Relationships Books

Fabulous! It's the best book I've read on how to design the life and career you want! It helps you to understand the importance macro and micro skills play in achieving your goals. Dreamcrafting: The Art of Dreaming Big, the Science of Making It Happen

Dream Crafting is a well written guide which supports the notion that each of us has great potential. It delivers a step by step approach which one can apply to manifest dreams. This practical method promotes alignment of goals and visions which can lead to great accomplishment. I throughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to those seeking to actualize their true potential.

Unlike many other books in this genre, I found Dreamcrafting an easy read; great humor, great advice, great logic, and great directions. There is a lot of truth in this book, I think everyone will recognize how simple acheiving their dreams can be--after reading Dreamcrafting, it's only a matter of "DOING". This book is PRACTICAL, INSPIRATIONAL, and easily RECOGNIZABLE. It is PRACTICAL in the sense that there are only 5 macroskills the reader must keep in mind. It is INSPIRATIONAL because, not only have the authors acheived their dreams, but they show how historical figures used these skills to acheive theirs. And finally it is RECOGNIZABLE in the sense that every reader can, and will, either recognize the things that are holding him back from acheiving, or the things that he is already doing right.

Many people go through life with big dreams, but can't seem to get there. Others may have acheived their dreams using these macroskills without ever knowing it, but over time they change, or acheive that one dream and forget how to aspire. This book offers practical advice on how to break habits that are killing your dream, and then how to build new ones that will bring you to where you want to be.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has a dream. This book has helped me to see how I acheived in the past, and how I can continue to acheive in the future.

This book works. It is a down to earth guide that has already had an impact on me. I followed the process and found an answer I've always had trouble with...how to fit my dream of starting a business into all the responsibilities I have as the mother of two boys.
What's practical about Dreamcrafting is that being busy is taken into account. Giving gifts to my future self, time relaease motivators, being my own nay sayer...just a few of the really great suggestions. Living with one foot in tomorrow makes so much sense. After reading the book, I realized that I was being hooked to yesterday (fear).
I'm referring this book to friends and by writing this review (a first for me) I guess I'm recommending it to you. Dreamcrafting is easy to read but more importantly really practical and exciting to implement. I've transformed what was a cloudy fantasy into a well defined dream that's on its way to becoming a reality. I'm feeling better about day to day commitments because I've let go of many things that weren't really necessary. And like the book promised, I'm starting to grow by letting go.
Once my dream was focused, the proposed next steps just fell into place. So far so good.

I seldom write reviews, but in the case of 'Dreamcrafting' I'm compelled to make an exception. Over the past few years, I've read them all, the classics and the also rans. Without doubt this is a contender for first place in the success-self/help literature stakes. Why? Because the process is demystified, clarified and amplified with NO HYPE AND NO BULL!

At the heart of the book is an explanation of how attitudes towards making dreams come true are conditioned by a severely pessimistic society/culture - how expectations really do influence outcomes. There's also a discussion on how to maintain motivation over the long haul and gaining support from others.

If you're serious about living with passion, this book is not just a must read, it's an essential toolkit. It will show you that whatever your dream, the realisation of the dream is down to developing skillpower, not willpower. An intelligent and perceptive take on the subject and destined to become a classic.

Very good book for anyone who is faced with the heartbreaking decline of a beloved (or not so easy to love) parent. From the first chapter entitled "You are not alone" followed by when to know when your parent needs help and practical information as to where do I go from here. Includes multiple references for geriatric social workers and elder law attorneys.
I found this book both supportive and useful.

This highly detailed and easily read volume seems to cover every consideration and situation that could arise in caring for an elderly person. The emphasis is on in-home maintenance of the elderly, specifically parents, although one chapter is devoted to selecting and monitoring a nursing home. The book gives the impression of being able to prepare the reader for any situation and to help him cope with whatever comes up.

The point is made throughout that caregivers need to avail themselves of the many resources that exist to help them with information and hands-on help. The idea that taking on the responsibility for an ailing or aging parent means that the caregiving offspring do everything by themselves, while simultaneously continuing to meet the demands of their own lives and families, is shown to be destructive to the caregiver as well as in many instances impractical.

One element in successful eldercare is keeping up with exactly what is happening with the elderly person and how to cope with the problems it may present. Thorough documentation of everything is stressed, such as physical conditions and medications, prescriptions, diet, etc. Forms are presented to simplify this, along with checklists of things to do in various situations.

