V Books

I haven't been a big fan of Schuller's other books. The ideas were good, but there was too much "fluff" along with the "stuff." Hurts into Halos breaks the mold by grappling with the real-world issues which afflict us all. Schuller reveals his own struggles and how his faith in God provided practical guidance for navigating difficult waters. I'm giving copies to many friends for Christmas.

This thought-provoking publication authored by the well-known Dr. Robert Schuller certainly should stimulate the curiosity of its readers. But to round out their spiritual education, they will benefit from the perusal of "From Here to Greater Happiness or How to Change Your Life for Good" by Joel Marie Teutsch and Champion Kurt Teutsch. First printed in 1959, their book really started the consciousness revolution, including assertiveness training and the holistic health movement. It certainly changed my life-and that of everyone I love and know-for good.

In choosing to respond appropriately to suffering you ensure that the experience leads to something beneficial. Free will is involved in that decision. Dr. Schuller writes, "I promise you that there is gain in every pain." Our reaction to pain is crucial! That choice determines whether we will expeience the benefits associated with the suffering process.

Hurts do not endure permanently. Pain passes. Trials end. He tells us to view pain as a process not an event. God has a purpose for everything. People who have made significant marks are the ones who have responded successfully to adversity. Thank God Dr. Schuller is in that group and left this work and others showing us that we too can make our way through life's challenges.

Dr. Schuller's first chapter is so aptly titled! "Welcome To The Human Race" - we are all hurting human beings! What sets us apart is our ability to recognize that the hurt is not punishment from God, but instead a reality of our life on earth. Schuller takes his reader through a series of practical analyses of hurt, in much the same way that Elisabeth Kubler Ross taught us to move through the stages of grief. How heavy is the hurt? How hardy (what is its lifespan)? and, How healthy is this hurt? He reminds us frequently that we must constantly examine our priorities and renew our faith that with God, all things are possible. Not an easy road to take, but worth it.

The book is written in an easy to follow manner and uses real life illustrations of both the author's personal struggles with hurt and those of others who survived life's worst tragedies and came out of these fires strengthened and renewed. Had Dr.Schuller omitted his own experiences, this would be just another sampling of inspirational story gathering. But as the "father of possibility thinking" was feeling victimized, he realized that he "needed to delve deep into the meat and potatoes of handling hurts and get over that seductive, self-absorbing, pity-party reaction." And he shares the wisdom of his exploration with us in an easy to read format that time and again reminds us of Schuller's powerful commitment to God.

Both believers and non-believers will find this book helpful as they search for the skills to cope with the hurts that come with divorce, death, destruction and our perceived failures. I liken it to Christian counselor Gary Smalley's teaching that we must learn to "treasure hunt" within a hurtful experience and find ways to bring acceptance and peace back to our lives.

This may be the ultimate gift book for a hurting friend!

I as all humans have been hurt during my life and didn't at times know where to turn. One day at the library I was I felt, being lead to read this most spiritual book.I know I must continue to read it at different times in my life to give me the strength to go forward,and change the hurts to halo's.

Great illustrations, characters and an amazing setting make Tut, Tut (Time Warp Trio) a fabulous find for young readers. There's plenty of laughs here for parents as well in this very well written novel.

Join Joe, Fred, Sam and Anna (Joe's sister) as they travel back to ancient Egypt through a book that lands them in quite a situation. The problem is that they need that same book to get back home, and they lost it!

There's non-stop adventure and some wonderful history that may well encourage young readers to seek out more information about this period of Egyptian history.

Recommended!

Time-traveling is not as cool as you think. Being mummified, being trapped in a secret room and having your friend almost eaten by a crocodile is not cool. But what is cool is being treated as a royal guest in Thutmose III's palace, sailing in his boat and teaching him basketball. So, if you like things that are cool and not, you should read this hilariously funny book.

The book was about three boys and a girl who go to Egypt through a book that one of the boys uncles gave him. They have to travel through Egypt and find the book to get back home and meet a little challenge along the way named Hatsnat. I liked this book because we had just learned about Egypt so that made it better to understand.

This book is exciting. You always want to turn the page. It is funny and interesting.It takes place in ancient Egypt.In Tut Tut there is a girl named Annie. She is 6 and two brothers. I would tell you to read it.The name is Tut Tut.

