Death Books

I'm not good at summarizing so I'm not but Blind Faith is really good. The plot of the book is about something that I've never read about before, I'm pretty sure it's very rare but it is very good. It's sad but not extremely (I didn't cry or anything) and I finished it in just a few days (which is good for me since I don't have much time on my hands) RECOMMEND IT!!

Blind Faith was a good book. Funny, sad, and entertianing. Definitly somthing I would suggest to someone looking for something nice to read in their spare time.

Blind Faith, by Ellen Wittlinger is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read. It follows the life of Liz Scattergood after the death of her grandmother, Bunny. Liz encounters many obstacles including her mother's obsession with a Spiritualist church, her neighbor's two grandchildren moving in, and her parents constant fighting. Nathan, the new kid next door, forms an unlikly bond with Liz, and together, they heal eachother's pain. I would recomend this book to anyone, not just teenagers; it teaches amazing lessons everyone should know!!!!

Award-winning author Ellen Wittlinger is known for her emotional and poignant teen novels like SANDPIPER and Printz Honor Book HARD LOVE. In her latest effort, BLIND FAITH, she delivers yet again with a tale of loss and new beginnings.

When 15-year old Liz Scattergood's grandmother Bunny dies, Liz's mother falls into a depression. People always said that Liz's mom and Bunny were "more like sisters or best friends than mother and daughter," which makes Liz feel strange. How come she isn't like this with her own mother?

Her mother is so depressed over the loss of Bunny that she won't get out of bed or work on her pottery in the studio. Then one day, she announces she's going to the Singing Creek Spiritualist Church to "contact Bunny." Liz's father, an atheist, isn't thrilled about the idea, but Liz's mother goes, and only then does her life return to normal. She gets out of bed. She works on her pottery. And now, she goes to the Spiritualist Church every week. Although Liz isn't sure what she thinks of the spiritualists, she agrees to go with her mother and hopes that maybe they will bond over their experience of contacting Bunny. But this just pushes Liz's father away and causes more of a rift within the family.

While Liz is dealing with her own chaos, she becomes entangled with the lives of the new neighbors: Nathan, a boy her age, and Courtney, his younger sister. Nathan, Courtney, and their mother Lily have just moved in with their grandmother, the old lady who lives across the street and who Liz calls Crabby. But as Liz gets to know Nathan, she learns that he has problems too. His mother has a terminal disease and she might die. Plus, everyone's keeping it a secret from Courtney because she's too young to understand.

As Nathan and Liz confide in each other about their problems, they become close and a tender friendship and romance emerge.

Ellen Wittlinger is a wonderful writer who has an amazing ability to portray realistic teens in difficult situations. She gets right to the root of emotional issues and twists them in a way that readers can relate and sympathize deeply with the characters. Even though BLIND FAITH deals with the topic of death, there are many uplifting moments in this story.

--- Reviewed by Kristi Olson

It was bad enough when fifteen-year-old Liz Scattergood's grandmother, Bunny, died. It's even worse now that her mother seems to have gone crazy. For weeks her mom wouldn't get out of bed, wouldn't eat dinner with Liz and her father, wouldn't even brush her hair. Although Liz understands that her mother and Bunny had a special bond, were more like sisters, in fact, than mother and daughter, Liz doesn't understand the extreme depression. That was almost preferable, though, to what happens when her mother snaps out of her funk and finally leaves the darkened comfort of her bedroom. Because now she's found religion--or, in this case, Spiritualism, where the congregation and leaders believe they can communicate with the spirits of the dead.

After her mom's first visit to Singing Creek, the Spiritualist Church, she comes home acting alive for the first time in weeks. Liz is curious enough to agree to accompany her the following Saturday, but Liz's dad is none too pleased with the developments. For him, religion is filled with hypocrites and fools, and the crazies that attend Singing Creek are the worst of the lot--they hold out hope to those who have lost someone they love, convincing them that they can really "talk" to the dearly departed's spirit.

