United States Books

Exploring Akiane's young life through her incredible talents is a breath
of fresh air flowing into my eyes, mind and heart. I enjoy this book over-
and-over, each time I pick it up! It makes a wonderful gift for all ages!

Akiane is truly a girl that demonstrates God's miracle of life & love. I read the book in one afternoon as I couldn't put it down. This is an amazing real life story that leaves you wanting to know more about how you yourself can get closer to God our creator and experience what he has in store for you! The illustrations of Akiane's artwork in the book are gorgeous as well as the written pieces that accompany them. I have purchased this book several times and have given it as gifts to those who need some inspiration in their life.

This book is a great gift for anyone.
It's beautiful poetry, art, and amazing story will inspire anyone.
I have seen her interviews and her work is intriguing and her attitude is beautiful.
The book is a must have!

Very inspirational and faith building book. Akiane has not chosen this path, she's only following where God leads her. There are always going to be nay sayers about anything, specially in this world of instant information. I choose to believe that she is what she says she is, and does what she says she does, because with God anything is possible.

The first time I saw this book, I was on a cross country plane ride and had the fortunate experience of sitting next to a kindred soul. She shared this book with me to pass the time. And the time passed quickly. After looking at the paintings of this young artist, Akiane, I had a kink in my neck because I couldn't turn away. But it was worth it. I ordered the book immediately and have enjoyed sharing it with my daughters and displaying it on our coffee table.

Akiane is an artist and a poet and an inspiration. She believes she's been touched by God, and one look at her work will make you a believer as well.

Michele Cozzens, Author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I'd Said.

This memoir is not just Barbara's, but is the story of everyone who has grown up in an alcoholic family. I could empathise with her trials, fears, anger and perceptions, and would often find myself nodding subconsciously as I read along. I felt I knew her well. Thank you so much for courageously sharing your story.

I could not put this book down! I got so caught up in this memoir, I couldn't wait to finish it. Then, when it was done I wished I hadn't read it in 4 days! It is filled with gut wrenching stories, sometimes so incredible it seems they can't be real. The part that takes place at Christmas was especially moving to me.

I can't recommend this book highly enough.

a heart-wrenching true memoir that is almost unbelievable to imagine. how children can cope with the harshest

abuse,emotionally and physically, with a mother standing by silently shows what resilience the human spirit can endure. looking forward to the sequel"fierce"

I didn't know much about about this part of the United States..I have been reading more memoirs set there since I read this book.

Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter is a powerful and poignant story of impoverished life as experienced by Barbara Moss.

Surrounded by poverty, alcoholism, abuse, malnutrition and facial deformities, Moss could easily have allowed herself to be trapped in that negative world. Instead, through determination and the kindness of a few strangers along the way, she rose above adversity and has been able to escape the clutches of childhood demons.

In 1996, Moss won the Gold Medal for Personal Essay in the William Faulkner Creative Writing Contest. Her winning essay became the first chapter of Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter. Her life, her determination, and her writing acheivements serve as an inspiration to the aspiring writer in me.

When I first read this book, I was working through the emotional impact of having undergone facial surgery to remove a malignant melanoma and recreate a nose. At the time of that first reading, I was more tuned into the parts of Moss's story which dealt so poignantly with the emotional effects of her deformed face and people's unkind reactions to that deformity. Her drive to find a way to resolve the situation was nothing less than admirable. Now that I am a few years beyond my surgery and have re-read her story, I find her desire to become Zeus's daughter (the goddess of beauty) pales in comparison to the beautiful person who writes this remarkable story.

With grace and insight, Moss takes us back in time to a place where life seemed to surely be waging war against her. In what she calls an effort to heal wounds and reclaim her family, she writes of both the challenges and the triumphs of childhood, adolesence and adulthood. Throughout the story, Moss interjects memories of a humorous nature - proving that even in the most desparate of situations, it is possible to find joy.