I give this book five stars because it is very funny. It is also adveturous. The characters in this story (Joe, Fred, Sam) get in a lot of trouble and Sam almost gets eaten by a crocodile. I don't want to say more because I want you to read it for your self. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Un frase diaria para cada día del año.. QUE INTERESANTE !

You have to read the signaled marvelous phrase for the day... that`s all in order to live better and happier

encontré el mejor instrumento para estar contenta y de buen animo todo el dia..
Leo una frase, entra a mi cabeza y no sale hasta por la noche...

NO SIRVE SOLAMENTE PARA PASAR BIEN UN RATO... SE TE METE A LA MENTE Y PASAS EL DIA CON TODA FELICIDAD Y SIN PENSAMIENTOS NEGATIVOS,...

¿Vieran como han diminuido las fricciones entre mi esposo y yo?

so that I can read a phrase each morning...
IT MAKES YOU FEEL SOOO GOOD !
Now, I don`t fight anymore at school... Because I keep a nice modd all day long !
IT`S GOOD FOR BAD TEMPERED KIDS LIKE ME

In the case of Jane Anne Staw's Unstuck, what matters most, is that the author has written the bible for writers who are blocked. I appreciate her lack of usage of the "B" word, but at the end of the day--Blocked is blocked and sometimes we all need a bit of fiber to get things moving! Make this gem a part of your writing resource library. You simply can't go wrong.

I've had a serious three year block and have tried desperately to get out of it. I had looked at several books about writer's block and all of them were feel-good garbage or throwaway 101 Tips to...

Staw's book is the best I found dealing with the subject. As one reviewer noted, it's difficult to even take time to read a self-help book, because you tend to feel that it's one more case of avoidance or procrastination and the hour it took to read could have been spent writing. But Staw has some salient, psychotherapy-based points about those feelings--guilt and avoidance. She emphasizes kindness to oneself instead of listening to the inner hypercritic, and while this might sound like feel-good nonsense, the way she writes about it makes sense and this technique pretty common in counseling. Her examples of patients experiencing writer's block range from mild to extreme--which made me feel better. This guide by no means got rid of my block, but in some ways it gave me (or allowed me to give myself) permission to write sloppily. There's no way I can write as well as I'd like to, certainly not while experiencing a block, and I feel that Staw really nails it when she points out how counterproductive this drive for perfection can be. I've since loosened up enough to start writing small things without caring so much about the outcome (these reviews for instance)--and it's been a pleasurable step in the right direction.

I'm using this book right now and it's a healing and compassionate book for writers. I was already writing again, but the book is helping me to go back and heal the gaps from decades ago when I quit writing. I hadn't realized that I needed to be healed as a writer. The need to write never went away even though I tried not to write. This book is helping me to understand many things. I can't say enough. It's a valuable book if you have ever felt hurt or discouraged as a writer. The author is perceptive and knows of what she speaks.

I am posting this review for a long-time friend and exceptional writer: "UNSTUCK offers us a mother lode of authorial insight, inspiration, and encouragement. Dr. Staw, the ultimate writer's empathist, speaks with the authority of an unblocked writer herself, making this handbook of discovery and recovery both an indispensable road map for overcoming writer's block and a trusty guide for avoiding its recurrence."

As a near-life-long collector of books on the art/craft of writing, I treasure them not just because of their professional wisdom but also because, well: they're so well written. I've placed UNSTUCK within the top part of that latter characteristic. Thank you for writing it. -- Larry W. Bryant

Unlike most books for writers, this one assumes that you are already a writer of some kind, and treats you intelligently and sympathetically, exploring the various fears that are common among writers and are at the root of writer's block, and ways to work through them. The book assumes that all writers have their own backgrounds, their own way of working, and their own individual quirks, so it does not prescribe a set program that everybody should follow. Instead, it talks about how to use your own personality and techniques to get you past the block and put your butt back in the chair.

Some of the examples seem pretty extreme. There are successful writers out there, apparently, who develop such a strong block that they have panic attacks when they sit down to write, or even just look at their computers. I figure if Dr. Staw's approach can help them, it can help me. I don't really fear writing (or do I? the book made me think about that), I just have trouble getting to it. Several times I read what she writes and thought, that's not me, then realized hours or even days later that the writers she describes aren't as different from me as I wanted to think they were. It gave me a lot of insight into the way I approach my writing, how I think about it, how I think of myself as a writer (a not-quite-real writer--there's a whole chapter about that).

