Suicide Books

Wonderfully sensitive treatment of a tough subject that will help parents explain Aids to their children. Well written in an easy to understand style, suitable for children. A clear message that will help reduce fear of the disease, delivered in a non-threatening, loving way. Congratulations to the author for her sensitivity.

Jacqueline Marcell, Author, 'Elder Rage', and Host of the 'Coping With Caregiving' Internet Radio Program

Having small kids, I am always on the lookout for good bedtime reading (not too heavy or too light). The 99% kid was a real find! I recommend the book to just about everyone and was only disappointed in finding that the author, Dianne Allaire, has not written more. This is a terrific "sleeper" that your kids will want to hear again and again.

My Favorite book has been switched, yet again to this book, the 99% kid. I really enjoyed how heart-felt and deep it is, although it is just a childrens book, it has a lesson for all of us. I DEFINATELY recommend this book to mall readers of all ages!

Billy describes how his father just seemed less interested in life at first, but then things deteriorated to the point of severe depression including weight loss, lack of communication, insomnia, and thoughts of suicide. THE OPPOSITE OF MUSIC tells the story of a family dealing with depression.

Billy's mother finally decides that her husband needs to seek medical help. Dr. Fritz is nice, but his attempts to help are frustrating. The first medicine he prescribes makes Billy's dad break out in disgusting sores. The next medicine causes paranoia and frightening dreams.

After failed attempts to use medicine to treat the depression, Billy, his mother, and his sister become determined to treat the problem themselves. Each researches the therapy they think would be best, and then they work together to cure dad. Some of their treatment involves diet, exercise, light therapy, aromatherapy, etc. Everyone sacrifices their own life to devote time to dad.

When it is obvious that their theories are not working and thoughts of suicide surface, it is decided that a new psychiatrist must be consulted. The new doctor recommends electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Research tells Billy the therapy could be effective, but he also reads horrific tales of brain damage and torture. Will this help, or is his father's recovery a hopeless dream?

Janet Ruth Young offers an extremely realistic portrayal of depression and its effects on a family. It is definitely a book to recommend to teens living a life like Billy's. They will know that they are not alone.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Several times, I had to remember that the author hadn't been a teenage boy herself, because it was such fun to read this book.

The nuances of how boys think at that point in their life were so wonderfully captured. Many times, I found there was no was I could try to zip through this book. As I was reading, I'd think "oh, this is so sudden, so delicious", and I'd reread the line, or the paragraph. I found myself savoring the words at times.

This was a wonderful journey back to my teen years, and a wonderful journey to my 20's & 30's in Boston, as a few references are cleverly hidden, references that will make the locals smile.

Admittedly, at times the father's condition wasn't very comfortable to work with, but then, that was exactly the situation the family found themselves in. A wonderful piece of work, thank you Ms Young.

Janet Ruth Young's debut novel, The Opposite of Music is being marketed as a young adult novel because the protagonist is a teenager, but this is a book for all ages. The Morrison family lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Besides Mom and Dad, there is Billy and his younger sister Linda. One day their life turns upside down as their Dad succumbs to a severe depression. Alternatively embarrassed and terrified, Billy and his family do everything they can to help their father. As they do so, Billy becomes cut off from his friends, unsure of what to even say to most of them. So while his longtime friends wonder what his problem is, Billy finds that the only person outside his family that he can turn to is Gordy, relatively new in town, who recently lost his mother. Here is a book that explores a family dynamic as well as friendship in times of trouble.

Each of the characters in Young's novel is vividly drawn. Family members will seem as familiar as your own as the pop off the page and come to life. Even the supporting characters, like Dad's co-worker June, a well-meaning friend who tries unsuccessfully to help share the family's burden, and Uncle Marty, Dad's brother who's been down-on-his-luck of late, but offers his brother what help he can, are beautifully realized. There's a lot of valuable information here as well, for anyone who has a family member or friend who suffers from depression, and Billy travels a winding and surprisingly realistic arc that Young explores despite the difficult subject. This one comes highly recommended.

