Clubs Books

Waiting For The Morning: A Mother And Daughter's Journey Through Alzheimer's Disease is a profound, personal testimony. Author Brenda Parris Sibly presents her poetry, caregiving journal, helpful advice for those who are struggling to adapt to caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's. Waiting For The Morning is sensitive, thoughtful, occasionally inspiring, and always highly recommended reading. Parting Thoughts: I didn't fix things/by being here,/and more of my trying/brought you much cheer./The flowers I planted/will be a mockery/if they bloom again/without you to see./There'll be no more Christmas--/no holidays again--/for you were everything/in my Christmas plans./I feel a cold chill/all the way to my soul,/but Mama, please know,/that I love you so.

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..wanted to be the first to review this book!

I was probably among the first visitors to Brenda Parris Sibley's web site, "A Year to Remember...with My Mother and Alzheimer's Disease," back in 1996. I had a special interest in Alzheimer's, because our family had just come through our own care-giving journey. Our grandmother, who we cared for in our home for seven years, had died in May of '96 a little over a month after Brenda's mother passed away. I visited her site many, many times over the next few years.
I thought it was wonderful!

I have just finished reading "Waiting for the Morning" and it has touched me in a way I honestly did not think it could. As far as caring for an Alzheimer's victim, I've experienced it all. All the emotions; the guilt of not being patient enough, the longing to bring this person back, for just a little longer, that feeling of being "in control" one day, and in the depths the next, not knowing how I would survive another minute. Yet, while reading Brenda's journal I found myself snickering, remembering the silly moments, and holding back tears recalling the heartache. I was right there in that little house with her, loving her Mom and feeling the emotion of every stage of this cruel disease. For some reason it was a good feeling.
Maybe like surviving a battle and feeling camaraderie with a fellow soldier.

How I would have loved to read this book while I was caring for "Gram"!
Brenda is learning as she goes along, trying different things to make her Mom comfortable, recording it all in her journal. She shares information she has read, and tries to figure out the things that seem to cause her mother's agitation so she can avoid them. It is very informative, and I believe would be a very comforting support to any caregiver. Just to see that what they are experiencing with their loved one, although so very difficult, is not unusual and that the resulting emotions they feel are normal as well.

But I now realize-even more than before- that Brenda and I were "in the trenches" at the very same time, learning and failing; but coming through it with stories that will hopefully make the way just a little more comforting to those going through it now.

....And the poetry!
Brenda's poetry is so wonderfully honest and touching. I am filling up with tears just thinking about it. It is really special.

It was very moving to read of Brenda's grief, and how she worked through it. Isn't it amazing that this very difficult and life changing experience has resulted in the development of the web-site that many would consider the "hub" of all the Alzheimer's care giving sites?
What a wonderful memorial to her Mom, and a victorious overcoming of such a difficult experience.

.......Thank you Brenda for all of your efforts!
Mary B Walsh (author of "One Family's Journey Through Alzheimer's)

`Waiting for the Morning' accurately and honestly depicts the decline of Alzheimer's disease, each and every stage, along with the devastation imparted unto the caregiver in the process. Brenda's guilt emanates throughout: `You pleaded with me to come home, so I did. Mama's baby came home, but you don't know me. I'm too late - Alzheimer's came first.' She blames herself for the natural progression of this hideous disease; while at the same time the reader is so acutely aware of her undying love for this woman who raised her. Brenda's pain is also evident: `This is the hardest thing about Alzheimer's. Whenever she remembers that she has a daughter by my name, she worries about her - not understanding that I've been right here with her all along.' This part hit me hardest: the utter loss of her mother's awareness before her body left.

Each chapter tells the tragic story of a woman whose mind is breaking; whose switches are shutting down, one by one; and of the daughter whose unswerving commitment bears the brunt and the blame for everything which happens. Brenda's book is truly about exactly what she says in the beginning `Learn from my mistakes; know that you are not alone; and most of all, cherish the time you have left with your loved one'. These words come from great wisdom, borne out of harsh experience and unfailing love; calling out to those who follow behind her in their own journeys. If you want to know the truth, read this book. Within its covers, the `way in the wilderness' will become obvious to you. Brenda lived it - with her heart's intent being that you might be spared and enlightened as a result of the words which she penned.

