Suicide Books

We lost our son to suicide and I found this a very comforting book. You can read it in one night but the message is great. All I can say it can happen to any family.

This book has been very helpful to my family since my brother's suicide, in fact so helpful my mother and stepfather ordered multiple copies for the extended family and I have ordered copies for church and friends. Having lived through the suicide death of his son, the author is able to put into words the horrible grief such a loss generates.This is a spiritual, not a clinical, perspective on suicide. Rev. Ritter is very open and honest in sharing his feelings and thoughts. I found comfort and hope for healing in this book.Between us we have read several books and the consensus is this is the best.

Although Reverend Ritter bases his book on sermons given after his son committed suicide, his words are relevant for anyone who is experiencing the agony of loss and at any stage of the journey. This small book is honest, powerful, comforting, and hopeful.

When I began reading The Turning Hour, the voice of the teenaged Bergin reminded me of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. As I continued reading, however, I found myself immersed in a story written without gimmicks or guile that portrayed ordinary people grappling with an extraordinary situation. Shelley Frazer Mickle develops the portraits of people striving to connect with one another, but missing the mark until a desperate cry for help forces them to learn to know and cherish one another.

As I read, I anticipated the revelation of a secret, an ancient trauma or tragedy, that would explain why a young girl would give up on life. No such formula followed. What I found instead was a journey through the mysteries of the heart as ordinary people interact with one another amidst the many demands on their time and energy. Through the eyes of Bergin and her mother Leslie, we get to know each of these people gradually, layer upon layer, like watching the creation of a painting, while the language of the narrators lend authenticity to their characters and their stories.

This is a story that would appeal to anyone interested in learning how to love and how to deal with disappointment at the hands of those who would love them. It is of particular value, however, to anyone who has ever had to deal with a suicide or attempt by someone close to them. And therapists may take instruction from a portrayal of a therapist who facilitates discovery in her patients of what lies within their own hearts rather than trying to lead them to preconceived answers.

Richard A. Moskovitz, MD, author of Lost in the Mirror: an Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder and Carousel Music: a Novel.
Lost in the Mirror, 2nd Edition: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder
Carousel Music

this is a book about teenage sucide. The author demonstrated great sensitivity for the readers. The subject matter for all who have adolescent children is a difficult one. Yet, I came away with so much knowledge and insite that I wasn't appalld by the topic,as I thought I would be. Again, the author does a good job describing Bergins (victim's name) interruption of what was troubling her. I found it most insightful of the therapist treatment(homework assignments) for Bergin. Atlas, a happy ending and for the reader a clear understanding of what was going on in Bergins mind and what she was feeling.
Especially recommended for adolescence from divorced homes.

This is a book about a teenage suicide. From start to finish the book was sensitive to the reader re the subject matter. A difficult subject, indeed. I found the book insightful into the mind of a teenager and her way of interrupting life and her particular situation. The cause for her to take her life had an extraordinary simple explantion ,yet, the obvious was hidden
from all those who loved her due to the comman everyday ciurcumstances in their own life. The author keeps the readers interest throughout the book . Bergin's (girl victim) interaction with her psychiatrist was the best of all . The Simple homework given Bergin had a healing affect on the reader as well.
I enjoyed this book .Perhaps, because it had a happy ending or perhaps I totally shared with Bergin the healing effects of her treatment and a genuine understanting about sucide and some of the reasons why a young girl would want to end it all.
I think the book helps me to be a better mom not to look through my child or put his needs second to mine at any point in his vunerable life. He too comes from a home of divorced parents. The author makes the reader sensitive to the communication she has with her children and to how vulnerable our precious adolescent truly are. A good book!

I think that this book was well written and shows the difficulties that the men and women in Law enforcement face each day. They are very fortunate to have Ms. Samuels as their physchologist. She is a very caring and hands on therapist. I am niether a phychologist nor am I in Law enfrocement but know Ms. Samuels well. In reading her cases one wonders how she can go home at night and lead as norrmal a life as she does. Every law enforcement agency should read this book as should the students at the Police Academy.

Incredibly informative and accurate, wonderful book. Every officer should read this, no matter how long they've been on the job.

John Violanti and Stephanie Samuels bring it all together in "Under the Blue Shadow," a book that explores the psychological dangers of a police career with compelling case studies. No punches are spared as they look at the root causes of police suicide, the frequency of posttraumatic stress and the roadblocks too many officers still face in finding adequate treatment from their departments. Unlike the officer in a shooting, in which departments will fly in the world's greatest surgeons, they point out, the traumatized officer is frequently offered the least treatment at the least cost--and a hasty return to the patrol unit whenever possible.