In what can only be described as a "wise beyond her years" approach, the ninth grade Moss wrote a list of eight things she wanted to do to improve herself. At the top of the list were "1. Remove moles on face, 2. Get braces on teeth, 3. Fix face." It is incredible that one so young would seize such determination and not let go until she had accomplished these seemingly insurmountable goals. Shortly after writing these goals, she began to act upon them. Her book reveals the ways she accomplished them. With remarkable insight, Moss writes about how each achieved goal created both negative and positive issues for her.

Moss's writing talent is evident in this deeply personal and moving story. Her gift to her readers is the lesson of redemption and grace in the midst of life's biggest hurdles.

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

From story board to stunning completed product, an overview of Mr.Ross' DC comics work, focusing particularly on the big three; Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman, with loving attention to the rest of the JLA as well.

Lots of beautiful 'work in progress to completion' pictures and even a few that never got to see the go light of editors.
Inspirational for the new painter or seasoned storybook artist - makes quite the case for gouache!

Please note! this is NOT an 'origins' book or even a story, this is meant to specifically address the artwork itself and the processes by which it is done.

By the by, many a comic book irritates me no end with its sexist imagery -this book is a rare exception in supehero comics.
None of the women are bimboes and the men are, dare I say, as beautiful as the ladies.

For my part, the explanations of the new Kingdom Come versions of the classic DC cast were the finest aspect of this book.
If you're at all a fan of Alex Ross' incredible way with a brush, you must own this, if only for the most drool worthy versions of beloved heroes.

If you love the classic DC pantheon, you need this book, 'nuff said!

Mythology collects the stellar art work of Alex Ross showcasing the worlds finest images of the major DC characters such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. This book highlights key points of the characters beginnings and evolutions with clear and informative writing. Gorgeously illustrated by Alex Ross coupled with wonderfully laid out design work the reader will find it quite difficult to put down this handsome book.Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross

An amazingly illustrated montage of Ross's work. A beautiful book for fans of comic book art and art in general.

AMAZING. Totally worth buying. If you like Alex Ross, you will not regret this purchase. The book includes Ross' comments on inspiration, collaborations, thoughts, insights, and much more. Truly inspiring.

It's a great work, detailing all the work of Alex Ross in DC Comics. In this book, we get the notions of how he figures out the characters, their concepts and ideologies, etc. Moreover, with this book we can see how the Art is transported from the artist's mind to the paper.
There's just one book better than this one: it's hardcover version, much more beautiful.

I read this book in my teens and LOVED it then. I thought of it often in the years that followed. This book can renew your love for the whole human race. It is heart-warming in the best sense of the word. The conversational tone makes it a quick read, but you will want to read it again and again.
It tells the true story of a couple who are unable to conceive and set about to adopt children. The standard policy of the time (1940's - 1950's) was to place children in homes with parents of the same race. When the couple learns of this policy, they are surprised and vehemently object, promising the adoption agencies that the race of the child would make no difference to them. In time, they break down the objections of the agencies and nurture a growing family of children of many races and backgrounds - - providing a lesson in love and equality to the people around them.

My mom read this book when she was young, and it inspired her to later have 15 children (9 of them adopted, from different races/cultural backgrounds). This book is so warm, heartfelt and inspiring (especially when you consider the decade in which it was written). The author is a great story-teller, using her family's up's/down's, sad moments, comedic moments for the basis of her story. I only wish that the "preface"/family update (new to this edition) was longer and more specific.... However, after years of being out of print, I am so happy to see that it is being published again. A must read!!!

I read this book in junior high and fell in love with the idea of a family created from so many orphaned children. At the time I read it I decided that even if I did have biological children I'd try and convince my husband to adopt at least one child. As fate would have it, I haven't ever gotten married but three and a half years ago I adopted a beautiful baby girl from Russia. This book was the real beginning of that journey for me. What a blessing!

This book was received in excellent condition as it was listed on Amazon. Also, the book was received in a quick manor. Thanks!