A liberal inclusion of anecdotes from caregivers around the U.S. reveals the many difficulties and rewards experienced by those engaged in looking after their elders. Web sites and addresses are given for various agencies, as well as the authors of the book.

This book ia all you need to know about eldercare and elder caregiver responsibilities and options before, during and after any sort of institutional or home care considerations. The personal insights given by people from around the country was also very helpful and informative. Eldercare 911 is required reading if you're considering or are actually in an eldercare mode.

There were many anecdotes in the book that sounded like they were taken from my own personal experience. It was comforting to know that there are others with similar issues. I came away with many new ideas to try and make my situation more tolerable. I would recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves in a comparable situation.

As a health care professional in the field of aging for the past 17 years, I found "Eldercare 911" to be concise, clear and most of all, realistic about the area of caring for an aging parent or relative. I believe the authors have an excellent sense of what really goes on between adult children and their parents--the good and the bad. They are also not afraid to tackle the area of resistance--what should you actually do when your loved one says "No! I don't want that home care worker!" or, "What do you mean you want me to stop driving?" This book offers real solutions for the real world. I would recommend this book for caregivers and professionals in the field of aging. It is an invaluable resource

The author understands the intricacies of modern, father-daughter relationships and helps a daughter to understand, and emotionally embrace, this person people call "father". The author takes a woman, who is desiring to have a relationship with her father, through an enlightening journey of discovery of her own feelings and thoughts, and those of her father. It is obvious that the author understands her subject matter and basic human nature. The insights that the author leads us to are nothing short of amazing! If you read this book and are unchanged, demand your money back and check with the morgue to see if you're still breathing.

The book is addressed to daughters who miss their fathers, physically, emotionally etc. But I gained a lot of insights on what daughters really expect and miss from fathers. Dr.Nielson takes the reader through a human development cycle on how much daughters can give their fathers in terms of love and opportunities to learn, grow and become better human beings, and contribute to family solidarity through empathy. Dr.Nielson advocates a "voluntarist" conception of love. A great departure from screaming "what's in it for me?" That is not to say that she discounts reciprocity in relationships.

The context addressed is set in the US culture of the post 1960 decades. However, the basic motivations are applicable universally. I have lived in the US among young people for over 12 years as a student and as a Univ Faculty. Now, in India I perceive the same problems and the message that parents have even more to learn through interaction with their children. The emphasis on daughters adds more emotional content and nuances to the discourse. I would observe that most of the problems and solutions discussed in the book apply equally well to sons.

There is an elemental message that runs through the book. It urges parents to come out of their pre-conceived roles, inhibitions and relate directly one to one with their children. It echoes TSElliot's view that a cultural role is only a formal outcome of fundamental motivations and rationale`. We will be better off looking for those fundamental rationale` instead of assuming roles and be mere consumers.

Taking time out to read this book has been a blessing to my life and so many of my sisters. We are single mothers who have been divorced and raising girls on our own. The importance of relationships with our daughters and their fathers is essential and Dr. Nielsen did a wonderful job making the interactions realistic and meaningful. I would recommend this book to all of my african american sisters who often times need alittle help from the fathers of their daughters. Thank you Dr. Neilsen for your caring enough to give us sisters a hand at mending and reintiating father-daughter relationships. I can't wait to read more!

This book is the most insightful, rewarding book I have read in years. Dr. Nielsen unfolds and unlocks real information in a format that you can grasp and apply. It should be a required read for every female, even if she has a good relationship with her father or her father has passed. Pure unlightenment and understanding ~ that is what you walk away with after reading this book. It was very, very helpful to understand more completely the demeaning and demoralizing of divorced fathers. I believe this is a real issue in today's world and she addresses it head on. I would love to see a book by this title from Dr. Nielsen. What a gift to the world that book would be! I hope to see Dr. Nielsen on Oprah and Dr. Phil promoting her book very soon.

