Addictions Books

This book has a lot of great info in it. I enjoyed reading it and found a lot of it to be new information.

The obvious strength of this book as a history of the development of Anorexia Nervosa comes from its unbiased approach. As a historian, the author has walked brilliantly the fine line between simply retelling the past and critically evaluating it. (Sometimes stupid ideas need to be called stupid ideas!) It is essential reading for anyone with an interest in eating disorders or nutrition.

The subtle strength of this book is its format for discussing disease development in a social and political context. Anyone interested in disease etiology beyond simply the biochemical approach should also read this book, as a guide to how to put disease in a realistic context.

Brilliant all round!

This book was very well done.

I had previously read a book like it called "From Fasting Saints to Anorexic Girls" which was written in the manner of a stuffy academic. At first I was afraid this book might turn out to be the same but thankfully I read the reviews on it and decided to give it a try.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an eating disorder or interested in the history of the relationship between women and their bodies.

This book was totally absorbing. I didn't want to put it down. Who would have thought that such a terrible disease would have its origin in the Medievel church, as women starved themselves for their beliefs and to become (as they believed) holy. But, like most things under the sun, it's all been done before, so there really shouldn't be any surprise that self-starvation has a very long history.

I really enjoyed the histories of the individual "fasting girls." And Ms. Brumberg's description of the Victorian middle class was priceless and eye opening, considering how that era is so romantizied by a lot of us today.

The book revealed so much about how culture (present and past) shapes our opinions of ourselves, especially us women. Reading the book brought out my anger that society and culture expect women to have "perfect" bodies..."perfect" everything, and the pressure that is on us, both as teenagers and adults.

I recommend this book to anyone who would like to know more about anorexia nervosa and its history. There is a great deal of fascinating information. Just keep your dictionary handy to look up all the medical terms Brumberg quotes (and for some of her own words as well). My only disappointment in the book was that it ended too abruptly. Her book had me hooked, and then, finally, it had to end. I think there is a great deal more to be said about this disease, and I hope that she keeps up with the history and maybe writes another volume. Kudos to you, Ms. Brumberg. Very well done.

I never knew there was a history of girls refusing to eat. This book starts all the way back from Midevial times up until the 1980's, when the book was written. I found it extremely fascinating. I would reccommend this book to anyone with an eating disorder, people who are into psychology or history, or just if you are looking for a great non-fiction book. Do not pass this one up!

I've been around program long enough to recognize what this really is. If you are in a 12 step group you should give this to your sponsor. It will touch his heart.

It's rare for me to find a book I can't put down. I'm very good at skimming to get the gist of a book but I was only a few pages into Great Wings when I realized I didn't want to miss one word. By the time I was less than half way through I ordered 5 more copies for gifts. Great wings is deeply touching and insightful...a book you will want to share with someone you love. Don't miss this one. It will lift your spirits and touch your heart.

I was enthralled, transformed and left crying. I don't like to write reviews, but this book deserves a lot of attention. Buy two copies and pass them on to friends. It is particulary suited for prayer groups.

I heard the author speak at a convention and then read the book. He was wonderful and the book is delightful. If you are a team player this is a must read.

Insightful life lessons conveyed in an entertaining parable format

Helpful words for those married to a person addicted to porn. Great to see how their marriage was rebuilt. Gives hope to those still in the thick of the battle.

I read the first 133 pages of this book in 2 evenings. It is a very easy read and I didn't see any distraction or smugness in the bouncing back and forth or discussions of Clay's early popularity. I think part of the power of the book is the fact that this person living a lie looked like a Christian superstar from the outside. It could be any person you see in church on Sunday morning.

I especially appreciated the candor and directness of the book. I would recommend it to anyone who knows someone struggling with a "secret sin", not only pornography.