I was VERY disappointed and, at first, pretty confused when I discovered the haphazard way this edition of the book is put together. Less than one quarter into the book, approximately 20 pages come up missing. Upon searching for them, I found other pages printed twice (some 20 pages), but the missing pages were NOT there. It was early into the story, and I was disappointed not to be able to get the whole story on such an admirable, loving, Christian family. The binding is new; pages were NOT torn out. It was actually bound this way!

A very readable & enjoyable book. I especially enjoyed the chapter on autism & the origin of language. Fritjof Capra's book "Hidden Connections" referenced this informative & amusing text including the link between brain function involved with hand gesture, signing, & tongue movements that unexpectedly led to the promotion the uptake of speech in autistic.
There are many insights into the shared psychology of humans & other primates. Despite the physiological and genetic similarities of all primates that have made chimps attractive model organisms for research,it was interesting to read about the reluctance of biological scientists to accept the anthropomorphic traits of chimps. There can be little room for a claim to "value-free" objectivity by biomedical researchers who can apparently dismiss the psychological effects of enforced confinement & sensory deprivation, on the effectiveness of anti-viral medications, or a range of other pharmaceuticals. The author has shown considerable bravery & commitment to expanding this area of learning, despite the threats against his personal career by people with vested interests in ignoring or denying the contradictions to their implicit or explicit values.

A must-read for any animal lover. Roger Fouts and the recently deceased chimpanzee Washoe are my heroes.

At age 62, I still look for writers who will change and deepen my sense of our human nature and our place in the natural world. More than writers about religion per se, I think these writers are able to help us advance our moral and spiritual understanding and reconcile our human/animal natures. For some years I've been reading Goodall and others on primates, but Next of Kin was, for me, a pinnacle illumination. Even if you aren't interested in these types of questions, I think this book will move you deeply. If you ARE interested, may I also suggest the recent Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets.Take Me With You When You Go

Although this book was written some time ago, it is exceptionally timely because the relevance of chimp behavior to our own continues to unfold. The devotion the author invests in his charges and the passion he feels about the atrocities visited on chimps both in the laboratory and in the wild drive his story. This abuse is reinforced by the backward and ignorant thinking that stems from bible thumpers who fear the truth about evolution and man's close relationship to apes. Roger Fouts and his wife have provided an invaluable service to our understanding of chimps, and their research related to sign language is truly stunning. They have succeeded in accomplishing their observation and reporting against considerable odds. All these aspects, and the Fouts' fully rounded examination of their subjects make for a gripping and emotional tale well told.

"Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees" is one of the most amazing, heartbreaking, and inspirational books I've ever read. The book is written by Roger Fouts, a primatologist who devoted his life to studying the language patterns of chimpanzees. While in graduate school, Roger was introduced to Washoe, a precocious young chimp who became fluent in American Sign Language. Eventually "Project Washoe" expanded to include many chimpanzees, all who learned to communicate with humans using ASL and demonstrated unique personalities, complex emotions, and astounding intelligence.

I've always been a big animal lover, but reading this book taught me so many things that I never knew before. Anyone who questions an animal's ability to think or feel will get a sharp reality check after reading this book. Chimpanzees are people, too, just as much as human beings are. Unfortunately, the majority if humans in this world don't agree with that logic, and thousands of animals, including chimpanzees, are routinely kidnapped from their natural habitats and bred in captivity for the sole purpose of participating in biomedical research. In many cases, medical laboratories house animals in appalling conditions and literally torture them to death. "Next of Kin" details the horrors that go on behind closed doors at biomedical laboratories, and chronicles the steps Fouts and other animal activists have taken to protect chimpanzees from being treated inhumanely.

I absolutely loved this book. Reading it made me feel close to Washoe and her chimpanzee friends, even though I never met any of them before. (Sadly, Washoe passed away last fall at the age of 42, but I hope to visit members of her family at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute in Washington someday.) Parts of this book are incredibly depressing and difficult to read, but hopefully learning about the terrible ways animals are treated will inspire people to take action. I admire everything that Fouts, his family, and his colleagues have done to protect chimpanzees, who are our next of kin on the great evolutionary scale. I hope other readers get as much out of this book as I did.