In this remarkable book the very versatile former Port Authority Director provides a clear and very persuasive arguement for the application of Natural Law principles. In Thomist style, Marlin presents opposing views and then tears them apart. Several current events are cited (in the US and Europe). I only wish the author addressed Robert Bork's opposition to Natural Law interpretations of US law. If you've enjoyed the works of Suarez, Harry V. Jaffa and Larry Azar, you'll love this book!

This extraordinarily lucid defense of what the Declaration of Independence calls "the laws of nature and of nature's God" against current practices that cheapen human life is addressed to those who are responsible for the social and political safety of our bodies and the freedom of our souls, but it is really for all of us. Particularly unusual and important is Mr. Marlin's exposure of the racism and Social Darwinism behind our "progressive" approach to birth, death, and genetic improvement. Also, he provides us with a little-known and very alarming insight into the ideas of such favorites of the culture elite as Oliver Wendell Holmes.

This is a very readable and scholarly volume, that covers the most important issues of our day. I would recommend this book to every person involved in public life. It will save their political careers and their souls!

I am the author. I never believed in reincarnation but after this little dog came into my life I think it must be possible. How else could little Duski do all the things she did? I would recommend this book to people who love dogs and especially to people who have experienced the death of a child. This story has given me hope that our lives are important no matter how long we live; that a life doesn't have to be long-lasting to have a profound affect on the people it touches.

This book's central theme affectionately embraces the potentiality of reincarnation. After all, what else could better explain the connection and the foreknowledge of little "Duski-Dog". Moreover, the book also exposes deeper, more profound reflections. The telling is warm and passionate. Readers will not want to stop reading this book, even after it is finished. Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, the true story could not be better told nor more tenderly experienced even if it was fiction. Keep tissues readily available, but be prepared to smile as well. ENJOY!

Do you believe in re-incarnation? If not, you will after you've read Duski's Story. Do you love dogs? If so, Duski will indeed capture you - heart and soul. This book is not a work of fiction - it is a true story. Moreover, it is written with intense feeling. It is as much a page turner as any mystery or detective novel you have ever read. Yes, there are some sad times, but they warmth of the underlying story overcomes the sadness.
I have read all of Susan's previous books. Each is a story of life - written with love and passion. Each one conveys a very special message. Each one captures your heart - as does Duski's Story. Duski is very, very, very special. You will love her.

I bought this book for a young girl (6) who recently lost her father to Leukemia. This book has a great message, and lets kids know it's okay to be sad sometimes, as well as move forward and be happy. It's written very well, and perfect for young children coping with the loss of a father. The book explored ways the girl can remember her Dad in the many things around her, and how those happy memories of her Dad are okay to smile about. I asked a few friends to read this book before giving it to the young girl, and they agreed it was a great story, and very nicely written. Not too negative, has a positive message, and very reassuring for a child in this situation. Highly recommended.

I gave this book to a friend who lost his wife to cancer and needed to talk to his children about ways to cope and remember her. The family read the story together many times and it helped to guide his discussion with his children. The story is great and the artwork is engaging for children. This book should be on the shelf of every physician, psychologist, or healthcare professional who deals with children who must cope with the loss of a parent. In fact, you can never tell when a client may lose someone important to them and this boook provides concrete strategies for helping children deal with loss.

When her father died, young Samantha Jane lost her smile. She feels such sadness because she misses her father so very much. Sammy Jane is also now worried about her mother and whether or not they can ever be happy again. Is it right to feel happy when her father can't be with her to enjoy what life has to offer? Deftly co-authored by Julie Kaplow and Donna Pincus, and very nicely illustrated with the artwork of Beth Spiegel, "Samantha Jane's Missing Smile: A Story About Coping With The Loss Of A Parent" will gently guide young readers and their families through the feelings, thoughts, and wishes that young children aged 4 to 8 experience when a parent dies and provides them with helpful tools for overcoming their natural and inevitable grief associated with such great loss. Simply put, "Samantha Jane's Missing Smile" should be a part of every elementary school and community library collection because every school and every community will, from time to time, have children who have lost a parent and stand in need of what Sammy Jane has to share with them.