The funny thing is, I realized early in the book that I was actually using the book as an avoidance technique to help justify not writing. After all, if I was reading about writer's block, then obviously I was doing something about it, so that's almost as good as writing. Of course, the best thing I could have done was put my butt in my chair and my fingers on the keyboard, even if only for a few minutes, rather than keeping my nose in a book. But I'm glad I read it anyway.

If you want to understand your writing mind, your fears about writing, how to get past that inner critic, and so on, the book is worth the time it takes to read it, and the time it takes to digest what you've read.

Dr. Ann Graber's book is an excellent resource for health and social service providers in a wide range of settings. The author's thorough approach to Dr. Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy is based on her years of experience as a pastoral counselor, scholar and teacher of Logotherapy. Ann Graber's book gives a social and historical context to Frankl's Meaning-Centered Logotherapy. She illustrates the principles and practical applications of finding meaning regardless of age or circumstances. The book is an exceptionally well written and documented resource for anyone interested in learning about the essence of Viktor Frankl's message for our times. I highly recommend it.

May I express my hearty enthusiasm for Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy by Ann V. Graber. It is such an affirming, hopeful and constructive approach. I recommend this book to all who care about others.

At first glance, I was unsure if this was a reading which would directly address some of the issues I was interested in learning more about as regards to logotherapy; since I am not a pastoral counselor. I certainly could not have been more mistaken, and would encourage the reader of this review not to hold the same preconceptions.

Dr. Graber's book contains not only a concise, relevant review of the history of Frankl's theory of existential analysis, but through the use of clinical case examples, taken primarily from her own work, demonstrates how these principles can be put to use in real life situations. Her use of history and perspective in regards to logotherapy is quite relevant and lays the backround in which this philosophy was developed. And her sense of compassion and realism toward her clients is a refreshing change from the psycho-babble often used in modern clinical write-up's.

Dr. Graber's book is helpful for both pastoral and secualar therapists and one I would recommend to all seeking to expand their knowledge and skills in the use of logotherapy.

This is an amazing book which traces the roots of Logotherapy through philosophy, history, and psychotherapy and presents it in an interesting, easy to understand format. Her treatment of the basic tenets of Logotherapy and the therapeutic interventions make it very accessible and her diagrams offer the clinician a good resource for materials to present to clients. I have been utilizing the theory of logotherapy in treating veterans with PTSD and have had extremely good outcomes with them. Graber's material has served as an excellent resource and has enhanced that endeavor. I highly recommend this work.

The evolution of Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy has been reflected in many texts. Dr. Graber, however, presents Frankl's work in a manner which is meaningful to the practitioner and lay person. This book is a definitive work outlining the techniques of Logotherapy offering case study applications to illustrate its potential. Dr. Graber guides the learner through the gold mines of potential inherent in Logotherapy with attention to avoiding the iatrogenic mine fields. This book is written with intelligence, wisdom, and sensitivity. It is a 'must read' for anyone interested in existential teachings, and a rich resource worthy of permancy in a personal reference library. Dr. Graber is a zen master in the art of Logotherapy offering the tools, insights, and hope that lead to healing and spiritual insight. This book truly illustrates the brilliance of Logotherapy depicting Frankl as a contemporary master of wisdom. He developed a vehicle to enter the dimension of spirit essential to holistic healing. His work challenges, cajoles, guides, and teaches the individual to find inspiration in each moment and the motivation to face each day with renewed hope. This is a world-class theory presented by a brilliant modern day master.

McCallum makes a wonderful presentation of the grace of God for all of us in Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul had his hands full just explaining how Christ fulfilled the law so that the works of sacrifices, holy days, and other procedural aspects of the law were no longer necessary in Christ.

Jesus never spoke of grace, but he demonstrated grace in his works. He told the woman that was taken in adultery that he did not condemn her, but to go and sin no more. The woman at the well also found grace in the eyes of our Lord. She happened to cross paths with Christ at the well and found so much satisfaction in Christ she left her waterpot at the well. Jesus could have railed on her for having five husbands and living in sin but he chose to present the remedy of his love. She became a flaming witness and pointed the entire town to Christ.