For Liz, these new arguments of her parent's is shaking up her once comfortable life. Added to that is the new family who has moved in across the street. There's Courtney, [...]and a total joy, and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who always seems so angry. Their mother, Lily, is dying of leukemia and has come home to spend her final days with her mother, dubbed by Liz as Mrs. Crabby. As Liz enters into a tenuous friendship with Nathan bordering on a first love, and takes Courtney under her wing, she's confused by her father's anger, her mother's obsession with communicating with her dead mother, and the fact that life in Tobias isn't as calm and easy as she'd always believed it to be.

Ms. Wittlinger has penned a beautiful story in BLIND FAITH. This is the story of hope and faith, of love and loss, of life and death. As Liz fights to understand why she doesn't have the same type of bond with her mom that her mother had with Bunny, as Nathan and Courtney learn to live without their mother, and as everyone involved learns how important it is to always have hope, these two families will be forever entwined. A very heartfelt, tender story, you won't go wrong reading BLIND FAITH.

I confess that I am a major afficionado of B. Traven. My politics have mellowed over the years but I enjoy Traven's political perspective. I believe B. Traven was an ararchist at heart. He attacked big government and big business as evil but saw the uncorrupted individual as nobel and good. In the rural Mexican Indian community he found, for himself, the most ideal form of government he had ever encountered. His Jungle Books were a tale of conflict between good and evil; peasant and capitalism. His book, The Bridge in the Jungle, is his ode to the Indian peasant community. He brings us into their midst throught his vagabond American who stumbles upon a small village at the time a tragedy is unfolding. A young boy has drowned and we witness their suffering and their coming together. We see the corruption of their society by misunderstood influences from the outside world. The example I remember best is the musician who, when asked to play something during the funeral march, comes up with "Yes We have no Bananas". Neither the musician nor anyone else except our American narrator comprehends the total inappropriateness of the song. All in all, a beautiful story of a disappearing society.

By chance I came upon Traven at the library when I noted that he had authored "Treasure of Sierra Madre," a film classic that I automatically associate with Hollywood's old Bogey.

Not knowing anything more than that I picked-up "The Bridge in the Jungle," and what I found most fascinating was finding a story that so honestly stripped away cultural biases and opened a window to another universe. It revealed the dignity of a community dealing with death of a young boy in an obscure jungle town in early nineteenth century Mexico, and it also provided a vivid account of a proud Aztec culture on the threshold of extinction.

I wish I could see more modern American writers, who, like Traven, would more readily examine how cultural biases skew our understanding and appreciation of the quiltwork of cultures that inhabit our amazing World.

This book was dedicated by Traven to the mothers of the world. It is a cold, crude and, at the same time, compasionate and tender view on a child's death and the terrible, extreme pain it produces on his mother. It also describes the quite particular, "uncontaminated" and honest reaction the event creates among a small Indian community in Chiapas. All this is told by Gales, the main character, an American adventurer that hardly tries to undertand what is actually going on and how he feels about it.

Although the plot is very simple, this novel has some passages of an extraordinary literary intensity. It is also full of irony and sometimes sarcasm too.

Well, it can be said The Bridge in the Jungle is a sad, tragic novel but it is beautifully written and that is what matters.

"The Bridge in the Jungle" is one of those strange books you don't know how to respond to at first. On one hand it's absolutely tragic and, on the other, it's filled with some of the funniest passages imaginable. More or less condensed into a twenty-four hour period, Traven describes how an Indian community bands together, sometimes with folly but often with strength, when a young boy disappears into the bush.

Throughout the story Traven gives an intimate account of peasant life in southern Mexico, nevering missing a detail of how the campesinos live, think and act. In fact the narrative is filled with so many astute observations that you feel, at times, Traven works better as an anthropologist than as a novelist.

But, unfortunately, some of these observations sound a little sentimental. It's the only work by Traven that seems to run in circles, at times even becoming boring. He praises the spiritualism of Indians one too many times and focusses on their diet rather than moving on with the plot.

He does, however, redeem himself with the character of Sleigh, an expat who's made the jungle his home. He's like a good-natured version of Kurtz -- wise, crazy, but harmless.