Rich's life was like my life, and finding someone who was like me, a ragamuffin, was an indescribable comfort on a lonely path from helpless addiction to freedom. Note: I am still on that path today. One day I will be able to thank Rich in person for what a gift his life was to so many of us. This book is a testament to that life. It is a treasure.

Being a long time Rich Mullins fan, I wanted anything and everything Rich Mullins I could get my hands on. This book, "An Arrow", by James Bryan Smith, gave me a whole side of Rich Mullins I never knew. But even more importantly than the man himself, this book points to a deeper walk with Jesus, and the struggles involved in obtaining that walk. This book is so inspirational. I've read it twice, and am now reading it a third time. I bought an extra copy to give away.

I was not able to put down the book until I finished it.

The reading I'd done on Rich Mullins previously taught me that he was an incredible person, but the book confirmed his devotion to Jesus Christ as well as his struggles to live faithfully. I was encouraged, amused, saddened, yet most of all inspired to keep contending for the faith.

The author's friendship with Rich Mullins came through - I only wish that it went into more detail and told me more.

I loaned the book to a friend, also a fan of Rich Mullins, and she said that it encouraged her greatly.

i highly recommend it to anyone whether your a fan of rich mullins music or just a christian who longs to have a deeper walk with God. Great book, inspiring, not shallow, deep, thought provoking, convicting. trust me if you ever buy a book buy this one. . you wont regret it.

The Book Arrow Pointing to Heaven is the most inspiring book I have ever read. I could not help but write "Amen," "Praise the Lord," "I need to read this again" or some other comment in the margins as I read the book. Having known Rich Mullins briefly early in his musical career, I knew he was someone different, someone closer to God than I could imagine, yet I had no idea just how close to the Awesome God he really was. This book, so well written by Smith, is a must for anyone that believes in God. It will take you to really knowing God in much the same way as Rich Mullins knew HIM - intimately. Perfect gift for graduation presents. I have given several with notes made in the margins of the gift books. Thank you for having such an all-inspiring-book! It is a MUST for persons seeking a better relationship with God.

"Am I doing the right thing?" Every adult child of a family member requiring eldercare asks this question. The Complete Eldercare Planner will help today's busy caregivers with medical, financial, and personal issues by condensing hours of research into a concrete plan of action. In one volume, readers will learn about emergency preparedness; how to tell when your elder needs help; talking about sensitive subjects; sharing the care; long-distance assistance; money and legal matters; health and wellness; insurance; housing; safety; transportation; maintaining quality of life; aging with a disability; death and dying; and more.

This carefully designed guide also presents material in an unusually accessible way, with dozens of checklists, step-by-step mini-planning guides, lists of low-cost/free resources, website index, questions to ask with places to write down answers, spaces to record elder's vital medial, financial, and personal information, and more.

This book is full of clear, common-sense talk, just the thing I needed when I bought it. Dealing with an aging parent can be tricky in the best of circumstances, and at worst can threaten the whole family structure. The level-headed advice in this book can help to keep things on track, and can help family members to develop the best plan for dealing with their particular situation, as it did with us.

I did a "speed-read" of the book in the 24 hours before a family conference. I did note a fair amount of repetition of ideas in the book, but that is not necessarily a bad thing: if you're reading just the chapters that seem most relevant, then that's where those ideas need to be mentioned. One bonus: reading the book made it clear to me that I need to be doing some elder planning for myself, and with my own children, to make things easier for them later.

For those who have been, or will be, managing the health and financial welfare of your elderly parents, this book provides very helpful and detailed guidelines on how to do this with tact and compassion, as well as providing numerous resources. I ordered copies for all of my siblings. Best resource I found on the subject.