In addition to exploring complex trauma (trauma occurring from multiple events over many years in a career) and suicidal ideation, the authors examine the phenomenon of "suicide by cop" and, conversely, "suicide by suspect." Samuels raises pertinent questions about the widespread policy of taking away the weapons of all officers suffering from stress related injuries. Because this "degunning" is not done by licensed professionals and may actually do more harm than good, she suggests the procedure be done for officers taken off duty for heart ailments and broken ankles as well (the responsible alternative, of course, being that such actions should be determined by a professional, not an untrained police administrator).

Excellent recommendations are made for the treatment of traumatized officers, to which police organizations should pay heed: individual debriefings by licensed professionals, assignment of liaisons for injured officers, therapy on company time, and enhanced training.

"Under the Blue Shadow" is an important book. Violanti continues his reputation as America's foremost authority on police psychology, and Stephanie Samuels shows herself to be a voice of great value as well.

Jeffrey Harrison's poetry is clean and moving; he lights up areas of feeling which are usually hidden. His scenes grow more vivid in the mind after reading rather than fading.

Harrison's collection is appropriately housed inside a somber dark gray cover with the title emerging like words etched into stone. The title refers both to the suicide of the poet's brother and to his own undertaking of the task of confronting this loss. Initially begun out of a desire to understand, the speaker ultimately comes to understand what he is told by a detective: "You'll never really know." In the end his task is to remember and to honor the life of his brother. And that Harrison does in fourteen beautifully crafted poems-a prologue, the 12-part title poem, and an epilogue. Harrison runs the gamut of emotions: shock, guilt, love, sorrow, and even an occasional moment of humor. This is what grief is. It would be easy to indulge in emotionalism and sentimentality, but Harrison never does; the poems are restrained, always under the poet's control, and always touched by a formal elegance. "An Undertaking" is a loving tribute to a brother, a fitting memorial, and a promise not to forget.

Jeffrey Harrison's beautiful letterpress chapbook of poems An Undertaking, is a tight sequence that moves through the immediate shadow of his brother's suicide. The tone is measured, attentive to facts and details as Harrison navigates a complex process that puts the five stages of grief to shame. His is the aftermath life, the forever stage of being "constantly aware" of his brother's death. The poems seem stark and spare with a kind of honoring bluntness, and that is their honesty: there is no way to be lush enough to flesh out with words, bring back to life. With a kind of lyric pointillism, the sequence moves through the call, telling the children, reading the note, sorting belongings and socks, wearing the brother's ring, returning to the note.... Harrison knows it's a deceptive thoroughness. Poets have long and un-relentingly written about what is beyond explanation and here Harrison is right at home. A finely printed edition.

Bart Speaks Out On Suicide is, without a doubt, the most helpful resource I have ever seen to work with young children on the topic of suicide. The photography is excellent and goes well with the book. It really helps to make Bart seem alive. The book's ability to allow children to directly interact makes it child friendly and a great resource for grieving children and parents. Thank you, Linda.

Great for helping children deal with a loved one's suicide. It Really helps.

A family dog talks about his confusion, hurt and grief when his owner committs suicide. After each of Bart's comments, the child is invited to write, draw or insert a photograph.

I liked the fact that the book slowly works up to a discussion of the suicide itself. It does not traumatize the child by hitting the intense topic too hard or too soon. The book starts with more concrete and immediate events and feelings related to a death. Later in the book, Bart explains about suicide. Through the dog, the child is invited to discuss family and individual reactions to the suicide. Family members express concerns that they might have contributed to the suicide but are then reassured that it was not their fault. The book does not blame the individual who killed himself. However it emphasizes that there are other ways to deal with depression and despair.

I found this book exrtemely unique...I have read so many books in my life, but this one will stick in my mind. It is about an ordinary teenager in an extraordinary position. Meg was just an ordinary highschool freshman. Then, she meets Rea, whom Meg considers a very nice girl. But then Meg hears some incredible rumors anbout Rea, and the worst happens...but I will leave the details for you to read!!!

What Are They Saying About Me? By Maureen Wartski

This book is a wonderful book; my favorite one. It's about a girl name Meg Fairling who starts a new year at a new high school. On the first day, she meets a girl named Rea Alvarez, who is shy, but Meg still likes her.

But then, she meets a group of girls who are really the most popular girls in school. They tell her things about Rea that she's sure is not true. She doesn't know who to believe, which eventually has somewhat to do with the devastating thing Rea does later in the book.

When Rea committs this act, Meg tries even harder to find out what's true and what's not. She soon finds out that the girls have their own secret club where they worship Greek goddess, Diana. Others in the school call them the "Hunters". When Meg starts searching for the truth a bit too much, her and her friends' lives are put in danger! By Carolyn O'Neil

This is my favorite book. Meg's situation brought me to tears at times. I understand the hopeless feeling--girls at my school tend to be just as viscious. I also like the mystery element...Is Diana Angeli good or bad? Is she really "The Evil Angel" that Rea's grandmother called her? This book is one sure to stir up debate. Maureen Wartski has done a wonderful job! --Claire

I initially bought this when my young sister-in-law died and I had to explain it to my 3 year old. It was so phenomenal that I loaned it out to friends who lost family to help their children deal with their grief. Now that my father is terminally ill, I have had to buy it a second time because I know that my now five year old and her three year old sister need it desperately to help them. I am also planning to buy copies of it for the local hospitals for kids visiting loved ones and kids who are ill. A fantastic book.