On top of all this, Traven makes his usual attacks against the oil industry and organized religion.

If you enjoyed any of his "jungle books," then gives this one a read.

We vacationed in Pigeon Forge, TN and visited Cade's Cove for the day. What a beautiful place! My husband was so interested in the history of Cade's Cove, I ordered this book for him. He read it and loved it.

In opposition to Horace Kephart, Our Southern Highlanders (1913), Dunn correctly argues that leadership and a sense of community was strong in Cades Cove and that development there was not idiosyncratic but followed regional patterns. The chaos that accompanied the Civil War proved to be the watershed that burned "diversity and innovation" (145) from the Cove. Yet even so, family life at the turn of the century "was largely indistinguishable from that of other rural Tennesseans." (200)

Although the book is well researched and nicely written, the chapters seem to have been composed independently, which results in some repetition. Also a better acquaintance with the history of American religion would have limited the author's surprise at progressivism and religious fundamentalism walking hand-in-hand.

I have visited Cades Cove over 10 times and still find something interesting on each trip. This book was extremely insightful because I actually knew many of the names in the book and the places discussed. If you've never been to the area, you may find the book less insightful though. I love Cades Cove, and I loved this book.

After a trip to Cades Cove and Townsend to research my family tree I was intrigued by the area. Mr. Dunn's work on Cades Cove presents the history of the area in a well-researched yet enjoyable manner. I read the book in a sitting. I would really like to know more about the Chestnut Flats area!

I've long been interested in Cades Cove history. As a native East Tennessean, I grew up with the many stories in legends that came from the area. Dunn, grandson of the last man to leave the cove, uses town records and family stories to paint a vivid account of life in the area. Dunn addresses many of the misconceptions about the town and shows a town of people that struggled from the town's beginning to the forced withdrawal to build the Great Smokies National Park. This book will most appeal to scholars, but anyone interested in Southern history would also enjoy it. Highly recommended.

Very helpful as resource material though a bit stretched in it's assumptions of certain myths. All together a good read.

A Treasure Trove of Queer Esoterica!

This book is much more than an exhaustive reference relating to the personalities, events, processes and movements within the realm of gay and lesbian spirituality, it is a pure pleasure to read. The product of meticulous research, this encyclopedia offers detailed yet concise, cross-referenced entries and an index of attributes and traditions as an encouragement to both quick reference and casual browsing. Beyond its obvious usefulness to scholars, this work aims to inspire, entertain and empower, and it is hugely successful in that effort.

It tells a far different story than the exclusively heterosexual roster of saints, sages, demons, demigods and deities that we've all had to live with - and this pantheon is far more fascinating.

The 1,500-odd alphabetic entries ranging from "Aakulujjuusi" to "Zeus" reveal our history, deeply encoded in sacred texts and all-but-forgotten traditions. Just read the entries on the "World Homosexual Movement," the "Order of Chaerona," and the "Han Temple" and you'll realize quickly that we've barely begun to scratch the surface of our old queer race's involvement with the world of the spirit.

A very praiseworthy work!

This book is an exhaustive resource for information about almost everything pertaining to lgbt spirituality, from mythology to people involved in the gay/lesbian spiritual movements. This was a very affirming read, considering the "invisibility" of gay spirituality in modern religions. I'd especially recommend it for queer Pagans, because of the volume of pagan mythological figures discussed...it offers a different resource than the exclusively heterosexual myths and deities used by most pagan groups. Some of the entries will make you laugh...some will make you think...some will inspire you.

This is literally an encyclopedia of LBGT stuff! If you ever wanted to know anything about Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, or Transgender subjects, this is the only book you might ever need!

This book is much more than an exhaustive reference relating to the personalities, events, processes and movements within lgbt spirituality, it is a pure pleasure to read (or in my case, browse through). It tells a far different story than the exclusively heterosexual roster of saints, sages, demons, demigods and deities that we've all had to memorize - and this pantheon is far more fascinating. Just read the entries on the "World Homosexual Movement," the "Order of Chaerona," and the "Han Temple" and you'll realize quickly that we've barely begun to scratch the surface of our old queer race's involvement with the world of the spirit.