Jesus gave many parables regarding his return. At the second coming of Christ, Jesus will not be preaching grace but judging the church first and then the world. He said two shall be in the field; one shall be taken and one will be left. Jesus taught that those followers who are faithfully doing his will shall escape the tribulation and those who remain will have to endure it. Peter asked Jesus who he was talking to and Jesus responded with the parable of the steward. Those who do his will are blessed to enter the kingdom and those who are not shall be beaten with stripes in outer darkness. I wrote a book this year called Ready or Not, Here I Come to publish the gospel of the kingdom as preached by Christ. It's available on Amazon.com. Ready or Not, Here I Come Please do not deactivate this link. May grace and peace be multiplied to all of you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Take care. Steven A. Janda

Walking in Victory is a must read for any believer at any level of maturity. This book lays out some amazing truths from God's Word in a clear and easy to understand way. Mr. McCallum does an excellent job explaining how we can have victory day to day because as you will see in the book, Christ has already accomplished what we were never able to do. We have a new identity and learning about this new identity will change your life! This is also a great book to go through in a small group and study guides are available at [..].

Years ago, studying this book clarified key areas of the Christian life, helping me to finally get my own walk with God and ministry going. Victory lies in a believer's full acceptance before God based on Christ's atoning work on the cross. It's by understanding and focusing on this truth that Christians are able to develop lives of zeal, ministry effectiveness, and slow growth toward true holiness. Aside from the Gospel message itself, this concept, my identity in Christ, has been the most important lesson I've ever learned, and I haven't found a more sound explanation of it than in Walking in Victory. Now, I rely heavily on this book in mentoring students, and I'm able to see in them the fruit that is born from an informed and enthusiastic grace-focus.
The content matter, perfect for the scholar or new convert, is masterfully presented and extremely useful. McCallum skillfully mixes careful Biblical exposition and interpretation with down-to-earth application and insightful observations of human nature to create a work that is both provocative and practical.
I highly recommend this book to all believers who want to begin their walks with God on the right foot, who wish to deepen their appreciation of their identity in Christ, and who seek to help ground others in the firm foundation of grace.

I really like this author's body of work. I've read all his non-fiction. He's very objective and can sound a little bit like notes from a lecture. But it is also emotionally productive, without the bells and whistles, unlike many Christian authors, and has genuine feeling and vulerability to appeal to anyone's subjective sensibilities. This book is my favorite from this author. He wrote that walking with God is about tranformation by the Spirit, not a change of behavior. The author makes points about principles and leaves the reader in charge of how to purpose God based on teachings from the Bible. This message is biblical and encouraging to anyone who has accepted Christ but doesn't know what to do next. This book is not a self-help book. It's not a method plan. Many Christians love the book of Romans and should really take a look at this book as extracurricular. This book is not a substitute for reading the Bible but a companion, conversation piece, the result of the word of God in the author's live - which the author states could happen to anyone who wants a personal relationship with God through Christ.

If you've never understood God's acceptance and grace fully, this is a book you would definitely benefit from! McCallum obviously put a lot of thought into how he could make these deep truths easier to understand and apply. Personally, I love the tables sprinkled throughout this book. They do so much to make things clearer, and are a great resource for group bible studies!!

Some of the many tables found in this book:
<> Comparing Biblical and Modern Love
<> How the Means of Growth (Prayer, Word, Fellowship, Ministry) work together and affect one another.
<> Our Old Self (in Adam) vs. Our New Self (in Christ)
<> Living under the Law vs. Living in Grace

the ultimate guide, including all cetacean species known to mna, even the elusive beaked whales. Even inlcudes a species or two that had only been discovered by skulls. The illustrations for those species are the artist's impressions. The artist is the amazing marc carwardine. Excellent guide for cetacean lovers

Once again, reading the list of photo-credits at the back of this book is like reading the index in a "Who's Who in the world of Underwater Photography." This is an exciting book with colour photographs (though occasionally a map or diagram) on every single page and the standard of reproduction is as good as it gets.

As with "Sharks & Rays" (a book in the same series), the content is also as good as it gets and, if you only had room to pack a single book on the subject before setting out to discover some of these excellent creatures, then this book will satisfy all your requirements.