Waiting for the Morning is a wonderfully written journal by Brenda Parris Sibley. If you want to know what Alzheimer's disease is all about, this is a must read book! From the very beginning, when Brenda returns home to care for her mom, we can feel the constant roller coaster ride as she tells of her experiences. Brenda expresses her thoughts and emotions so well that you feel as if you are also right there! Her book clearly shows the love she had for her mother and the guilt which overtakes her as she cannot stop this dreaded disease. Her thoughts and feelings teach us to treasure each moment as a caregiver and the blessings that come with it. She also shows us that there is life after caregiving ends and we gradually find our way back into the world. Her poems are beautiful and the pictures make you feel as if you always knew her mom. There are many references for suggested reading, so together with her story, anyone who reads Waiting For The Morning will come away much richer and blessed!

This book brought back the wonderful world of Big Biba. I was 19 and in London for the first time when my friend and I walked into Big Biba. What an amazing site--I felt like Alice in Wonderland just stepping into a fantastic new world. We had never seen anything so splendid, creative, beautiful. We didn't have much money to spend but I bought eye shadow, lipgloss, and grapefruit face toner. I kept the bottle for years as a keepsake. I wish the book had even more photos but the ones that are in it are wonderful. What a great way to relive these memories! I recommend this book for anyone interested in fashion, design, the 1970's, or if you were ever lucky enough to have visited Big Biba.

This book makes me want to go back in time and step out in 60's London and experience Big Biba. Such a great story with so many fantastic photos that really capture the punkiness of the atmostphere. Great book. I highly recommend experiencing Big Biba.

What else can I say but buy this book to travel back to a time when fashion was fun! A great read and a treasure to own.

For those who were there, it brings back memories. For those who were not, "Big Biba" shows what you missed. For everyone, a look through this over-sized picture book will fill you with awe-- how could this have been???? But it was... Although, as a transatlantic visitor, I had mixed opinions about Big Biba (see reviews of "The Biba Experience"), it was still a wonder to behold. Time has done nothing to dilute that wonderment. In fact some of the most successful retail concepts (Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters for example) lightly but lovingly tiptoe down the Biba path. "Big Biba" is a classy 96 pages of heavyweight stock including a repro of the 16-page Opening Day Newspaper and a garment hangtag for use as a bookmark. Barbara Hulanicki herself writes the forward and doesn't dwell too much on the crash-and-burn aspect of the Biba phenomenom. As she shouldn't. Biba was obviously a product of its times, and now we have this lovely book for all time.

I found the book quite complete, except it teaches nothing about an important subject as stripping the Welsh Terrier, which was one of my basic reasons to buy it! Besides that, it has a lot of general info about the breed, how to take care of your dog, etc. It also has half a dozen very nice pictures of good examples of this breed.

A must have book for every Welsh Terrier parents, he, he. Excellent book to read.

To the author, thank you! Hudson's just 18 months old, and we've had your book only a week, already we have learned so much we have a happier house and feel more confident that we can have a happier more productive relationship with this breed.

The book is breed specific and each section covers important aspects of the Welsh Terrier. I've seen books like this for other breeds where as much as half the book was the same information found in other books on other breeds.

This one is specific and filled with enough information to help you understand and care for the Welsh Terrier breed.

Very nicely done, great pix, for the Welsh Terrier owner or fan

WOW..FINALLY A BOOK FOR THOSE OF US HOOKED ON GUYS WHO WON'T GROW UP..REALLY INSIGHTFUL AND SOOOO HELPFUL..I AM LEARNIN HOW TO FLY..SARAH.

From beginning to end, "Wendy's Club" is one terrific read! Ms. Craine writes with wisdom, insight, compassion, and humor. I found this book to be an inspiration - you will, too!

This is a short but intensive course to help women make better choices, not only in their relationships with men but in all aspects of their lives. Good and worthwhile read!

This is a book that the majority of all females need to read. Ms. Craine is a well known "personality" as well as an excellant therapist in the Palm Springs area. If there is a female out there that can't gain insight from this book, I haven't met her yet.

The story is a bit scary for me. The illustrations are exquisite.

This book is great for not only kids but adults too. It is very creative and there is so much detailed art work done with colored pencils. It's a GREAT BOOK!!!!