The book was very appropriate for my neices and my entire family. The book really helped us when my dad died a few weeks back. My neices are 5 and 4, and they book helped them understand a little better what was going on. This book also provided with activities we could do as a family.

As a grief therapist, I found many aspects of children and grief to be covered within this excellent resource. Written to be read by adults to children, each page becomes a valuable spark for healthy discussion about normal feelings such as guilt, fear, shame, and anger. Told through the eyes of Henry, the family dog, ideas for creating a memory book are presented in a workbook format. Reading a page or two with a grieving child each evening would be a caring and educational replacement for bedtime stories, until the child is ready to move on.

A resource chapter for caregivers and a glossary of bereavement terms are included at the end of the book, which provide recommendations for facilitating children's understanding and expressions of their grief. Without a doubt, a secondary benefit is for the caregivers reading to the children, who may not understand for themselves why someone special has died.

This book is highly recommended for school libraries, church libraries, lending libraries in centers for grieving children, and families who are struggling to explain loss to young children.

Grief matters.

As a grief therapist, I found many aspects of children and grief to be covered within this excellent resource. Written to be read by adults to children, each page becomes a valuable spark for healthy discussion about normal feelings such as guilt, fear, shame, and anger. Told through the eyes of Henry, the family dog, ideas for creating a memory book are presented in a workbook format. Reading a page or two with a grieving child each evening would be a caring and educational replacement for bedtime stories, until the child is ready to move on.

A resource chapter for caregivers and a glossary of bereavement terms are included at the end of the book, which provide recommendations for facilitating children's understanding and expressions of their grief. Without a doubt, a secondary benefit is for the caregivers reading to the children, who may not understand for themselves why someone special has died.

This book is highly recommended for school libraries, church libraries, in lending libraries of centers for grieving children, and for families who are struggling to explain loss to young children.

Grief matters.

I am the director of a non-profit agency in Los Angeles working
with children in grief. This is by far the most compassionate, thorough, age appropriate book that I have ever read for children
in grief. I would recommend
this book to any parent, teacher or professional as a guide to
helping children through one of the most difficult time in their lives.
I'd like to see this book in every library as a reference guide
for our most vulnerable children.

This is the best book I have seen for Children on the topic of grief. It speaks simply and practically on this sensitive subject and is beautifully illustrated. The memory book section was particularly useful as is the guide for adults. A true must have as a resourse to help grieving children!

I bought the book for a friend after the death of her 9 yr old son. Am not sure how I came to know Rosemary from online, but found out she had bereavement packets as well. Because a friend and I run a website of about a thousand kids with cancer, I have had numerous families seek out solace, and asked Rosemary to send them her bereavement packets. She never asks for a dime, and spends so much time and effort on it. She's an amazing person and the book helps you realize you are not alone in your tragedy and suffering.

This is really wonderful that people are willing to share their grief with others. I know one of the mothers who shared her story. I know how torn apart her life was due to the lost of her son.I have read her words many times in our local paper. I know nothing will ever take away her pain but hope this woman and many like her have helped many others and for that I am sure alot of people will say Thanks for your time and stories.

My name is Tiny Warner, and I am a sibling to one of the children of the dome. Shelby Warner was, well, will always be my baby brother and Rosemary did an excellent job with this book. She has helped so many people who are dealing with the loss of a child, when they feel that they have no where else to go. It helps so much to read of others who have gone through an ordeal like this. I know Rosemary personally and there is no finer person than her, she is a woman with a heart of gold. I know what strength and courage it must have taken for her to share the pain of losing her sons, but she did it with such grace and I take my hat off to her for the wonderful job that she did, not only with my brother's story, but with all the stories of the "CHILDREN OF THE DOME." God Bless You Rosemary Smith.

As a father of two children, I cannot imagine the total devastation of losing a child. Rosemary Smith has compiled a group of unbelievable stories of courage! Reading about these families and how they have turned their incredible loses into stories of triumph and inspiration was a truly uplifting experience. This is a must-read for anyone who has expereinced or knows someone who has experienced the loss of a child.