Clay and Renee Crosse have co-authored this autobiographical account of the journey that they have endured through Clay's early success in the Christian music industry, his descent into pornography and the damage that ensued in his career and his marriage, and the restoration that God has brought into their lives. The most striking and helpful part of this book is its brutal honesty. The Crosses have clearly decided that they can serve others most effectively by being fully transparent about their struggles. That certainly includes Clay's struggles with the sin of lust but also includes places where Renee admitted her own spiritual weaknesses. It never seemed like they were sharing too much detail, but their candor is most helpful and all too rare in a Christian subculture that seems to prefer stories of artificial perfection.

Another strength of this book is its readability. Their writing style is very conversational, and it is an easy book to digest. It could probably be read in one or two sittings, but I enjoyed reading it over the course of a few weeks by reading one chapter each night.

There are a few weaknesses, to be sure. The readabilitay of the book is connected to its informal writing style, which also makes it feel almost amateurish at points. Some of the conclusions that they drew concerning big spiritual issues seemed overly simplistic, as if Christians need only to read the Bible and pray more, in which case God is obliged to fix all of our problems. Again, a bit of literary nuance would have clarified some of those finer points.

Also, the shared authorship of Clay and Renee, while providing us with perspectives from their two very distinctive journeys, seemed a bit jarring at times, as they bounced back and forth from one to the other. And there were times when they seemed to remain a bit smug about the early success that Clay had, making sure to point out just how wildly popular he had been. Maybe that was simply to juxtapose their current situation from where they had been, but it felt a bit pompous.

These critiques aside, I'm glad to have read this book. The Crosses have done the Christian community a favor by telling their story. Though this book has some weaknesses, it is good to hear a story of two lives, filled with severe pain and wrecked by sin, that have been restored, though not perfected. Many Christians would do well to learn from Clay and Renee.

It was like being able to talk to a friend about the situation. I really appreciated how both sides got to talk separately about their own view of this conflict. It really opened up lines of communication between my husband and me with honesty and not playing the blame-game.

This is an eye-opening book for anyone to read. It's a very descriptive walk through a lovers life torn by a sexual addiction (which is much more prevelant than it is thought of).

Like Dickens and other fine writers, Charlotte Jerace figures her readers want some depth to a story's characters, some battles with real life problems and, in the end, a pleasurable conclusion to the world's difficulties. Jerace delivers on all these points in her latest book, Kentucky Rain.

In many ways, the novel acts as a valentine to "family" and all that word conjures up for many readers. There are conflicts, sibling rivalries and infidelities. But the book places much more emphasis on forgiveness, reconciliations and good old fashion love -- in all its forms.

The story revolves around Sophia, a middle-aged woman whose personal history is cleverly and subtly revealed over the course of nearly 300 pages while the primary action of the novel -- a road trip with a cast of characters that seem straight from a Fellini film -- pushes forward with humor and a light touch from this talented writer. The characters truly seem to be created for the screen, with wonderful visual descriptions and short, snappy dialogue that is reminiscent of Neil Simon's early screenplays.

Jerace uses a wonderfully conceived storyline both to entertain the reader and to investigate a variety of issues, some modern while others are classical, life-contemplating stuff.

The book is really a nice read. One hopes that Ms. Jerace has chosen her novel's title as one in a series of Elvis-inspired sing-alongs.

With a light touch of humor this story touches wonderfully on real people facing some of the real truth about life, family and aging. A great read.

Charlotte Jerace has captured my heart with this touching story. Fantastic writing! Bravo!

This is a fast-reading, charming,touching story about family relationships. If you want to read something that has no violence, no intrigue, no mystery, etc., just a light and entertaining book, this is for you.

Having lived with the mystery, the absurdity, and even the hilarity of a family member with Alzheimers, I bear witness to the fact that Jerace got it right. The denial, anger, hurt, and sadness must play out as family members come to terms with this illness. A must-read for anyone with an aging parent, grandparent, or friend. Jerace writes with insight, intrigue, and humor - a winning combination!