7-22-05 -- Recently I found myself along with 3 other siblings and spouses thrust into new uncharted waters in a totally new season of our lives. Suddenly and without any training we were and continue to this day having to take care of my aging parents. I for one will freely admit that as a child I was never trained, prepared, nor exceptionally gifted to undertake such a task. It is just not the type of thing that you can ever really get to a line and say ready...set...go...and do it very well. Elderly health care in 2005 does not always afford us the luxury of any long preparation either emotionally or financially.

Suddenly unmercifully and usually without warning you hear over the phone in the midst of a busy American routine those words you dread. It's Cancer, a stroke, or replacement surgery, just minor or major operations which means weeks of homecare and hospitalization's, etc., You are suddenly no longer swinging a few bats warming up in the on deck circle there in safety at a bit of distance. But you find yourself thrust into the batters box. You are no longer the stand by just in case fill in player who dressed for the game just in case you would or might be needed. But suddenly with a phone call, you find yourself thrust without any prior warning into the batters box. You are to take charge with 3 others voices and votes, your parents primary healthcare.

Now, if you call a frantic call for "HELP" in the middle of the night when just the week before things were okay a warning, well then, you're doing better than we were. You find yourself suddenly up at the plate with bases loaded, two outs, bottom of the ninth your teams behind 3 runs. To top it off you're facing a 94mph fastball pitcher who also throws a mean slider called the reality of life. You have never been good at hitting these kinds of pitches. Much less being the homerun hitter the team needs at this moment and are all looking to you now for. Then you hear through your wife there is a book available on just such a thing. It allows you to calmly and logically check out all of your options. It tells you in simple language just how you go about walking through this difficult mine field you've been thrust into without training or any real prior warning. It tells you how to do this without losing your mind, your family unity, and most of all your parents dignity.

I found myself literally reading the pages of Joy's, "Elder Care" wonderful "How TO" book on the plane going headed to Florida. I was then going there for my Dad's 80th B-day party as well as a visit to help out for 10 days at my elderly parents. Little did I know then, that I would see those 10 days turn suddenly into 46 long and hectic days I ended up spending there. Little did I realize as I paged through this how to book on Elderly Care that it would be like a daily Bible to me. I was literally reading a chapter ahead of the events as they unfolded in the next days. It was giving me the answers to question I had not yet asked, but found myself doing so in the next days to follow.

As a former Eagle Scout, USMC SGT., Police Officer, Business owner, 20 years as a Lay Minister and being Happily Married to the same woman for over 26 years now, I'd received lots and lots of great training. Even you will have to admit that this background covers a lot of diversified and really good training. But nothing, absolutely nothing, but my Faith prepared me emotionally, physically, or all of us financially for the events that would suddenly and totally unwelcomed show up in the middle of the night. They just seem to attack you without ceasing on these issues when it's "Your Mom or Dad."

Thank you Joy, for the time it must have taken you and the wealth of information this book contains. I personally know that it was truly a Godsend at a time of crisis in our lives. It still today continues to guide us along these slippery slopes. But because of this well timed work of Mercy and Grace, we have maintained as a family, and continued to allow my parents their Dignity and somewhat their independence. I believe this book will help answer the question of the heart on elderly care and give you practical and timely information to steer you to through the minefields of elderly care life. You should have a copy on the shelf in your own homes and be reading it now, if your parents are near or reaching retirement age.

We waited and it caught us totally by surprise. But it didn't catch Joy by surprise...I personally believe that she was obedient to the Spirit of God to produce this work for a time such as this. Our generation will Thank Her one day I believe for her unselfish actions in writing this Elder Care "How To Bible" for the uniformed. The Word of God says that "...my people perish for a lack of knowledge..." I believe that this book is full of knowledge that will help us all in our moments of crisis and bring life and health to all who read it.

Thanks for listening to my lengthy review and a very special Thanks to You Joy. You just keep on writing Joy and we will keep getting filled with the great knowledge we all need and can practically use for our loved ones. God Bless you and again... Thank you from our families hearts to yours.