Rosemary is for remembrance.....Rosemary Smith lives up to her name with this beautiful, inspiring book featuring the stories of families who have found a way to cope with the deaths of their children. The book is illustrated with inspirational artwork featuring a cherub representing each child. Whether the children are lost to accident, illness, suicide or murder, the survivors are left to face a world that will never be the same. A common thread in all these stories is the need to keep the memories of these children alive, and this book serves that purpose by making the personalities of these young people come to life for the reader. The families will, of course, never forget these children, but now the readers of this extraordinary book - along with Rosemary - will also remember.

They say one of the greatest tragedies of the world is when a father outlives his son. "Chris: A Memoir" is how Joe Marziotti copes with this tragedy as his son spent the last three years of his life battling the horrible disease leukemia. Reflecting on his son's life but remembering to keep his spirit alive by not being strictly morbid and remembering the good times, "Chris: A Memoir" is a deftly written and composed memoir, and a must for any parent in a sadly similar situation and seeking a proverbial shoulder to cry on.

Chris, A Memoir, is a book with amazing "heart." It is masterfully written, compelling, flows beautifully, and is obviously the product of a gifted writer. At times I laughed aloud and at other times I sobbed as I came to know Chris, so courageously battling cancer, and his family as they coped with this heart-wrenching time in their lives. Joe Marziotti is not afraid to reveal himself, flaws and all, in this loving tribute to his son.

This true story of a courageous young man faced with terminal illness will tug at your heart strings as you read about him, his father and his mother's journey through through his shortened life. You will come away with a warning for your own
progeny about swimming in poluted waters which undoubtedly led to Chris and a friend's demise. Elegantly written but easy-to-read. Well worth your time.

This book should be subtitled, "Courage: A Revelation" because it reveals Joe Marziotti's courage in sharing his most personal thoughts and experiences by putting pen to page in this well written and documented book. It reveals his wife, Elsie's, courage, strength and expertise in mothering, nurturing and nursing Chris. And, finally, it reveals Chris's courage in his ability to withstand this malicious scourge while, at the same time, protecting his family from his struggle. He never wore his badge of courage on his sleeve. Estelle Jacobs, Chevy Chase, MD

So often it's the mothers who share their grief: here Mr. Marziotti gives readers a tender story of a father's loss of his adult child. The history of the family is told with sharp detail and wit as the writer describes mid-20th century New York City and Long Island, his courtship with Chris' mother, his work with Woolworth and the exciting arrival of the Marziotti's first child, Chris. He is the apple of his father's eye and a good kid, besides. It's with regret that the reader follows his illness and death; the raw emotions of a father and, in the last chapter, Chris' mother, are poignant and truthful. While the writing of "Chris: A Memoir" must have been good therapy for the author, so it is good reading to "join" the family for their struggles and pain. You will be moved.

Kirby Brown is heartbroken and stunned when she returns home to find that her roommate and best friend, Helen, has been viciously slaughtered. Kirby is shocked and petrified, but is immediately taken into police protection because they believe she might be in danger as well.

They're right.

Doyle Fitzgerald had been a thief, but is now a coveted member of the Damask Circle. He has been sent to investigate the murders in Melbourne, Australia, because it appears that dark magic is involved. He barely arrives in time to save Kirby from the killer, and from that point on, they are on the run for their lives.

Kirby has never learned to trust anyone outside of Helen, and now she has to trust Doyle with her life. She's learning things about herself she never before knew and remembering a past she's tried desperately to forget. And through it all Doyle stands by her, protects her, and teaches her how to use the powers that are rightly hers.

But can they survive the evil that is now after them both?

I have been a fan of Keri Arthur since her very first book. And, with each successive book she only gets better and better, which just blows me away because I love each book so much! CIRCLE OF DEATH is an action packed, paranormal love story that should be on every readers "must read now" list. If you love paranormal romance, than there is no doubt in my mind that you'll love Keri Arthur's books. Read and enjoy!