A wonderful relationship with your father is truly one of life's greatest joys. But how can we find this if we don't already have it? Dr. Nielsen's book provides many practical and creative suggestions for doing just this. We did not choose our father or the life we had as a child. However, we can choose to change the way we interact with our dad once we are adults. Dr. Nielsen uses a variety of interesting techniques: short questionnairss to focus on specific problems; "Eye Opener" research summaries to provide perspective; and sample dialogues to help us get started talking with our dad. Dr. Nielsen's academic credentials give her the credibility to write this ground-breaking book. And her warm, encouraging voice and helpful ideas give us the courage to actually try to reconnect with our dad. I am recommending this book to all of my friends who are puzzled, angry, or disappointed with their father. It's never too early, or too late, to start.

My order arrived timely in the condition promised. Very nice to do business with this seller.

It is amazing how one text can cover so much ground. This is truly a must have for all beginning therapists as well as a helpful checklist or guideline for the more experienced therapist. What I appreciate is the dual perspective of both what the client is potentially thinking, feeling, desiring, fearing, as well as what the therapist is experiencing during the interview or session. Chapters are very practical, relevant, and specific as types of training or theories are almost always followed by an example or actual case. It is helpful to have different theraputic styles included, allowing the reader to be more widely exposed. Just the many assessment tables, charts and lists, are worth having all under one cover!

v
Issues addressed in this volume include:
Client expectations for therapy
How to manage the initial interview
What information should be gathered at intake
JoEllen Patterson, et.al, offer readers of this volume a broad overview of foundational skills required in the practice of family therapy. Chapter by chapter the authors present treatment issues/concerns with proposed remedies for those difficulties. Beginning family therapists' questions are dealt with in a respectful and practically helpful manner by the writers. The content of this book is drawn from the authors' many years of instructing and supervising graduate level marriage and family therapy students in one of the premier COAMFTE programs in the U.S.

Family Therapists proceed in the practice of their profession through various developmental stages. Patterson and the other contributors attempt to provide the beginning family therapist with information needed at each of those levels in order to successfully move on to the next. In the authors' model there are three major developmental phases for family therapists:

Stage One: Learning Essential Skills

Stage Two: Learning to Conceptualize Cases

Stage three: The Therapist-as-Self


Who should attend therapy sessions?
How to join with clients
Establishing credibility
Defining goals for therapy
Building motivation
Administrative concerns
Establishing fees
Managing crisis situations (suicide, violence, abuse)
Assessing for substance abuse, biological factors, meaning, spirituality, social systems outside the family, and developmental issues
Developing a treatment focus/plan
Major theoretical models of therapy
Length of therapy
Use of questions
Normalizing, reframing, confronting, supporting, pacing
Working with adolescents and children
Working with couples
Dealing with infidelity, sexual difficulties, mental illness
Getting unstuck in therapy
How to utilize supervision and peer consultation
Handling "no shows", secrets, agency issues, countertransference, burnout
Terminations


This book provides the beginning family therapist with a comprehensive, practical resource for trouble-shooting at the predictable stages of therapist development. It is thoroughly systemic in its approach yet deals with the realities of of individual diagnosis, mental illness, and managed care. For family systems purists that compromise may be problematic. For someone who has taught in a graduate level family therapy program and supervised them for several generations I applaud the effort. This is a "real world" not an "ivory tower" tome. I also commend the authors on their use of relevant research data to support the interventions they propose. Emphasis on self-of-therapist furthermore is a strength of the book. It calls to mind some of Harry Aponte's material. I cannot think of a more comprehensive volume to put in the hands of graduate students in family therapy. I wish I had been given it when I launched my career. I wish I had written it. I will use it from this point forward.

JoEllen Patterson in her book has done an excellent job in giving good hands on approach for those practicing marriage and family therapy. This book has been a great help to me in a practical sense. I'm not a trained marriage and family therapist, and I know my limitations in this area. As a caregiver for a mission organization, the many insights I gained will enhance my ability to assess, understand, and develop avenues of referral to professional therapeutic caregivers such as marital and family therapists.