God Bless You,
David D. Spaulding

My mother in law needs so much care and we had no clue on what to do. We bought this book and we bought the 36-Hour day. We are completely sure now that we are making the right choices because of the tips in both of these books. I recommmend this book highly.

Tommy Tomorrow is a genious! His comics do an amazing job of summarizing just what's wrong in politics, while making the situations incredibly humorous at the same time. Very highly recommended.

Ruled by incompetent right-wingers for the last 8 years, liberals like me need an injection of humor. Here we get it, with sharp sarcasm from Sparky the Penguin. Funniest part is when Sparky, the leftist Bush critic, get hits by a toilet and becomes a Republican for about 50 pages. I highly recommend this book to anyone depressed by the current state of America and needing a good laugh. Thank you, Tom Tomorrow!

Tom Tomorrow has done a fantastic job of putting humor into a political situation that one would think impossible to find humor in. "Hell in a Handbasket" is a further example of Mr. Tomorrow's ability to mix biting political satire with the funny bone. He can cut through much of the non-sense that is allowed to float around out there and make that hypocrisy painfully evident. God, I hope he gets some joy out of his own writing and cartooning, because I would very much hate for him to disappear from the shelves. Buy this book if you are leftie, just to keep the insanity away. Buy this book if you are a winger, just to cure yourself of the insanity.

This book is a must read for all the Limbaugh-listening, neocon, Bush-backers out there! Every page is filled with poignant scenes of the Bush administration. The real humor lies in the irony involved--the jokes are so "tragically true" that they make you snicker, rather than laugh. My fellow Bush-BASHERS will agree...the book is a capsulized summary of the darkest period in American politics. Hope you learned your lesson--next time, vote for Democrats!

Let's face it: outside of wealthy oilmen and Halliburton stockholders, there haven't been that many people who've benefited from the Bush years (which, as of this writing, continues to be at its nadir of popularity). Of course, one other group that has benefited are political cartoonists, who should be grateful to Bush and company for providing so much material. There are few better at working with this material than Tom Tomorrow in his comic strip, This Modern World.
Hell in a Handbasket is the title of a collection of his strips from late2002 into 2005, a period when Bush was still doing okay, but the strips point out the signs of rot that would soon become evident to others: the distortions necessary to get us into the war in Iraq, the incompetence once the invasion took place, the advocacy of torture and the branding of any dissenters as sympathizers with the enemy. (As you might guess, I'm not much of a Bush fan.)

Democrats and the political left, however, do not get off lightly either, as Tomorrow appropriately takes them to task for their willingness to accept the lies and corruption and not put up any sort of real resistance to the run up to the war. All of this is done with a sharp humor and an interesting, rather static style of art with characters that often look like they're out of some 1950's educational film.

Obviously, if you lean to the right, you probably have a different view of Tomorrow, and probably consider him (and me) as folks who hate the troops, support terrorism and want America to fall. Of course, that isn't the case, and in fact, Tomorrow actually embraces the virtues of the country and calls to task those who damage it. This Modern World is really a patriotic lament for the U.S. that has been going, well, to Hell in a handbasket.

We were really enlightened by the book, The House that Love Built. We kept expecting some information to appear in the Habitat for Humanity newsletters, but as you know, nothing ever appeared. Reading the book was very informative, but it really made us sick to our stomach for what they did to you and Linda. I must say you and Linda did not let it destroy you. You all most certainly have the Lord backing you to overcome this tragedy and accomplish what you have done.