Kirby Brown and Helen Smith are as close as sisters are so when Kirby comes home to see Helen and her lover's body savaged, she's bereft and horrified. Helen was a witch and Kirby has powers of her own so she knows that the two policemen that are guarding her are something evil. She escapes from them only to see them come after her in their true form, reptilian like monsters.

She would have died if shapechanger Doyle Fitzgerald hadn't appeared on the scene. He dispatches the two monsters and the vampire that comes after them. Doyle is part of the Damask Circle; an organization consisting of people with paranormal powers that fight the evil forces that are loose on the world. His current assignment is to track down a witch who is targeting other practitioners of magic and the only one who can stop her is Kirby. Doyle, who loves Kirby, tries to protect her but he can't guard her from her own fears for only she can do that if she dares.

Keri Arthur is one of the better writers of supernatural romances and her Damask Circle series is a perfect example of how she makes the extraordinary seem believable. CIRCLE OF DEATH will appeal equally to paranormal, romance and mystery fans. The characters make the paranormal seem normal; the romance between the shapeshifter and the witch is utterly believable; and the mystery will key the readers into turning the pages, eager to find out who is doing the killings and why.

Harriet Klausner

IF LIKE ME YOU LOVE KERI ARTHUR... THEN YOU'LL LOVE THIS BOOK CIRCLE OF DEATH - 2ND IN HER DAMASK CIRCLE FOLLOWING CIRCLE OF FIRE.. ITS AN ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT READ.. I FOUND MYSELF HOLDING MY BRIEF CONTINUALLY... ITS HARD TO PUT DOWN. I AM NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THE STORY APART FROM THIS INVOLVE SHAPESHIFTERS AND MAGIC OF THE WITCH KIND... EXCELLENT CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE...

Kirby and Helen are orphans raised together by the foster care system. They are also witches. Helen developed her gift as a storm witch, and Kirby supressed hers. When Helen is killed by a monster, she is devastated. Then she is attacked herself and escapes, she is aided by the Damask Circle, particularly Shapeshifter Doyle Fitzgerald. The Circle is in the area because of the deaths of witches, someone is killing them and absorbing their powers. Kirby is on the monster's hit list.

This novel is just as good as Circle of Fire. Doyle, Russell and Camille are believable (if that's possible) as paranormal detectives. There is alot of action of all kinds in this one, I finished it in one sitting.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Kirby Brown has only had one person she could ever count on, her best friend. When her friend was brutally murdered by a psychotic, and otherworldly, killer, Kirby was left all alone and scared, for the same killer was after her. She has no idea who is after her or why, but she does know her life is in serious danger. She goes on the run, with only a few meager possessions, and her magical powers as her defense. That is not enough and just as she fears her life is about to be snuffed out, her rescuer arrives.

Doyle Fitzgerald is in Melbourne, Australia, per the orders of the Damask Circle, a special and elite ring of magical beings who are sent to handle special cases all over the world where magic is concerned. His latest mission is to hunt down and destroy the very murderer who is after Kirby. He comes to her rescue, just as she is about to be killed, killing the monster that was after her, but having no idea how to track down the being that is using the creatures.

Kirby has no idea why someone is after her, but Doyle is, and she is shocked to hear the story. She has no memory of her childhood, or of the incident that seemed to spark this string of serial murders. What she doesn't know, is Kirby is one of a circle of women... witches... who have the power to control the elements. Kirby is the last remaining witch of this circle, the only person standing in the way of her ultimate enemy having all the powers at her disposal, and causing awesome destruction in her wake.

Doyle finds himself completely attracted to Kirby, as she is to him, and he will do anything to protect her. However, she isn't the only one with secrets and gifts, for Doyle has some special powers of his own. Powers he is hesitant to share with her just now. Her nerves are at the breaking point already and he fears she couldn't handle his secret on top of everything else. As much as she is drawn to him, she fears getting too close, for she knows the awesome strength of her abilities and she doesn't want him to be threatened by what she has little control over. Will they overcome their secrets? Will they defeat the person stalking Kirby? Or will the world end in the ultimate battle of good versus evil?

