network.

This book is more than just another chronicle of a family in crisis caused by their teen in crisis. It is also more than just a description of a family lucky enough to happen to find a specific school that worked for their son. It is an indictment of public attitudes and resulting public policy creating rights for irresponsible teens that parents and society can't handle, and it is an insightful description of a workable solution, which is the whole idea of a therapeutic community. Any professional working with struggling teens would benefit from reading this book and understanding the underlying concepts the author spells out so well, whether or not they agree with them.

If you have a child who's behavior tends toward beliggerent, abusive, and confusing to you then you are not alone. Mrs. Pappas book gives you great resources and more importantly the feeling of relief to learn that you are not alone and there is something you can do about it. "The Other Son" is such an apropo title for any kid dabbling in the drug/alcohol culture. I highly recommend this book for helping you cope with the unknown world of drug/alcohol addicition.

Every parent should read this book and learn from it. It touches the very soul of a parents deep love and commitment to their child while clearly and passionately illustrating the tenacious struggle with societies inadequacies.

This is the story of a wonderful and caring family and the progression of their son into the world of substance abuse. Having a 16 year old child of my own who has been in drug rehab and now seems is on the relapse path, I could not put this book down. There were so many incidents which I have been through almost as if the script were my own. It is always a good thing to understand that you are not alone in the teen addict's world of lies, manipulation and low moral standards and that most importantly, there is recovery but, that it takes time and patience.

I commend the author on a great book and on her courage and wisdom to get her story out for so many others who need to understand there is help and support and most importantly, there is hope.

This book was recommended reading while my son was in treatment for substance abuse. An openly honest account of family pain and struggle while in the thros of a childs substance abuse. I was able to relate to so many circumstances mentioned which gave me better insight on helping myself and my family better deal during this topsy-turvey time in our lives. Regardless of your own personal situation and cirsumstances, this book was extremely benefical in obtaining new knowledge toward family recovery.

As parents, we worry about the stranger on the street and think that our children will be safe at home. However, this book has helped me become more aware of sexual abuse by a trusted family member. The author provides information on the danger signals and how to teach our children to protect themselves. I have shared this book with friends and family. Our children should grow up safe and loved and not have to deal with the pain of abuse

I think this book is terrific,the book is clear as to what behavior is unexeptable by freinds, strangers and family. This book gives you the tools you need to keep your kids from being victims of sexual abuse. I think anyone who has kids should get a copy of this book.

"Now what should I say" ... I never knew ... I wish this book had been available when my child was young. You can bet she will have it for her children!

This book tells the real truth about sexual abuse. I am a survivor and I know. The author gives clear, concise instructions on protecting a child from the 'real' sexual abusers--the child's father or other close relative. However, the author does not sensationalize the problem or denegrate men. I highly recommend this book to every parent and anyone who has responsiblity for children.

Protect Your Child from Sexual Abuse/Incest Perpetrators is an active, practical guide for parents. The strong point of this book lies in the author's ability to relate clinical information and research to readers in a consistently humanistic and compassionate manner. Although this book targets parents, it is important for childcare workers, guardians and all adults. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, holder of a Clinical Diplomat Certification in Hypnotherapy and a practitioner of psychotherapy specializing in High Trauma Recovery (sexual, physical and verbal abuse) for fifteen years, the clinical and practical experiences and knowledge Ms. Neddermeyer brings to this subject are outstanding. The extensive amount of research is obvious at all stages. Ms. Neddermeyer understands the mind and intent of sexual abuse perpetrators. Without vilifying perpetrators she describes in detail the forethought and afterthoughts they have when committing these crimes. One of the most intriguing and powerful sections of this book, "Afteraffects of Sexual Abuse and Incest." explains the physical, mental, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, sexual and relational affects a victim of sexual abuse or incest often encounters in the aftermath. Ms. Neddermeyer provides the reader with tools and detailed checklists. These include interview questions for hiring child care workers, nine important survival skills to help make one's child independent, eleven steps to take if one's child alludes to or states they were sexually abused and incest prevention checklist, and an extensive resource list to help readers learn more on their own. The following passage exemplifies Ms. Neddermeyer's keen perception of her subject which enables her to speak to her audience clearly and powerfully. "Parents need to empower their children and support them for the ownership of their bodies and their lives. This begins the moment the child is handed to them in the delivery room. Do not mistake this to mean the child is being held responsible for stopping sexual abuse. Your child needs your guidance and support that she or he owns his or her body and that no one is allowed to touch him or her in ways she or he does not like. Your child needs to know you believe him or her and that you will support her in this regard." This book is compassionate, instructive, and highly effective. It is an excellent guidebook on the cruel realitites and subtleties of sexual abuse and incest on children. I highly recommend this book.

It's been about 12 weeks since I've had my last cigarette! I think it's probably because this book considers my emotional attachment to cigarettes (which most books don't).

Almost 11 months quit! The most helpful parts, for me, dealt with the mental and emotional sides of addiction. I smoked to avoid feeling stress or unwanted emotions, and this book has a lot to offer in that area.