I love this book so much I bought a second copy so I could frame some of the pictures. Stepehn Gammell is a wonderfull artist..

Will's Mammoth is a wonderful picture book, with a good story line. I have used this book to help children learn the writing process. In the current classroom (2nd grade)we are doing a unit on dinosaurs and I read Will's Mammoth to the children and then showed the illustrations. I had the children look close to the details of the illustrations and then they wrote discriptive sentences about the page of their choice. The students used their imagination to write their sentences and stories. You will be suprised at the outcome of any child's story within the Story of Will's Mammoth.

If you like books about people that are helpful, nice they solve their own problem, then this book is for you. I picked this book because I like books where people are helpful and they solve their own problems. In the book, Pooh's basket had a hole in it and whenever he put an egg in it, it fell out on him. Then everyone found his eggs. The setting is in the One Hundred Acre Woods. The problem is Pooh's basket had a hole in it. The big idea is being honest. You should buy this book for your little kids to enjoy.

It is about Pooh and his friends are going to be in a egg hunt. But Pooh was a hole in his basket and lost all his eggs.He wanted to win a feast at Rabbit's house. His friends gave him the eggs he dropped. You should read this book it is a great book.

Winnie the Pooh at his best. Rabbit sends Pooh, Tigger, Roo, Kanga and Eeyore on an easter egg hunt. Pooh finds all the eggs, but they fall out of his basket through a hole in the bottom! All of his friends then find the eggs, but at the end they give them back to Pooh because he didn't have any eggs. Pooh ends up sharing the prize for finding the most eggs with his friends who shared their eggs with him. A great tale about true friendship...

POOH'S EASTER EGG HUNT gives the kids a simple story that's easy to follow, with all of their Pooh friends along for the ride. The pictures have lovely bright colors. And the words are really big for young readers. The Step into Reading (this is a step 1 book) series is such a great idea for kids. There's an introduction here explaining the Step into Reading books program. Step 1 is for preschool to grade 1 (approx.). Your child will love having his/her own books, and these make an affordable collection to encourage young readers.

Rugrats is a great children's book, because children can learn about friendship, and the difference between good friends and bad friends.
Children would enjoy this book, because it deals with all the obstacles that kids need to accomplish!
This story is about four children that are best friends and they are only about four years old, and one of the children has an older cousin named "Angelica", which picks on her little cousin, and his three friends all the time. The four children's names are Tommy, Chucky, Phil, and Lil, which Phil and Lil are twins , and Tommy's parents are the main parents in this story.

The short story "Ten in the Bed", I think is one of the best children's books that I have ever read! This story is written by Penny Dale, and its copy write is 1988!
Children can learn about picking on their older brothers, or sisters by kicking them out of their bed, so they can have the whole bed to their selves!
This book is basically about ten children is a bed, and smallest child keeps telling the rest of the children to move ever, and eventually the small child is the only child left in the bed.

In this book Pooh, Piglet, and Rabbit all come up with a plan for unbouncing tiger. The reason that they want to do this is because tiger always bounces into them and they fall to the ground. So Rabbit comes up with a plan to unbounce tiger. The plan was to take him into the woods and get him lost for one night so the next day when they find tiger he wouldn't be bouncy anymore.
The lesson that the book teaches is basically that the way one person or thing is, whether it's a bad thing in your eyes is the way they will always be and no one can change that.
The age level for this book is 4-8. This book was a very good book. I have liked Winnie the Pooh since I was about 4 years old and I would recommend this book to kids everywhere.

Walt Disney's Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too is an excellent book for children to read. It is a classic book that has a great story about the characters. Winnie is a lovable bear and a big fan of all children.And then you have Tigger who bounces all over the place and is full of energy. Children go nuts for this. Even when I was a child I loved too read Winnie the Pooh books cause they are all so good. I especially like this one in particular though. It has marvelous illustrations and tells a great story, very understandable for children. I will end by saying that this book should be one that is owned by all children,no child should have to go with out Winnie the Pooh.

This debut thriller is a standout. Haunting and mesmerizing, it grabbed me and kept me up all night reading it. I was drawn into the minds of the characters who have to go with their lives while dealing with their changed world. Yet the author's touches of humor alleviate the intensity of the suspense.
Birnbaum displays a superior talent in a first novel, and we can only hope for more to come.