This is a lovely story told from the perspective of Samantha Rose's older brother. It is a very useful resource for any child who has lost someone important in his/her life. The book allows children to remember, to grieve,to feel difficult feelings of loneliness, anger, sadness, to celebrate life... it reinforces that all of those feelings are normal and okay. The "real" pictures makes this a real story with real people...children and families who have experienced a similar loss will feel validation and support. I loved it!

Ruth Baer has written a powerful little book that is huge in love.
Her beloved granddaughter about 15 months old, dies. Everyone is devastated. This little spirit who was just beginning to explore her world with gusto, gone.
Heartbreaking.
What Mrs. Baer does is use that grief, not only as an homage to Samantha Rose, but has included photographs of her life and family and has been inspired by Samantha's older brother Jacob to put his perspective to these remembrances -
Although a child who has crossed over is gone, they never leave in our hearts. And for those who unfortunately have to deal with this kind of loss, this may be a good way to deal with surviving children's confusion and grief.
The back cover states that Mrs. Baer's book was inspired by Jacob, Samantha's brother's memories of his sister.
I would really have liked that simple statement to be included right at the start of Samantha's story - Jacob remembers when Samantha was born..
It is a small thing, but as I read, I wanted the story of this dear child's life to enfold without question whose point of view was telling the story - child or grandmother?
If you have faced this loss, my heart goes out to you - if you have other children, perhaps this book will be a catalyst to help the surviving children remember their lost sibling.

Ruth Baer wrote a book while she and her family were learning to live with the loss of her precious granddaughter-Samantha Rose. It is written from the thoughts and words of Samantha's older brother Jacob. This book is so well written that you are brought into this story as soon as you start to read it. Using the example of a beautiful flower...from it's first bud to its final petal...the reader shares the short lifetime of a little girl. It is certainly a very useful tool for anyone suffering such a loss and I expect that the book will find its way into the libraries of the professional people who help parents, grandparents, siblings and friends learn to deal with a tragedy of this magnitude. The use of real family pictures of Samantha, her brother Jacob, her parents and grandparents makes this book so much more meaningful.
Ruth Baer (the author) has been my closest friend for the past 40 years. I am so proud of her and just amazed at what she has created with such eloquence and grace. It has helped her come to terms with her loss and helped her family begin to heal.
I am so pleased to learn of the book's completion and publication that I already have a copy of the book in my library at home where it is among my treasured possessions.
Joyce B. Witover
Florida

Pat Brisson's Sky Memories is a poignant and brilliantly crafted story told with great sensitivity and insight.

Sky Memories is a touching story about Emily and the impending death of her mother from cancer. Together, the two collect scenes from the sky to remember and cherish, as the unthinkable event creeps closer. Impossible to put down, this slim volume speaks to young people and adults alike, who have had to confront such a loss and carry on. Beautifully illustrated with sensitive watercolors by Wendell Minor, this is a book to be cherished and shared. A reading specialist in Pa.

This is a tough book to review. It's touching, heart-warming, heart-wrenching, simple, complex, and I could go on. The funny thing about it is that it is only 70-something pages long and I picked it up randomly in the library and couldn't put it down. Of course, as the author intends, the book could be used to help prepare a child for the loss of a parent due to an illness. But it does something else, too. It helps the common person relate to an issue that may not happen to them at all, but to their neighbor, or their mailman, or their child's best friend. It's useful, yes, but it's beautiful, too. This one should be widely read.

Someone I Love Died By Suicide is a beautifully written and illustrated story that will help a child understand and cope with the loss of a loved one to suicide. The simple and direct language defines suicide and walks the child through the complicated grief process. Crossing 13

I bought this book for my daughter who is almost 12yrs old. It looks like a young child's book, but the words are meant for all! Must read for all child survivors of suicide. The book explains that what happened is not the child's fault. Which many children go through a stage of feeling the suicide was their fault. Children need to know from other sources than the ones who love them that it's not their fault - this book does that