Curtis and Jean Wilkinson
New Mexico

This is the story of an incredible couple. If it was fiction you would say, "ah, this is unbelievable." Since it's real life, you say to yourself, "how is it possible?" One incredible event after the other. I'm sure when people heard their story in person, they would say, "you should write a book about this." Well, here it is. I noticed as life happened to them, each time they turned within. Their faith is so powerful that it made me take a good look at mine and do some upgrading. If they could accomplish great works like this, then so can I. I now think bigger. I now trust more. I recently was honored with an award after seeing the list, pages of them, of awards that Millard and Linda have received. I know the secret of awards, they inspire you to do greater things. May you read this book and be moved, inspired and become such a gift to the world that you two shall be awarded.
Ursula Lentine

What a tender love story between Millard and Linda! I looked up their two websites and enjoyed the great photo galleries and wonderful articles about new projects. The Fullers have made such a difference in the world for so many years. Their energy astounds me. Bettie did a superb job of telling their story and making it intriguing. Now, I truly understand the greedy mentality of the people who ousted Millard from his position at the Habitat for Humanity. What shysters! Sounds like Millard and Linda are much better off doing their own thing and having more control. All's well that ends well.

"The House that Love Built" is a testament to what God can do through open and willing minds and hearts. Bettie B. Youngs takes Millard and Linda Fuller from their childhood years through college and huge financial success to a crisis that led eventually to a radical new way of living.

In 1968 the Fullers, working closely with Clarence Jordan, co-founder of the Christian community Koinonia outside Americus, GA, laid the foundations for what would become Habitat for Humanity. The world-wide success of Habitat for Humanity under the Fullers' leadership is legendary, but in 2005 the Fullers were fired by the Board of Habitat for Humanity International, who wanted the organization to look more like big business than a Christian ministry. Youngs is able to relate the facts behind this shameful ouster without bitterness or recrimination--and to tell of the Fullers' faithfulness to God's call to eliminate poverty housing throug the newly organized Fuller Center for Housing. An inspiring story of faith at work and of the power of God to transform lives.

Sweet story of the founders of Habitat for Humanity. I loved how he learned so much in business and was able to walk away from it all to become greater than the norm. They have drive and I'm happy they pulled so many behind to make the world better for everyone. More of this!

If you work with or study psychopaths you are familiar with the term Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD). There are not a whole lot of biographies written from the perspective of what it is like to grow up in a household with Anti-Social Personality Disorder parents. Gary Gilmore (author's brother) was ASPD, but the Mom & Dad are just as much a piece of work as their crazed killer son. This is one of the finest autobiographies about what it is like to grow up in a family of Psychopaths.

The book covers the little things and everything about the day to day life with a nuclear family headed by people who fit the bill as Psychopaths. It's chilling. Gary ends up to be a crazed killer but the other sibling appears to have adjusted without the disorder. You wonder if what we are reading portrays a congenital mental disorder or an acquired one. And if the disorder is acquired, why did Gary get it and not the other sibling?

ASPD at the levels portrayed here mean that the patient will typically be unable to maintain housing, a job, a relationship, their health, stay out of institutions (prison or nuthouse), stay sober, have a pet, maintain a vehicle, raise a child, or not drift from city to city. People this disordered typically die prematurely from Trauma (in this case execution by firing squad), neglected health, or substance abuse. They just don't make it - the disorder is deadly at this level.

This story is harrowing and is a great read if the reader is heading for a career in social services, prisons, mental health or law enforcement. When you read how these people treat their kids you can imagine what they can do to a stranger.

It's a big call, but Mikal Gilmore's heart wrenching memoir of his family has to be one of the most moving reading experiences I have ever encountered. To tell you the truth, I found this book in a second hand store here in Melbourne, Australia without a cover! I could not put this down as Mikal's words just ripped me to pieces. It drowns in sadness and despair at times, but there is a flicker of hope and redemption in it's conclusion.
Amazing stuff.

This is an extraordinary book. Gives tremendous insite in to why some crimals lead the path they do. Phenominal read.

An incredible book. Raw. Brutal. Honest. Heart-wrenching. Profound. A well-written and amazingly conveyed story of a families personal tragedies that ended up affecting the world.

Mikhal Gilmore is a stellar writer.
His understanding of his family life, and of the Mormon influence in the laws of Utah, gives credence to the saying "violence begets violence".
The sad legacy of his brother Gary still haunts me to this day and I read this book years ago. I recently reread parts of it and I continue to be impressed with Mikal's introspection and ability to find hope from such a tragic life.