I read this book after my mother died 16 years ago and I still recommend it when someone I know has lost a loved one. It really explains the grief process and lets you know that no matter how you feel and how you respond, you're not losing your mind. I found it very comforting. I also pulled it out and reread after having a miscarriage. This book is full of wisdom that will help with any loss. I highly recommend it!

Lead Me Home:: An African-American's Guide Through The Grief Journey

My husband of 46 years committed suicide 3 months ago. While reaching out to every resource available to me, I came across this book. After reading it, I went back through and highlighted it everywhere it hit the mark. It took two days. This is the most astoundingly helpful book I've seen and I've read a lot of them. I've also recommended it to my therapists as a wonderful source of wisdom, insight, and understanding for those who are dealing with all kinds of grief: death, divorce, job loss, giving birth and many other events. What a lot of helpful insights Dr. Bozarth offers! I recommend it unreservedly to all who are traveling down this road. God be with you. Elizabeth J. Riney, M.D.

At a time when I had lost 3 people that I loved very much over a period of only 6 months, I was not sure where to turn. Friends, family and co-workers said, "just take it one day at a time". Although this is a very true statement, understanding the emotions you are feeling and why can really, really help after a loss. This book doesn't just touch on death, it encompasses all losses from a job or divorce to the loss of a loved one. There are so many different things to consider and this book helps to drill down to your connect to the job or person and why the loss if effecting you in the way it is. I highly recommend this book, it does have a bit of a religious spin but not as a turn off, as a warm welcoming feeling that someone else understands.

This book has helped me so much during a very rough time in my life where I've split from my husband, lost my house that I dearly loved, and moved to a place that I hate. It helps you understand what you're going through, and it gives you things to do that can help. An amazingly good book!

I purchased this book after the sudden death of a friend. I was at a complete loss as to how to deal with it, and had never experienced this type of loss before. I was shaken.

I can't believe my good fortune to have this book. It taught me so much about the role Grief plays in our lives, as well as it's not just limited to the lose of a person or relationship. Grief can come in all forms from all things. I found it very comforting to discover this and it actually helped me to embrace grief as a natural precursor to healing.

This is definitely a great book to have around, and did give me some tremendous insights. I highly recommend this book for anyone having experience a loss or a feeling of loss that you can't seem to attach to anything. I really feel like this book was a sanity saver in a sense, as it helped me identify something I would have never recognized as 'grief-worthy.'

I would like to start by saying Snoogy Cat, you do not know what you are talking about. Reg Green is a man who dedicates his life to getting out the message of organ donation. He uses the media attention to spread the word of donating life. Almost weekly he goes to meetings and conferences (at his own expense) to try and convince people to do their part to save lives. This story is one of compassion, love, and breaking barriers. Reg Green is witty and intelligent, and does his job in convincing me to do whatever I need to do for this cause.

I think everyone remembers hearing about little Nicholas, only seven
years old, killed by highway robbers in Italy. His family donated his
organs and started a rash of others doing to in Europe and throughout
the world. This is his story as told by his father. The wonderful
effect of that act made me want to give the book a better review. The
father's attitude made me want to give it a worse one, so it's right
in the middle. Maybe I would feel differently had I not read this
book directly following John Walsh's book. Walsh seemed like an
ordinary man doing his best to cope with extraordinary circumstances.
Green seems like a man who's enjoying all of the attention. His
writing style isn't great either. He flitters around topics in a
disjointed manner and goes about his mind's own ethical ramblings far
to often.