As a trained psychologist and former Children's Program Coordinator at a local Hospice, I was very pleased to discover this compassionate and supportive book for children who have experienced the loss of a loved one due to suicide. The issue is sensitively handled, and practical and healthy ways of coping are facilitated. A helpful support for families faced with this loss and an INVALUABLE tool for all professionals who work with children and loss. A great resource for school personnel to have on hand as well!

dr. bongar's work is especially helpful for mental health professionals to help them understand and appreciate the experience through which the prospectively suicidal patient finds him or herself. like most books published by the apa, it is fairly exhaustive on research (although this review is written 4 years after publication and i acknowledge that a current revision would be welcome in a couple years), perhaps a bit theoretical, and does not provide succinctly written summaries for a busy professionals. it outlines clinical considerations and potential courses or action. it examines legal issues relevant to clinical intervention and failed intervention. the recommendations dr. bongar makes are excellent. this is not, in my opinion, a book for families or patients. i highly recommend this book for academicians and clinicians who wish to better understand and want to more effectively manage potentially suicidal situations. at $33, i think that the information i learned more than justified the purchase.

Dr. Bongar gives a practicing psychotherapist the information she or he needs to decrease the risk of suicide by a patient and effectively intervene with the suicidal patient.

Essential reading.

The Suicidal Patient by Bruce Bongar provides a much-needed manual for all practicing clinicians. Why do I say all? Well, if you are a clinician the odds are that at some point in your career you will encounter a suicidal patient. In fact, according to Bongar, even "student therapists have a one in three chance of experiencing a patient suicide or suicide attempt during their training years."

By taking a few simple precautions you can greatly minimize your chance of being sued. But, I believe, even more importantly, Bongar champions the idea that if you provide high quality care the odds of you being able to prevent a suicide dramatically increase. According to Bongar, high quality care happens when you have a real understanding of both clinical and legal issues and you apply this knowledge and tailor your approach to each individual.

Obviously you're a therapist, and not a fortuneteller, and so mistakes will happen. Why not learn the basics ahead of time so that you don't make stupid mistakes?

If you effectively deal with a suicidal patient, and he or she improves, then you may have just helped someone save his or her own life. I can't think of a better feeling than that, which is why Bongar provides you with a manual to effectively deal with the suicidal patient. Take responsibility for your practice and prepare for the worst because by doing so you may achieve the best outcome of all.

With that said, I want to be clear about the format of this book. It is written for clinicians. If you are looking for a self-help book this is definitely not for you. Bongar is a therapy researcher and so like much therapy research the book is somewhat dry. This is to be expected since the list of citations alone span thirty-eight pages. The fact that all this voluminous literature has been synthesized into one book is impressive indeed and one only need consider how dry it would be to read all the primary sources to realize the service that this book provides.

Specifically the book provides:
1. A history of suicide research and current theories and research in the field.
2. A comprehensive section on the legal issues involved in treating suicidal patients.
3. Many methods to assess patient risk including assessment protocols and case histories.
4. Best practices for treatment in both inpatient and outpatient settings
5. A section on risk management that includes suggestions for unfortunate event that the patient carries out a suicidal act.

i just finished this book, and am still reeling from the ending. it's a look into the future about how humanity bids itself goodby as it faces the challenges of limited resources by pitting the rich and priveleged against the poor. it's written from the standpoint of a scientist who used to be a member of the former, but due to circumstances beyond his control, was reduced to one of the latter. the dangerous journeys of the scientist is described in such vivid detail that the reader feels as if he or she is the one making the journeys itself, whether it be enduring the attacks by swarms of insects or barely surviving on sustenance provided by the bitter roots and leaves he finds along the road. it's one of those books that makes you think. i highly recommend this novel to anyone.

Quite a page-turner. Shriki creates an apocalyptic vision that's believable and very real. His characters seem to jump off the page. They are multi-faceted, complex people who engender real compassion from the reader. He takes us on a wild ride as we follow his protagonist down a steady decline towards the inevitible.

STEAL THIS BOOK!

This book is a roller-coaster ride through Heaven and Hell, all at a break-neck pace that will make you lose sleep trying to find out what happens next. Unlike too many books in this genre, the characters are fleshed-out and multifaceted, and each of them has both good and bad qualities. A truly satisfying read.