Commencing with their customary "Understanding" Whales Dolphins and Porpoises, the reader is then taken on a journey which provides a complete and wide understanding of these incredible creatures - many species of which remain on the brink of extinction. With sections on hunting, captivity, migration and much more plus a page dedicated to each specific species, this book is as complete as it should be and fully lives up to the promise in the title of being an "Ultimate" guide.

Altogether and excellent book and an essential addition to any scuba diver's library.

NM

Once again, reading the list of photo-credits at the back of this book is like reading the index in a "Who's Who in the world of Underwater Photography." This is an exciting book with colour photographs (though occasionally a map or diagram) on every single page and the standard of reproduction is as good as it gets.

As with "Sharks & Rays" (a book in the same series), the content is also as good as it gets and, if you only had room to pack a single book on the subject before setting out to discover some of these excellent creatures, then this book will satisfy all your requirements.

Commencing with their customary "Understanding" Whales Dolphins and Porpoises, the reader is then taken on a journey which provides a complete and wide understanding of these incredible creatures - many species of which remain on the brink of extinction. With sections on hunting, captivity, migration and much more plus a page dedicated to each specific species, this book is as complete as it should be and fully lives up to the promise in the title of being an "Ultimate" guide.

Altogether and excellent book and an essential addition to any scuba diver's library.

NM

This book is extremely useful to both the general reader and to those with a serious interest in cetaceans. The book is well organized for quick reference and beautifully illustrated to aid in species identification in the field. Cetaceans are grouped by family and unique characteristics are clearly defined and illustrated. In addition the book is lightweight and easily carried on a boat trip. Highly recommended.

My main objections to this field guide were the illustrations. Artistic renderings are often beautiful, but fail to portray the animal in question with accuracy. Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius)is a case in point. Although I have not observed this animal at sea myself, I spoke with a number of fellow fishery biologists who have spent time at sea as marine mammal observers and no one has ever observed a bright yellow Ziphius in the field. All observed a base color of grey with this genus, at least in the northeastern Pacific. The Tasmacetus rendering is most likely based on the J. Mammalogy (1976) paper by Watkins wherein an unidentified ziphiid whale (probable Tasmacetus) was observed from a bluff overlooking the sea in New Zealand. Useful plates were those showing all similar cetaceans together; eg. all oceanic dolphins without prominent beaks, all oceanic dolphins WITH prominent beaks etc. The ziphidae plates show male Mesoplodon characteristics, but that is to be expected since solitary female ziphiid whales, especially Mesoplodon sp., could be virtually impossible to identify. My own field guide preferences use photographs rather than artistic renderings. Other problems: The distribution maps to not reflect the full distribution (extralimital observations/strandings) of many species. An example: Psuedorca is shown as a species with a distribution much further south than observations/stranding records indicate. The text does suggest that 'numerous records' exist outside of the more tropical distribution shown in the map. Note also that many of the dolphin renderings are positioned so that the dorsal fin is right where the pages meet. We did get a chuckle over the photograph showing what you should wear when watching whales, but that can be explained by our 'silly scientist' bias. One note for potential whale-watchers: do not allow your binocular strap to lie right on the skin of your neck while at sea as you can wear painful wounds into your neck through a day of whale-watching. Make sure your shirt collar or other clothing lies under that silly strap! Voice of experience!

This is such a great book to go with such a great song! The illustration is wonderful as well. I definitely recommend it for little ones.

This book is wonderfully illustrated. The colors are so vibrant and shiny! My 6 year old grandchild just loves it and if you know the melody to the words, they'll love it even more. A wonderfully, positive outlook on life for children in such a uneasy world today! A must have for kids today!

OMG--this book is awesome... I first saw this book at my daughters preschool. the children loved singing it at storytime. I buy this book for my nephew/nieces, and friends children for birthdays. I also bought this for the Kindergarden teacher... Its very basic, and the illustrations are very colorful.. My daughter is 8 now and still gets it out..

My baby is 9 months old. A few weeks ago our teacher read this book to us in our mom and baby class and all the babies were mesmorized by it's beautiful pictures, accompanied by the music of Louis Armstrong that was playing in the background. I quickly found it on Amazon and ordred it for my baby. We've read it together several times and he always lights up and squeals excitedly when he sees it. I love how versatile it is because I can read it, talk about the pictures, "sing" it, or play the song and just follow along with him. I am planning to enjoy this book with my son for a long time to come. The only minor issue for us is that the book has regular paper pages (I couldn't find a board book version) so if I let my baby play with it he would instantly destroy it and he sometimes gets frusterated when I hold it in front of him but out of his reach.