Essential Skills in Family Therapy is a guide of the process of therapy to be used by those learning how to do therapy. The book is also a good refresher for practicing therapists. Chapters cover topics from the beginning of therapy through termination and include special issues like working with children and adolescents.
Getting started
The developmental stages of new therapists are learning the essential skills, learning to conceptualize cases, and dealing with the therapist as self.
Before the initial interview
In the initial contact, therapists should listen and reflect what they hear and assess for crisis. This initial contact contains only basic relevant information and is not the time for interventions, advice, or suggestions. Therapists must know whether they have the knowledge and expertise to treat a problem or if they need to refer the client to someone else. The "business" of therapy, such as policies regarding making and canceling appointments and payment, should be discussed as quickly and efficiently as possible. When beginning therapy, it is helpful to know who made the initial contact and why, although the therapist should build rapport with all involved. A sample intake form is included, and the authors also discuss which family members should be involved in therapy.
Initial interview
The first task of the therapist is to join with the client. The credibility of therapy and/or the therapist may need to be discussed. Goals should be defined, and the therapist should begin to build motivation for change. Administrative issues like confidentiality, videotaping, observation, etc. should also be discussed.
Guidelines for conducting the assessment
The initial assessment is the time to explore the presenting problems, attempted solutions, and crisis and stressful life events. The therapist must constantly be aware of possible issues of harm to either self or others. Suicide, violence, abuse, substance abuse, biological factors, meaning systems, spirituality, family system, and social systems are all considered.
Developing treatment focus
The therapist must select the problem list, examine the history and treatment of problems, select a treatment modality, and determine the length and frequency of treatment. The treatment modality selected will be influenced by the therapist's orientation and experience, research, the financial constraints of the client, and the client's willingness and availability to follow the suggested treatment. Referrals may be considered. The therapist may wish to consult with the client's physician or request psychological testing.
Basic treatment skills
Therapy includes asking questions, normalizing, reframing, providing support, confronting, and pacing the therapy to meet the needs of the client. Handouts may be given to clients. In developing their expertise, beginning therapist should establish their understanding of the theoretical foundation of treatment skills; consider process and content, timing, and clients' anxiety levels; and create a family treatment plan.
Children and adolescents
Parents or primary caretakers should be involved in therapy and as cotherapists during the remainder of the week. In working with adolescents, the family need for maintaining structure must be balanced with the transformational needs of launching the adolescent.
Couples
Each spouse should get his/her turn to talk so that the therapist can understand the needs of both. This chapter deals with some of the common problems that couples present.
Mental illness of family member
Depression, anxiety, and alcoholism and drug abuse are discussed. When a family member is involved with drug or alcohol abuse, the first goal of therapy is to stop the abuse and then the reasons for the abuse can be examined.
Getting Unstuck
Resistance is a normal part of therapy. The familiar is comfortable. Therapy often involves both first and second order change. First order change is behavioral with the goal of acting in a new way. Second order change deals with behavioral, cognitive, affective, and relational realms and seeks to change the entire system. In dealing with cancellations and no shows, therapists need to review goals with the client and possible terminate or go to more infrequent appointments to address other goals.
Termination
Termination can be client initiated, therapist initiated, or mutual. Having clearly defined goals will tell therapists and clients when it is time to terminate therapy. Temporary relapses can be predicted by explaining that we often take two steps forward and one back.
Future effects of managed care
Managed care makes it more important for family therapists to maintain a relationship with family physicians. To meet managed care expectations, therapist need to articulate the problem, possible treatments, the chosen treatment, and expected outcomes.
This is an excellent resource for beginning therapists or those considering studying to become therapists. Therapists should be able to clarify their strengths and limits immediately, and this book can help them do that. The tables on such things as violence and abuse are helpful guides. Meaning systems are defined as cognitions, beliefs, memories, and emotions, which are often a part of culture and have implications for those of us who work cross-culturally. I appreciate the emphasis that the authors placed on developing the relationship between the therapist and the client. Therapists must know their role as they have full responsibility for therapy and for the relationship. As divorce has become so prevalent in the U.S., it is important for us to know that only about half of divorced couples develop cooperative coparenting. Couples need five positive interactions for every negative interaction. Families put energy and resources into being stuck, which is sometimes helpful to point out to them in the course of therapy. I appreciate the explanation of the goals of terminating, which are helping clients consolidate gains made in therapy, empowering clients, and being sensitive to loss issues, as I have not always thought through these goals when terminating therapy.

This is a quick read yet remarkable and heart wrenching story! Mr. Panesi's story touched my heart. It is so sad that he could never rid himself of the abuse that his father inflicted upon him. I know that it took a lot of strength and courage for him to share his story but am sure it will benefit him as he continues his therapy and will hopefully benefit others who may be in a similar situation. I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to Mr. Panesi about his story via telephone and he is truly an amazing person.