A very well-written book, down to the very details of how ordinary activities of daily life would change should something like this befall our communities. Impossible to put down!

A prescient view of a post 9/11, bioterrorism conscious world. An artfully written blend of technology, politics, action, emotion, and humanity. Exciting to read. Should be a best seller.

If you've ever worried about bio terrorism, reading this will interfere with your sleep. The plot is terrifying in its simplicity and plausability. A page turner that is a must read for anyone who wonders if this could really happen - it can. The author clearly understands the medical underpinnings and has woven his medical knowledge into the plot as well as the psyche of his characters - makes for a very interesting read.

I have been blessed to know this wonderful lady. I work with her now. When she told me about her book and I read it from cover to cover. I understood why she is the way she is today. Any woman that is or has been in a relationship that was not good, needs to read this book. I have bought several copies and given them to my daughters and people I know.
Thanks Ms. Lori for being you!

Lori Wilk's book, Without Me You'll Be Eating Out Of Garbage Cans, is facinating! I could not believe that you could make someone over [three] million dollars--WHILE getting an MBA--only to arrive home, certificate in hand, to be told basically, "Get out, stay out, and oh, by the way, you're nothing without me"! Her determination to succeed (both in business and in life) is infectious... Anyone who needs inspiration should DEFINITELY have this on their bookshelf!

I read Lori Wilk's book "Without Me You'll Be Eating Out of Garbage Cans" in one sitting. I was mesmerized by her stories and snappy dialog. This is one book every woman should own. It is the kind of book you will want to have to pass around to people who are in these abusive relationships and denying how truly dangerous it is. Lori does not bog us down with psychology or what ifs. She goes right to the heart of the matter, states what abuse is, takes no prisoners, allows no excuses. If you are being abused, get out, your life depends on it. This is a pure and simple wake up call to anyone who is being abused. I believe one day her name and books will be mentioned right along with Marianne Williamson and Melodie Beattie. Keep on telling it like it is, Lori, the world needs you!

Without Me You'll Be Eating Out of Garbage Cans By:Lori Wilk, sure is an attention grabbing title for this authors first time out in print. The title simply describes what would happen to an abuser, if and when the abused finally has the courage in themselves to get out of an abusive situation. This book is full of outragous and funny storys of the authors' own personal accounts, as well as some heart renching tales of true life dramas taken right from the headlines of area newspapers, that will almost want to make you cry. With such chapters as "Exit Now, Avoid The Rush", to "Just When You Thought It Was Over". Miss Wilk explanes how to spot and identify the abuse as well as steps to take to get yourself out of this bad situation with a full listing of contact numbers in the back of the book for the Domestic Violence Coalition in every state. Without Me You'll Be Eating Out Of Garbage Cans is an easy read and hard to put down. You never know where this fisty 4'11" dinamo will take you next on her journey to enlightenment.

This is Tannie Meador's last book. Tannie died suddenly on May 13, 2000. Her death is, I believe, a great loss to readers whose interest in her work is just beginning to emerge. ~~~ The Woman Who Was The Corridor is a thoughtful exploration of existential possibilities. The book is outstanding for a combination of logic, imagination and suspense. It surprises with its details and characterizations, which fiction of Meador's kind sometimes neglects. This book gives us the legacy of a gifted and remarkable writer. Many of us will surely regret having only this one volume by Tannie Meador.

The Woman Who Was the Corridor is one of the best written novels I've read in a very long time. Creative, highly charged and always fascinating, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Mystery and romance, mixed in with science fiction in the setting of New Orleans. A complete and total enjoyment in literary fiction.

Excellent, imaginative and descriptive writing. Lifestyles and activities of characters are so diverse and entwined you never want to stop reading. Something for everyone. Anxiously awaiting the next book.

A thinking man's thriller, Tannie Meador has written a winner. You must read this book! Full of great characters, twisty plot turns, and enough surprises to keep your socks knocked off, it's a guaranteed page-turner. My favorite character is Deia Rankin, the complex woman with so many secrets. Or maybe it's the blues singer. Oh, heck! I love them all! I can't wait for the next book.