As a K-5 music teacher, I use this book to provide a visual aid as I sing "What a Wonderful World" to the kids. They love it, I love it, and it is a wonderful way to learn song! The pictures are a little on the hokey side and illustrate a puppet show (Satchmo included!), but for K-3, it is age-appropriate and enjoyable.

I've had this cook book for years. My copy is stained and sad looking, while my Julia Child still looks new after 25 years. I find favorite recipes here and it's true that you'll find something to cook with those random ingredients that you've pushed to the back of the cupboard.
The chick-pea chili recipe is an all time favorite in my house.
You won't go wrong with this book - and you'll discover the kinds of non perishable staples to keep on hand so that you can whip up something tasty, filling and comforting at a moment's notice without a quick supermarket run.

Enjoy!

We use this a lot and have also given it as a gift. Very useful for a student or someone who is on a budget. Arthur Schwartz is an excellent writer, so the book is entertaining even if you aren't looking for a recipe.

Right on, all you discerning people. This is the ONE cookbook among a myriad that I WOULD NOT give up. It's as good to read as it is to cook from. The cabbage and noodles, kugel variation --- super! It's as valuable for a sophisticated cook as for a beginner.

This is the best idea book ever! He takes bland staples and
gives you a recipe! One day I was confounded, feeling flu and at
home. I saw the recipe for Oriental Lemon Sauce for Noodles.
Lemon juice, soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic and sesame oil! All
the things that fight infection! His simple little recipes have
actually taught me how to cook, or at least illustrated cooking basics. From wilted celery soup, to microwave peanut brittle, nomatter what you don't have on hand, there is a recipe to satisfy what staples you do have on hand!

I have hundreds of books and a couple dozen cookbooks, but if I were only allowed to keep one book out of all of them, this would be it. Every time I serve something from this book, people ask for the recipe; Thanks to this book alone, I've acquired a reputation as a brilliant cook! True, he goes a little heavy on the lemon and a little light on the garlic, but that's a matter of taste, and anyway there's plenty of room for making your own notes, and the non-glossy paper takes pencil.

What a brave woman this author is. She bears her soul for all to read. Her heart wrenching journey leaves you feeling hopeful in the face of any adversity and truly empowered as if all things really are possible.
I count Connie May fowler as one of my living heros!

Haven't we all wished at one time or another that we had talked the significant others in our beloved's past?!?!


After knowing and teaching with Connie May for a number of years, I waited far too long to read Katie; Connie May had left the building. And I now long to share my thoughts with her.

Her compelling memoir strikes a chord with anyone who has walked away from the carnage of a love/hate relationships, and of the fear that forces one to stay too long.

I will say that Connie Mae's courageous relevations bring to the surface the consequences of failing to "out" the abusive for fear of sounding like a victim, even though, typically, an abuser--be their tactics verbal, psychological, physical--or any combination thereof, trumps the will of their partner with the ploy of taunting and by suggesting that "you enjoy playing the victim role."

These masters of their own game create a nearly unbreakable cycle by constant character atacks that serve to undermine ego structures,and emtional equillibrium. The resulting co-dependency morphs into a version of the Stockholm Syndrome, wherein ties to the captor are reinforced.

As anyone who has experienced this "crazy-making" life knows,it is a long, hard recovery, but failure to expose exploitaton is like an endorsement that permits him/her to move on to yet another target, whom he/or she will expertly convince that the former spouse,lover or colleague was "crazy" and presenting themselves, instead, as the abused.


Connie May's courage makes us all want to stand up and shout!