This book will definitely contribute favorably to the realization and possible solution to one who is afflicted with a low self-esteem since the author reveals his own true experience with his fathers mental abuse
and his attempt to resolve the injuries that followed. Although I personally have never been troubled with low self esteem, I being a salesman, come in contact daily with others whose lives have been so affected. I feel certain that any person suffering from this disorder, will find the book helpful because of its authenticity and detailed de-
scription of serious events in the author's life. Undoubtedly, a similar
victim of low self esteem will relate to his or her experience with that
of the authors, and be perhaps enlightened and strengthened. He may come out of his shell early enough to seek help thus sparing himself of the inevitable depression that follows. This book is an aid to combating and making known the early misuse of parental control. Without the abuse the author could have lived a perfectly normal life, extremely successful in the endeavor that he had chosen. The reading of the book can likely alert the reader to become more aware of the abuse and take means to prevent its continuation. Perhaps as Barney Fife of the Andy Griffith Show would correctly say. "Nip it in the bud"

Louis Panesi's book is a realistic account of what it is like growing up in an emotionally abusive family. Louis' description of the therapeutic process he experienced is very realistic also. I hope that individuals who are survivors of abuse find this book and are inspired to begin their recovery with the help of a psychotherapist.
Jill Eilenberger LCSW, LMFT

I just finished reading a "A Father's Abuse - A Doctor's Love.
I was drawn in by the sad eyes of the young boy making his First
Holy Communion on the cover. I was spellbound and could not put
the book down. I am glad Lou finally found himself and that behind
the tough facade of his family - LOVE. Its nice to know their are
people like Dr. Shoemaker willing to help others in need. I will
encourage others to read this book. Thank you for sharing Lou.

Evelyn B. Neiser
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

the book is the best i have ever read.it is heart breaking that children have to go through this.lou is a strong person to come through this and be a survior.He is a person to look up to.Anyone can turn their lives around and reading this book can help do it.you must read this book.

If you are interested in developing new skills in how to do the relationship dance, this is the book for you. Fearless Loving is a must read. It doesn't matter whether you're currently in relationship, whether you would like to be in a relationship, married, single, recently split up, or divorced. Rhonda has a talent for bringing together concepts and distilling them into bit size, chewable skills for taking action, which most any one of us can implement, given our commitment.

This book is a valuable tool for me, personally and for my sixteen year marriage/partnership. I'm finding new ways to really listen, communicate, to set boundaries, to clarify perceptions, to honor my feelings and to play.

Fearless Loving also offers an insightful and helpful protocol for people who are interested in a new way to date. I highly recommend this book to my friends and anyone interested in Love.

Rhonda Britten just gets it. This book is so wonderful. She can guide you along your path to loving in a way you never thought you could, but always wanted to. The most poignant truth for me is that everyone is innocent. That's so hard to think and act on, but she's so right about it. I would have everyone believe me innocent until proven guily, so it only seems fair for me to believe that about everyone else. This book will help you with understanding any type of love and how to do it best! She never coaches you to be someone you're not, and even highly discourages behaving as if you were playing a game. She teaches you how to test your prospective partner, or current partner so you can hear what they're not saying (which is more insightful than what they are saying). Rhonda will fill you full of courage and you will feel that you can love confidently without ever sacrificing who you are, or ever compromising what you need from a loving relationship.

Fearless Loving is well-written and packed full of useful tools that if followed will send you on your way to building new love relationships, enhancing the one's you already have and uncovering and discovering the ways in which we block or deny ourselves love. The author jumps into the trenches with you as she reveals her own personal experiences. This approach made it feel real and tangible. The best self-help book I've read in a long time!!

If you've ever been through divorce -- if you've ever had a failed relationship and aren't quite sure why things couldn't have worked out better -- if you're tired of playing relationship roulette -- READ THIS BOOK!! It's the guidebook for finding and keeping love that you've been looking for. And don't forget to read Fearless Living, too! It's your ticket to freedom and to the real YOU!

ok, i only first heard of Rhonda by watching the TV reality show "starting over" + then got hooked onto watching the amazing clarity with which she brought women from all walks of life to.
so my roomate bought this book to assist her from dating another jerk, and boy, is this book stellar! its not thick, not complicated, but really packs an emotional + mental punch. i have even more respect for this woman, who has been through so much + has found a way to positively help others. i've been telling all open-minded pals of mine who really do want to change any "failures" they have to read this. its really good stuff!