I had little to no willpower when it comes to cigarette smoking but luckily, I didn't need any to quit with this program. I just had to practice not smoking, but I never felt deprived because I only had 4 practice sessions a day which only lasted a couple of minutes to a half hour max. So the exercises helped alot, especially the ones which taught me how to deal with my stress without cigarettes.

This book is the best! I finally quit

Thank you Andrea Baer. This book finally gave me the inspiration to quit

i read a review on this book a while back and it was actually bought for me as a gift for xmas 06. i started reading and probably got 3-4 chapters (chapters are extremely small over 30 for only 230 pgs)..anyways i just found it dull and un interesting so i stopped reading it.. and lately i couldnt sleep so i figured what better to bore me to death than this book i recently re-found.. i must say once i got passed those chapters and starting getting into the "meat" of the story i couldnt put the dang book down.. and instead of trying to sleep i stayed awake and read all 230 some pages in a little under 3 hours.. the book is extremely well written and its pin point accurate (in my opinion) with whats wrong in today's society where sports are taken to seriously (and im a HUUUUUUUUUUGE sports fan).


if your into sports books.. this is a MUST HAVE.

This is a short but well written book. One graphic scene (brief) will cause you to hesitate before passing it on to your teen but in my opinion the value of the lesson is strong and outweighs the desire to shelter your children. In the end it is about making the right choices, standing up, and doing the right thing. Our hero comes through!

The Nearmont High School football season looks promising. The entire town expects great things from them --- Division, even State Championships --- and the team is on track for just such a season when they take off for preseason camp: two-a-day practices, morning wakeup calls, and Raider Pride Night, the traditional freshman initiation. Unfortunately, the ritual goes places it never should in ways that might compromise their entire season and ruin any chances they might have in college football and the pros.

"The biggest enemy of best is good. If you're satisfied with what's good, you'll never be the best."

Those words atop the Jerry Rice poster over Matt Rydeck's bed tell him everything he needs to know about football and life. He has to be willing to do what it takes, no matter what --- even if that involves staying loyal to his drug-using friends and even if that means using illegal steroids and Vicodin himself. They're supposed to take away the pain and help him heal faster. In the midst of all that, Matt would love to have a girl he could actually talk to, not just the typical girls who will follow any star receiver home after a party. He wants something more, someone with whom he can share his problems.

What would Matt's life be like without all the stress? Without having to hide what really happened that night at camp? Without the responsibility that comes with being team captain? Without the baggage of former one-night flings? With Dad in his face loading on the pressure to succeed, Matt needs a way out of his slowly suffocating world, and breaking a few rules and hearts seems like the only way out of town, to a life with a little more freedom.

In RAIDERS NIGHT, Robert Lipsyte has taken the experiences of "world-class athlete and sports psychiatrist" Michael J. Miletic, M.D. and re-molded them into a gripping story that's as fictional as it is real. The insider knowledge offers a glimpse into the competitive world of high school football players who are doing everything they can to make it to college and the pros, while at the same time navigate the complex webwork of their lives.

--- Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

The Nearmont High School football season looks promising. The entire town expects great things from them --- Division, even State Championships --- and the team is on track for just such a season when they take off for preseason camp: two-a-day practices, morning wakeup calls, and Raider Pride Night, the traditional freshman initiation. Unfortunately, the ritual goes places it never should in ways that might compromise their entire season and ruin any chances they might have in college football and the pros.

"The biggest enemy of best is good. If you're satisfied with what's good, you'll never be the best."

Those words atop the Jerry Rice poster over Matt Rydeck's bed tell him everything he needs to know about football and life. He has to be willing to do what it takes, no matter what --- even if that involves staying loyal to his drug-using friends and even if that means using illegal steroids and Vicodin himself. They're supposed to take away the pain and help him heal faster. In the midst of all that, Matt would love to have a girl he could actually talk to, not just the typical girls who will follow any star receiver home after a party. He wants something more, someone with whom he can share his problems.

What would Matt's life be like without all the stress? Without having to hide what really happened that night at camp? Without the responsibility that comes with being team captain? Without the baggage of former one-night flings? With Dad in his face loading on the pressure to succeed, Matt needs a way out of his slowly suffocating world, and breaking a few rules and hearts seems like the only way out of town, to a life with a little more freedom.

In RAIDERS NIGHT, Robert Lipsyte has taken the experiences of "world-class athlete and sports psychiatrist" Michael J. Miletic, M.D. and re-molded them into a gripping story that's as fictional as it is real. The insider knowledge offers a glimpse into the competitive world of high school football players who are doing everything they can to make it to college and the pros, while at the same time navigate the complex webwork of their lives.

Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

First Published on TeenReads.
© Copyright 1997-2006, TeenReads. All rights reserved.

What's most amazing about this book, to me, is that it has all of the insight and vivid detail you'd expect from a prolific writer like Lipsyte, but he's captured the tone and pacing you'd expect to encounter in a high school. He truly immersed himself in the culture of high school and high-level high school sports, and he places the reader right there in the locker room and in conversations in a way you'd swear you were listening to two 17-year-olds talk.

The book is also an incredible tool in the fights against cruel hazing and doping. Without beating you over the head with the message, Lipsyte shows everything that is wrong with the darkest sides of sports. A must-read for every high school athlete.