There's no question Connie May Fowler is a gifted story teller and extremely talented writer. Some passages are so searing and full of truth I've gasped when reading them. Unfortunately, the story she tells here is not fiction. I won't go into the plot because other reviewers have.
But I will say that this book will open up the eyes of readers who wonder why rape and domestic violence can damage people so deeply. In telling her story, Fowler goes further - also showing how 'teasing' and discrimination against someone because of the appearance of their face can cause deep and life-lasting scars. So far, the latter is a problem barely touched on by authors and psychologists.
Read this book with an open mind, and you'll find her story underscores how cruelty, shaming and bullying can almost blow out the flame of a promising human being before she even gets a chance to realize her own talent.
Conversely, this book demonstrates how kindness and compassion can help a suffering soul survive and even bloom.
Fowler is never pitiful and pathetic, and even when the most degrading acts are done to her, she remains a person with dignity.
Free from cruelty and shame at last and embraced by love, the real Connie Fowler emerges in the end.

Connie May Fowler's, "When Katie Wakes" is masterful glimpse into the soul of a battered women. I could not put this book down once I started and I finished it in an afternoon. A heartfelt account of one women's journey from both inner and outer torments to wakefulness and a sort of freedom, I would recommend this book to anyone. Fowler's easy writing style opens the door for us to descend easily into the hell that is home to the battered woman. Often wondering exactly what is was that kept a woman from mentally walking away from her abuser when she could physically do so, Fowler's insight has put the answer into perspective and I will never have to ask that question again.

When you get right down to it, authors like Connie May Fowler are not much different than the rest of us. Fowler bears the scars of a horrific childhood and early adulthood, one strewn with the wreckage of a shattered self-image fueled by the alcoholic abuse of her mother and the degradation of a hideous relationship with an older man. She, as have many of her readers, has suffered through despair thick enough to reduce her to attempted suicide and has faced the depths of self-abdication so profound that she began to absorb the very evil identity her tormented partner imposed on her.

What makes Fowler different from us, however, is language. In her hands, words make anguish palpable, sadness tangible, struggle imperative. As an author, Fowler is able to make sense of her life, and, in so doing, help us make sense of ours. "When Katie Wakes" may well be the most brutally coarse and ugly memoir you will ever read, but, at the same time, one of the most beautiful and impassioned pleas for individual integrity and indomitability ever composed. It is nothing less than a masterpiece.

Though Ms. Fowler credits her adoption of a loyal and loving dog, Katie, as the symbolic act of reclamation and reaffirmation of life, she sells herself far short. The grandchild and child of abused women, the child Fowler becomes the target of her drunken mother's rage. The Fowler children become adept actors, hiding the shame of family disgrace and brutality under the veneer of achievement. Keeping verbal assaults invisble, preventing others from recognizing the constant physical beatings absorbed by Mama, Connie's family life resembled "smoke and mirrors, deception and shame." A "wall of silence" shrouded suffering. As a child, Connie received sustenance from words and books, and her resultant triumph as an adult vindicates her choice. Her older sister, however, absorbs and internalizes the viciousness of her home, and, consequently, develops anorexia as an adult.

In a remarkable self-portrait, Fowler describes a wretched adult woman, unloved, unlovable, disgusting and repulsive. Her self-hatred is "untainted and unhinged." She believes herself "so ugly" that only an abusive, impotent, failed radio celebrity would be willing to love her. Yet, there is not a single note of self-pity in this wrenching memoir. Fowler reminds us that her mother's life, obliterated from a childhood rape, transcends her own in loss. Mama was "an angry woman who believed life had let her down. And it had." From disappointment to the target of her own husband's physical abuse, Fowler's mother recirculates and intensfies the pain, deliberately deflecting it on her children.

As a young woman, Fowler has not escaped her mother's imprint. Indeed, her chosen partner encapsulates her mother's jagged opinion. Tense is irrelevant when Fowler hears herself described as "stupid," or "an ungrateful whore," or a "lousy excuse" of a lover or daughter. When she hears her mother decry her existence, "I wish...I had died the day you were born," Fowler must come to grips with an essential life choice: descent into emotional self-immolation or ascent into a struggle for life and affirmation.

"When Katie Wakes" bravely portrays Fowler's battle for identity and wholeness. Her steadfast determination to "take responsibility for my own happiness, for my own sense of self-worth" is the best medicine for any person struggling to make sense of inner turmoil and despair. When she proclaims her need to discover "what my placer in the world should be," she speaks for any person on the cusp of a life-altering decision searching for the courage to embrace life's potential. This emotion-laden memoir is eloquent testimony to the ability of one person to wrestle life from death, hope from despair, the future from the past.