I LOVE this book! I encourage you to pass this along to mothers, daughters, sisters, friends...everyone will love it and be enriched greatly just by reading this sweet, funny, thought-provoking book by the incomparable Beth Moore!

I'm a parent of 2 little ones, and I've been reading one of her essays each morning. They're sweet and real and funny (just like Beth Moore always is) - and they're a real encouragement to me to see the long view of godly parenting, rather than getting stuck in the preschool weeds. I also gave it as a gift to my mother-in-law whose chicks are long gone from the nest, and she loved it too.

Very touching...touches all emotions. I bought three more to share with other family/friends who are mothers. Great choice as a gift for moms whose children are leaving for college.

This wonderful little book about Beth and her husband going thru empty-nest made me feel a wide range of emotions. She is a brilliant writer and always amazes me how she can be a faithfull follower of Jesus but still have so much FUN!! What a refreshing christian woman..Buy the book.. you won't be disapointed.. Beth allows you a 'peek' into her private life. If you have taken a bible study that she wrote you will get snapshots of her life.. this book fills in the holes a bit..Great reading!

I read Beth Moore's book after experiencing two miscarriages and trying to get pregnant for the third time. Her Godly approach to motherhood made me realize that God gives us children as gifts and blessings - regardless if it is for a few months in utero or for decades on earth! She gives a personalized insight on how to try to raise children to love Christ - in a world that often makes that difficult! I would highly recommend this book to any woman - moms, daughters, moms-to-be, or as I was when I read it, a mom wanna-be!

I am not a big reader of novels, but this book by William Schuh was a fastinating look at the intricacies of relationships in the healthcare field and within dysfuntional families, but did so in a way that was not tawdry or demeaning. There are more than a few interesting turns that may take you by surprise.

I would definitely recommend this book.

I am not a big reader so I was suprised by how much I wanted to continue reading this book. I like the way the story unfolds and the little surpises along the way. I will definitely encourage all my friends to read this book. Thanks Dr. Schuh!

Dr. Schuh has created a touching and wonderous story out of his own hospital experiences and feelings. The depth of emotion is outstanding. Great characters caught up in extraordinary circumstances.

This was an excellent read! I thoroughly enjoyed the unveiling of the characters lives and their interconnectness. I also enjoyed the man's and the doctor's perspective of how lives are affected by illness. Thanks Bill for a great read!

Occasionally I will take a chance and pick a book outside my usual genres. This book impressed me with its entertaining story and the quality of the writing.

We meet five characters early in this book. Dr. Michael Hamilton and Dr. Lori Hamilton have been married for some time. Michael is compassionate both professionally and personally, and prides himself on his interpersonal skills with patients. Dr. Greg Jameson and Linda Jameson have known the Hamilton's back to the days when they all attended college together. At one point Linda and Lori were roommates and Greg and Michael were roommates. We also meet Will Jameson, the wonderful son of Greg and Linda.

Dr. William K. Schuh devotes much of the early portion of the book to develop his characters. We learn that Michael and Lori are quite passionate in their marriage. We learn that Greg is a self-centered, insensitive jerk who spends much of his time hiding from his family. We also learn that Linda is a full-fledged alcoholic. Will takes it all in stride, caring for his younger brother while his mother is in a drunken stupor, or suffering from a hangover.

As Schuh develops his characters he places little tidbits into the story, slowly shifting from character development to the heart of his story. In order to create the conflict necessary to bring these people together, Schuh uses two events. Dr. Michael Hamilton is one of the most respected oncologists in the nation, and Will Jameson develops leukemia. Dr. Greg Jameson makes yet another in a series of inappropriate comments regarding a nurse. The comment turns into a sexual harassment suit against the hospital in which the Hamilton's and the Jameson's work. These two events will force four former friends to face traumatic events from the past, events that have been secret for many years and that everyone initially wishes had remained hidden. These secrets have the potential to destroy lives, reputations and marriages. Unfortunately, there are those who would take advantage of the revealed information for their own personal gain.

The quality of the writing in this book was what initially impressed me. I frequently marveled at how adroitly Dr. Schuh choreographed conversations, and the accuracy of his spelling and grammar. The writing is clear and natural. Dr. Schuh kept track of the loose ends in his novel, and pulled all the elements carefully together in the final pages.