Gist: An extraordinary boy meets an extraordinary fate, producing extraordinary effects: After Nicholas, a young traveller to Italy, is killed, his parents' gesture of donating his organs ignites the gratitude of the world. Hammock-time: Requires no more than a long week-end to absorb via your hammock or beach chair. The book is fast-paced and relatively slim compared to the encyclopaedic nature of some non-fiction works. Substance: When the tragedy happened, I wept. When I saw the film starring Jamie Lee Curtis, I wept. And I wept again when I read this book. I thought at first it was because I'm Italian-American, but so many non-Italians around the world have been touched by the Greens' story. I had begun to lose faith in this world, especially dismayed by the New Thought/New Age field, with their greedy, plagiarizing (long dead philosophers are robbed boldly) authors, some truly inane ones sanctioned by Oprah, with their ineffectual techniques -- unproductive affirmations, visualizations, rigidity of mind that everything must have a reason, etc. etc. Yet the Greens, even though the father, Reg Green, is most likely an agnostic, restore my faith, refresh my soul. Something beautiful upholds this world, deeper than the surface chaos and craziness, and superficial philosophies that seek to explain life. A subtle chiascuro effect underlines this book: of deep dark pain playing against light-filled love. Reg Green's sense of humor creates a delightful poignancy. I sense many readers like myself will re-read the book. It's difficult to analyze, but I left sensing stronger than ever that an afterlife truly does exist. My heart goes out to the Greens, and to my fellow spiritual seekers who need a book like this to understand and experience the concepts of love, attunement -- concepts freed from the manipulative twists by a good ole guru network of popular authors who claim to know such truths. Complementary book: Can You Drink The Cup? by the late Fr. Henri Nouwen, is Christian-oriented, but it so lyrically and sensitively explores the universal experiences of love and grief, I enjoyed reading it, as what I'd term a sort of Seekers' Survival Guide, concurrently with the Green book.

As a liver transplant recepient almost four years ago, I had heard of the Nicholas effect. Shortly before reading this book, I discovered through a letter from my donor family that my donor had been inspired to sign his donor card based on Nicholas Green. This book is a stunning and true story of a boy's life, a family's grief and the heroic decision to make a difference to many others whom they did not know. Nicholas Green is still making a difference today becuase his story continues to ripple outward as when a pebble is dropped into a pond. I URGE you to read this book for yourself and prepared to be touched.

There is a verse in the bible which reads "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil by doing good." Reg and Maggie Green have embraced this creed wholeheartedly. When their beautiful son was senselessly murdered in late 1994, instead of sinking into the depths of grief, they proved how well he had taught them about the power of love during his brief time on earth by using his example to save millions of lives around the world. If such a tragic thing were to happen to me, I hope that my actions would be identical to theirs. I thank Reg and Maggie for sharing little Nicholas with the world and I am sure he would be very proud of them (as we all are). Through their unselfish and life affirming actions, they have proven yet again that the power of good will never be overcome by the power of evil.

Excellent book.Allowed myself to change my position on Let it go and let God. The main point in this book is to acept that our love ones are sick and that they can't make decision on their own. We need to help them in the wright way.

Well the book was excellent. Ourwhole family is reading it. The only problem I had is that I paid extra for two day shipping on a Monday and the book was not received until Friday (late afternoon).

This is a great book that tells it like it is about a terrible disease and the people affected by it. More help and information here that in any Al-anon literature I have ever read.

I only wish that I'd found this book years ago as I started the journey of addiction with a family member. This book was my turning point. Clear, concise. I finally GOT alcoholism. It sank in and I thank this author from the depths of my heart for putting wisdom to pen to paper.

I bought this book based on the reviews and the description on the website. I have to say I am somewhat disappointed. She initially talks about how the idea of detachment, loved one's detaching themselves from the addict and living their own lives, is incredibly difficult if not impossible to achieve. I am in total agreement with her there. However, she then kept referring to this idea and after a while I got the feeling she was trying to prove something, but I'm not sure to whom. As a reader I felt that I had purchased her book, I was willing to be open to her ideas, so why beat the same drum over and over again? Was she writing for the wider audience of, perhaps, other addiction specialists out there? Anyway, it went on for too long.