What a fabulous read! This story has all the elements of good paranormal romantic fiction. There is plenty of driving action and suspense to keep one's attention right up to the very end. There is love and romance, magic, good and evil. There is also any number of paranormal beings found between the covers. It is populated with vampires, witches, demons, and shapeshifters galore; it will make the readers wonder what secrets their friends and loved ones are carrying.

Ms. Arthur shows in this book why she is rising through the ranks of this sub-genre quite rapidly. She shows impressive talent in her writing, with snappy dialogue between the characters, and enough surprises in the plot to pack a wallop. One will be moved by the plight of Kirby and Doyle, as well as their friends. This book will keep a reader on the edge of the seat, eagerly awaiting the next book by an up and coming author.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, February 2003. All rights reserved.

Lisa Donner went through all the treatments for breast cancer. She died at the age of 36 leaving her husband Chris, the single-father of four. This is the story of her battle and his family challenges.

Confronting the Cow offers hope, understanding and consolation to caregivers, cancer sufferers and their survivors. This is a very nicely produced book and a great tribute to Lisa. DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com

In Confronting the Cow, Chris Donner does a superb job chronicling his personal experiences and his family's experiences following his wife's breast cancer diagnosis at age 34.

His warm, personable, and at times humorous accounts of life's daily experiences allow the reader to step inside his very existence in a virtual sense.

Donner shares his thoughts, fears, and techniques for supporting his wife, and their four children, who were all less than six years old, at the time the illness presented itself. In his book, Donner works through all of the human emotions and challeges that breast cancer provokes.

He provides just enough technical information to educate the reader on the disease's symptoms and treatment while providing insight into the medical profession's response to the disease.

While the book is powerfully emotional and moving, it leaves the reader with a sense of optimism and well-being.

Chris Donner writes an intimate, revealing, and honest account of his wife's struggle with breast cancer and the rebuilding of the lives of himself and his children after her death. The book brought tears to my eyes at times, but also laughter. It is a must read for those who are going through this or have gone through this, and for those who have not had the experiences of cancer in their family or with loved ones.

Anyone who has had an experience with cancer or any other terminal illness within their circle of family and friends will appreciate this book. As painful as it must have been to write, the author has done a tremenduous service to all of us who have been within the vortex of caring for a loved one who is dying. His honest account of the emotional, physical, and spiritual ramifications is affirming for those who have been through it, and enlightening for those who have not. From a parental standpoint, the insight gained into the minds of young children is incredible, as the author recounts his young children's behavior and reactions to their mother's illness, death, and absence. Although the subject is sobering, the story is told with warmth and humor, and you will find yourself laughing as you wipe away tears.

Are you concerned about a friend or relative who is dealing with his wife's cancer? If so, read this book.

Donner takes on an daunting task here; telling his (and his four young children's) own story about dealing with his wife's breast cancer. He manages to tell an amazing, sometimes humorous, and devastating tale of attempting to bring himself and his four young children through the hell of losing a wife and mother to breast cancer.

According to the foreword, the author wrote the book for the people who are experiencing what he experienced. Equally important are the insights for the physicians, relatives and friends of these families.

The author's unique sense of humor balances the unpleasant subject nicely. I found myself laughing out loud several times. Not being much of a cryer, I even found a few tears trying to escape.

It has been years since my parents died and I am very fortunate that no-one I am close to is seriously ill, so I really didn't have a reason to read this book, but I was intrigued by the title.

This is a wonderful book! It gives so much to the reader. It expands your heart and I found it giving me a certain feeling of grace - not that I have been spared - but a feeling of grace from reading about the wonderful people in this book.

Yes, it's full of wonderful, noble people, but these people are also blessed with a sense of humor and class.

I don't know if it would help someone who has never had a sense of humor, but I am positive that it would help anyone who has laughed at least once in their life.

Mr. Klein's approach is not condescending or "let's laugh at the victim" style at all. It is warm and joyous and a blessing to anyone who reads it.