This book is Dr. Schuh's first. He is in the process of writing others. I look forward to reading Dr. Schuh's next book as I am sure he will write it at least as well as this book. I recommend that you pick this book up for an enjoyable read. Finding a very good first book from a new author is like gathering an unexpected pearl. Enjoy!

A very warm and touching account of growing up in a disfunctional family yet overcoming setbacks and becoming successful. Anyone who has even had an "Uncle Ned" or a caring "Gram" will easily identify with this true story.
Well written!

This was a book that was hard to put down. I didn't want it to end. I truly hope that the author has more to come in the near future. A story about a family whose perseverance through many difficult times is inspiring. We can all learn a lot from this uplifting book. Thank you Robert J Morgan!

The story of a young man growing up in a poor family in America, facing adversity in many forms yet triumphant - most of all full of fun and laughs. You won't forget this one!

One of the things I liked most about "Goodbye, Geraldine" was the upbeat, positive attitude throughout. Someone who experienced growing up in such meager circumstances could have become bitter. Morgan could easily have taken on the role of a victim, wallowing in self-pity and blaming the world for what life handed him.

But that didn't happen. His dear Gram, in her refusal to accept charity, didn't provide a role model about how to feel sorry for yourself; she didn't allow him or his brother to feel deprived.

Morgan takes his lumps - figuratively and literally - and carries on. He has the intellect and good sense to recognize and seize opportunities to improve his life.

This easy read is an uplifting story about someone who lacked the elements most of us consider basic to growing up sane and healthy, but does more than just survive a difficult childhood; he prevails. And he does it with incredible introspection, insight and humor.

I was touched by Morgan's story and glad I went along for the ride.

GOODBYE, GERALDINE,will inevitably be called an American ANGELA'S ASHES. Both books had me laughing through my tears. Morgan writes with unsparing honesty of his life struggle to overcome a childhood of abuse by an alcoholic uncle and humiliating poverty. His Uncle Ned, like McCourt's father, roused his nephews from sleep when he came home drunk. McCourt's father made his kids sing patriot songs. Uncle Ned beat his nephews up.
But tough old "Gram" who raised him and his siblings following his father's desertion and his mother's death, taught him courage and determination. She ruled more with the threat of a wet dishrag slung across his face than she did with her rare hugs, but she sang songs and recited poems that taught morality and values. Morgan brings this dysfunctional family alive with all it's squalor but also its humanity.
It relates, as well, the inspiring story of how one caring adult can make a difference in a young man's life. Although in the end, it is "Bobbie" himself who has to find his way into the light. This book brings out the preciousness of life even in hard circumstances, and the rewards of not giving up. I was especially touched by the love of the siblings for each other.

Just to add to the praises, this is really a cute book. My daughter (3 years old) loves this book. She has a baby doll (coincidentally named LuLu) so, when I ran across the book at the library, I thought we'd give it a whirl. Turns out my intuition was right. Not only was she captivated by the coincidental naming of the main character, the bright vibrant pictures but also the dialogue. She could "read it" from memory after I read it to her only a few short times. It is a really cute story that really assimilates with toddler bedtime. She especially likes the ending.

This book is a timeless tale with wonderful, comic illustrations. My daughter loved it. She likes knowing LuLu feels the same way she does.

This book was laying on a table at my local library when I picked up not knowing what a treasure it was. My daughter enjoys this book and laughs at Momma Chicken as she scares the bear, alligator and tiger out of Lulu's bedroom. Its so funny to see her laugh at these things and I feel it gives her confidence that her Momma will scare all the monsters away too. I am not giving the book 5 stars because the inside front and back cover illustrations do appear a little scary, even though it depicts the same characters inside the book, but my daughter doesn't seem to mind. :)

I can't be sure if this book is my daughter's favorite or mine. We've been reading Goodnight Lulu off and on for a couple of years now. We bought it when my daughter was 1 year old and she still enjoys it. This is the book she chose to take to her preschool "share a book" day. The language is very familiar and I believe she relates really well to Lulu and her "worries". I've bought this book as a gift for a couple of friends and it's always a hit.

I wasn't expecting this book to be as good as it is, but it's really funny. I love it just as much as my toddler. This is a book I'll get more of for gifts.