The other criticism I have is that her discussion of an intervention supposes that we all have large families and a wide network of friends to draw from in staging one. I find this view a bit limited and naive. From my own experience, I can say that my husband comes from a family of substance abusers(not ideal candidates for an intervention)and that his network of friends includes, guess who?, a wide network of users. So, the book did not give me the answers I was looking for. I will have to search elsewhere. She alludes to working with a professional if you can't build up a large team, but I think she could have put a little more into this alternative.

That said, I do think this book is worth reading. Her descriptions of interventions are good and offer hope to those of us struggling against the disease of alcoholism/addiction.

Keep strength.

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.

The Paradigm Conspiracy is a "Bible"-type systemic 12-step philosophical analytical meditation which I hate to go anywhere without, and can open to any page to receive daily inspiration and hope. This is a thorough open disclosure of the violence of systemic abuse, and without leaving us in the despair of broken dreams, throws light into the tunnel of darkness by outlining the steps that WE, as groups, community-poli-social systems can take to heal[without controlling the outcome],dialoguing new paradigms and meta-paradigms for healthy societies. Assumptions, strategies, responses, and goals, all brilliantly graphed as well as spiralled in the tradition of our ancestral North American and Middle Eastern spiritual masters, esp. Rumi. Appreciating your wonderful truth, Denise and Christopher!

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- :)

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 the basic text of the Al-Anon program, and in it you will a new freedom and a new happiness in your life. If you were raised in a home affected by alcoholism, or in a home affected by depression or co-dependency, where you were unable to form healthy boundries, then this book will help you So Much.

I love what someone said in it when they commented on the 2nd Step "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." Someone wrote, "Restore me to sanity? How about introduce me to it!" The book is filled with other such gems. Get it today...

Michael Z, author of The Wisdom of the Rooms "A Year of Weekly Reflections"

I have been working as a model for 6 years. My life is extremely pressured, I am always trying to perfect my work, my body and my children seem to never accomplish the way I would. When I saw Dr. Ciaramicoli on Good Morning America, I could not believe the story told by one of his clients. She could be my sister. I got the book last night and read it through till 2am. This book is my savior, a guide to change relentless demands I place on myself and those close to me. I never realized why I have such difficulty parenting and loving. The Chapters on Image Love and Performance Addiction and Parenting make so much sense. I wish I had read this book earlier but hopefully it is not too late for me to change the course of my life. I know I drive people close to me crazy, now at least a have a map to help me to relate better and work with less intensity.

Dr Ciaramicoli speaks with clarity and compassion and makes the 'syndrome' very understandable. Using the subjects in his practice as examples, I could easily identify with aspects of their driven nature. He makes a strong statement about why we feel compelled to maintain this compulsive lifestyle. Still, it was written not to sound like some dreaded character flaw but a general trend in our society that is creeping into the fabric of our cultural belief system. He offers us hope and insight into how we can better slow down and enjoy our lives and ourselves.

For a long time now I have been looking for a way to balance my life. With the constant demands I place on myself to have more, be more and to be perfct I thought I would burst. I have felt this way pretty much all my life, but have never been able to pinpoint the reason. I saw Dr. Ciaramicoli on Good Morning America and everything became clear. I ordered the book and really felt it put my life in perspective. I sincerely thank Dr. Ciaramicoli for helping me to finally live my life with balance.

Thias book speaks to people who rely on achievements to make them feel good and explains why they experience anxiety. It comes down to a poor sense of "self." I have read a lot of this information in other books, but I believe the author makes his points clearly and adds value on this topic.

This book is very helpful, and many chapters are exceptional, particularly Image Love and Relationships, Exceptional Mediocrity, Meaning and Joy, and Balancing Work and Life. The way each chapter is introduced, the use of specific human examples, the questions provided to enable the reader to explore the depth of his or her own problem, and the suggestions offered for conquering performance addiction are superb. The realistic tools provided at the end of the book to enable the reader to assess progress in conquering this addiction are most useful.