This book will not bring you down! It may open a path of communication for you. I cannot say enough about this book.

Although I have no life threatening disease, I have suffered through horrible bouts of depression and this book was a God-send because it made me LAUGH! I am looking forward to reading his other books!

I purchased this book and read it after the deaths of three immediate family members (son, father, mother-in-law) occurred within a year's time. I reached a point wherein I asked myself, "How have I been able to cope with all the stress this year, and why am I coming unglued now?" The answer is in the title of the book. What helped me throughout the year was my wit. I realized that I needed to nurture my sense of humor as much as I needed food, clothing, shelter, love and prayer.

Through Allen Klein's book I discovered that, in the face of trauma, humor is as much a saving grace as are spiritual/religious beliefs.

I heartily recommend this book for anyone who is facing a terminal illness or who has a loved one who has a terminal illness, as well as for those who are at least a year past the death of their loved one (unless they have an extremely accessible wit).

Laughter is excellent medicine. Buy this book, but then remember to take the medicine! Laughing in the face of death, or finding light when one feels that life is dark, is a challenging task. It takes courage to search thoroughly and find humor's rainbow behind the dark clouds of grief.

Years ago, I learned about the work of Norman Cousins, then editor of "The Saturday Review." My late father was a real fan of that magazine and told me about Cousin's then radical ideas about how humor could help healing. His work is covered in his 1979 book, Anatomy of an Illness (Norton). Since then, I've had an interest in humor and how it helps us cope with the trials and tribulations of life.

Allen Klein has taken the concept a step further, exploring in great detail how humor helps us cope with death. As I began the book, I read about Klein's experience with the death of his father. Thoughts of my father's death came creeping into my consciousness. Do I want to read this book? I continued reading, and I'm glad I did. This book is a fascinating sociological study of humor and death. It's very well done, so well that the book could qualify as a college textbook as well as a very interesting read . . . and even a valuable guidebook for people working in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, or caring for a loved one.

The organization of The Courage to Laugh was obvious, and made the book easier to read, understand, and absorb. Part I answers the question, "Is Death Too Serious for Humor?" with four strong background chapters. The second part of the book, Seeing Demise Thru Humorous Eyes, is filled with an amazing collection of wit and understanding from a wide variety of sources. I became so engaged with this material, that I couldn't put the book down. I just kept reading! I also enjoyed the last part of the book, Leave' Em Laughing, that looks at the subject through the eyes of those who are dying.

Highly recommended for anyone dealing with death and dying or studying the topic. If you're a student of humor, this book is a treasure.

After having read and loved one of Allen's other books, "The Healing Power of Humor," I read this book as soon as it came out. Before reading "The Courage to Laugh," I never thought about connecting courage with laughter. Now I never separate the two concepts! In this book, Allen refers to clowns and their courage. I was not a "Caring Clown" (a clown that works specifically in health care) when I first read this book. I am now. Some days I need to muster a lot of courage to connect with people who are old and dying. One thing I learned from this book is that even a nanosecond of relief from pain through humor can make a profound difference is a person's life. A second idea (of many) I've embraced is the spiritual component of laughter and mirth. Thanks to you, Allen, my spirit is soaring!

Much of our popular culture defines heroism as laughing in the face of death. Square-jawed heroes and voluptuous heroines in books and movies show us what they're made of as they make light of their impending demise.

Allen Klein writes about heroes, death, and laughter, too. Klein's heroes aren't cartoon characters, they're ordinary people. They are you and me. Klein's heroes haven't been chained in the path of an onrushing train. They're teathered to an IV during chemo-therapy or living with a chronic condition that won't kill them but just make life more difficult as time goes by. Klein's heroes have one thing in common; their ability to laugh at themselves and their situations. They've also given others The gift of laughing with them.

Allen Klein has done a remarkable thing. Rather than celebrate heroism by elevating it out of our grasp, he celebrates it by bringing it to a level where its accessible to all of us. Klein's heroism is facing our time here with dignity, optimism, and a sense of humor in spite of an uncertain future. That's living. That's dying. That's the point.