I first looked at this book while my mother was terminally ill. I thought it was thoughtfully written, but too open-ended for my family; we believe in a specific sort of afterlife, and I thought this book might water down what we have already taught our children about what happens after death.

However, after my mother died, I found myself recalling this book, and simple as it was, it still had something to teach this adult. I remembered the various answers the narrator receives to his question, and the truth of each one hit me at various times while I was first grieving. Just the memory of this picture book comforted me.

I look forward to sharing this book, with its soothing (but not boring) illustrations, with my 4-year-old and my 10-year-old. (The 10-year-old is older than the target audience, but if Mom can learn from it, he can too.)

This was just the book we needed when my sister died. It helped us explain it to our young children (ages 3 and 5).

When I taught a graduate seminar on Virginia Woolf at Iowa State University, I told my students to read this book if they wanted, as students always do, to understand the multitude of reasons for Woolf's suicide.

Most biographies skirt the responsibilities of the other people in Woolf's life -- the exact topic that Alma Bond takes on so thoroughly. This book had to be written exactly because other writers have not been willing to examine all dimensions of Woolf's death. Hurray for Alma Bond for applying her psychoanalist's expertise on this literary/historical subject!

Virginia Woolf, born to Leslie and Julie Stephen in 1862, came into a world that was stacked against her chances of emotional success. Both her parents and close family members had emotional problems she could not avoid. This background formed a vital part in preventing Virginia from forming a close bond with her mother. The result of this was that she suffered from unresolved emotional problems for the rest of her life.

All of her life, Virginia found herself immersed in the world of art and literature. Her father was considered by many to be her mentor in nurturing her talent at an early age. Leonard, her husband, protected her against outside pressure that most writers face from critics, editors and the like. Her lover, Vita Sackville - West, she was the conduit to allow Virginia's genius to reach its peak. Woolf always needed the help of others to survive.

Virginia ran into problems at the two most important stages of a child's emotional development. They are known as Symbiosis and the Rapprochement stages. If the infant experiences any breakdown in these processes, the consequences can be severe and last a lifetime.

Symbiosis occurs between the first to fifth month of a child's existence. It is the stage of sociobiological interdependence between mother and child. Rapprochment occurs around the age of two, where the child seeks to be reunited with the mother, after finding the outside world too hard to cope with. When Virginia wanted to be reunited with her mother, her mother was not available to her. This inability to be as one with her mother affected Virginia all of her life. It led her to be constantly plagued by alternating states of mania and depression.

The Stephen and Woolf family members had a repetitive behavior pattern. They only gave to others a little of themselves, to ensure they would not lose part of themselves. It did not occur to them that by allowing a part of themselves to be consumed by another being, in a caring and sharing relationship, that this would not destroy their self. Indeed it would strengthen their belief in themselves and make them a more emotionally robust person, to take on and conquer what the world might throw at them.

Virginia Woolf wrote: "Every secret of a writer's soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written in his works."

Doctor Alma Bond believes that this is indeed true of the works of Virginia Woolf. The writer's internal anguish about what problems were confronting her at various stages of her life flowed through into her novels. This characteristic of Woolf, allowed the author to utilize her professional skills to present to the world the tormented soul of a very talented person.

This is the most interesting book I have read in a long while. I thoroughly recommend it to those who wish to be entertained and gain a better understanding of themselves as well.

After seeing "The Hours" I knew I had to read more on Ms Woolf. What a great woman she was. What a great tragedy when the world lost her.

This book is definitely a must for anyone wanting to know Virginia Woolf.

I really enjoyed this story line. Thought provoking and even disturbing, it holds up the mirror to a not so far fetched societal scenario. Buddy Scalera does a very nice job showing the effect television and media in general can have on the populace, on many different levels. The art work is quite impressive, and the attention to detail in the production quality is stunning, down to the glossy pages. VERY WELL DONE!

I thought the story really grabbed you and pulled you. I didn't want to put it down, and even after I finished reading it I kept wondering what is going to happen next. I don't usually read comics, but this series is very good.

After a Suicide Death is a fabulous activity book for grieving kids. It's simple, direct and will bring comfort to any child suffering from the loss of a loved one to suicide. It provides wonderful activities that address what is suicide, feelings, dreams, talking about suicide with friends, going back to school and remembering the person who died. A wonderful resource!Crossing 13

This is a great book for greiving children who have lost a loved one to suicide. Simple, direct and easy to understand.