Average customer rating:
- Tuesdays With Morrie
- A great read
- A story to open your heart
- The Hobo Philosopher
- Too superficial ...
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Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
Mitch Albom
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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The Secret Life of Bees
ASIN: 0307275639
Release Date: 2005-12-27 |
Amazon.com
This true story about the love between a spiritual mentor and his pupil has soared to the bestseller list for many reasons. For starters: it reminds us of the affection and gratitude that many of us still feel for the significant mentors of our past. It also plays out a fantasy many of us have entertained: what would it be like to look those people up again, tell them how much they meant to us, maybe even resume the mentorship? Plus, we meet Morrie Schwartz--a one of a kind professor, whom the author describes as looking like a cross between a biblical prophet and Christmas elf. And finally we are privy to intimate moments of Morrie's final days as he lies dying from a terminal illness. Even on his deathbed, this twinkling-eyed mensch manages to teach us all about living robustly and fully. Kudos to author and acclaimed sports columnist Mitch Albom for telling this universally touching story with such grace and humility. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher, or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, helped you see the world as a more profound place, gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it.
For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.
Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded, and the world seemed colder. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you, receive wisdom for your busy life today the way you once did when you were younger?
Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying, Morrie visited with Mitch in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final "class": lessons in how to live.
Tuesdays with Morrie is a magical chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie's lasting gift with the world.
Customer Reviews:
Tuesdays With Morrie.......2007-10-10
This was an excellent book that I enjoyed reading. It really makes you think about life and everything you've ever done. It teaches you to love without consequence and to be who you've always wanted to be. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
A great read.......2007-09-24
This book was quick to read and has a powerful message. Should be on everyone's 'must read' list!
A story to open your heart.......2007-09-11
This is easily one of the most touching books I've read. Morrie's thoughts are those that I think all should read. The book is concise and is not overpowering in it's enlightenment. If you buy one book this year - buy this one. It will cause you to smile and laugh and cry and might just change your world.
The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-10
Obviously this book doesn't need another review, but, for what it is worth, I liked it. It is a nice sentimental story, with some good advise and some believable people. Morrie was obviously a likable old man. I don't really agree with his philosophy entirely but my turn on that ride hasn't arrived yet. Maybe I'll change my tune when I get there. You really can't miss with this one.
Too superficial ..........2007-09-09
Not impressed!! The lessons taught here are not something new but they are so superficially presented.
Book Description
Hailed by The New York Times Book Review as “a master … who makes the ordinary extraordinary, the unnamable unforgettable,” beloved author Jim Harrison returns with a masterpiece—a tender, profound, and magnificent novel about life, death, and finding redemption in unlikely places. Slowly dying of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Donald, a middle-aged Chippewa-Finnish man, begins dictating family stories he has never shared with anyone, hoping to preserve history for his children. The dignity of Donald’s death and his legacy encourages his loved ones to find a way to redeem—and let go of—the past, whether through his daughter’s emersion in Chippewa religious ideas or his mourning wife’s attempt to escape the malevolent influence of her own father. A deeply moving book about origins and endings, and how to live with honor for the dead, Returning to Earth is one of the finest novels of Harrison’s long, storied career, and will confirm his standing as one of the most important American writers now working.
Customer Reviews:
Regal in force, and depth and plume .......2007-06-22
Deft writing with scalding pots of humanity. Spirituality takes a swan dive from quarry heights; a writer sets the cleanest line.
Jim Harrison continues the saga of Donald and Cynthia in this heart wrenching novel that addresses terminal illness, loss, humanity, and celebrates life. For some readers, Jim Harrison is a hard read, for me, he is a return home. He is quite simply without a doubt one of the greatest writers of our time. I find release in his rambling narratives and a genius that only a handful of writers can take hold of, harness, and direct.
Returning to Earth is one of Harrisons best works yet, and I find myself wondering truly, how this writer finds time to get it all down. He is a fountain that has no end. Speaking of endings; I for one, felt as if death and re-birth could not have been explained or written about more beautifully. Maybe, one has to have lost a loved one to a terminal illness to truly grasp the pain and love that is contained within these pages.
Returning to Earth, is a continuation of a cast of characters that mirror society. Like it or not, Harrison's eye carves the truth out with no shame. The ending of Returning to Earth is like an unfolding dreamscape, one of the best winding narratives of Harrison's.
And I can even hear the bear calling calling calling
Returning [the book] to the owner.......2007-06-05
I really wanted to like this book. Primarily because it was recommended by a reliable source whose literary opinion I value. Secondarily because I could sense that there was more beneath the surface of the story; I simply couldn't access it. On the surface, "Returning to Earth" explores the circular question of life and death that all of us are challenged with at some point. In this account, the author chooses the Native American culture and a terminal illness as the framework within which life and death are examined. Donald is the biracial Native American/Finnish main character diagnosed with Lou Garret's disease. The story opens with Donald trying to dictate his life and ancestral history to his wife for posterity's sake. Set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula region with a backdrop lush with virgin forests and the wildlife that accompanies them; the novel is a four part story of Donald's dying and its impact on his loved ones. Each part is narrated by a different member of the family and pays homage to Donald's humanity, wisdom and spirituality. Assisted suicide, reincarnation, and our connectedness with nature are the cornerstones of Harris' tale. While the story did solidify my appreciation for an individual's right to die (interestingly, I was reading this novel when Dr. Kevorkian was released from prison for doing for others what Donald's family lovingly did for him) it did little to expand on my understanding of reincarnation or depression. The novel is populated with interesting characters that are wonderfully drawn but I just couldn't connect with the story. I feel that the novel lacks the depth and nuisance required to address the issues that it explores. While "Returning to Earth" wasn't the worst thing that I've lately I can't recommend it either.
a family history.......2007-05-30
In a recent radio interview, Jim Harrison laughed when asked about the demographics of his readers. For 40 years, he says, his publishers have been trying to figure that out. His characters typically inhabit less populated, unglamorous locales like the West and Midwest, and whatever wisdom they attain is often gleaned from the natural world. Donald, the central character of RETURNING TO EARTH, is in some ways the Harrison Ur-hero, facing his impending death from Lou Gehrig's disease. "I'm forty-five and it seems I'm to leave the earth early but these things happen to people."
The first of the novel's four parts is in his voice, dictated to his wife Cynthia, recounting what he knows of his family history in order to preserve it for his grown children, Herald and Clare. We find that he is the first male in four generations not to be named Clarence, and that he is probably over half-Chippewa. "For all practical purposes my dad and I weren't the least bit Indian but were just among the ordinary tens of thousands of mixed bloods in the Upper Peninsula."
Donald lost his mother to schizophrenia at a young age, but succeeded as an athlete due to his size. Working alongside his father, in the employ of a wealthy and decadent white family, he fell in love with Cynthia, the daughter, and they ran away and married as teens. Donald intersperses his family history with matter-of-fact comments on his disease and cryptic references to his personal religion, which is rooted in the more traditional Chippewa ways of his Aunt Flower, who lives in the woods and renders lard for her mince pie crusts from pigs she raises and slaughters herself. This digressive tale could be chaotic, but rather it pulls us into the story, gradually introducing the characters who will have to figure out how to carry on without Donald.
The remaining three parts of the novel feature the first person narratives of "K," Donald's friend and nephew; David, Cynthia's brother; and Cynthia herself, all of whom are vastly affected by losing Donald. K is the son of Polly, David's ex-wife, a smart young man who has been away at school but is not sorry to return to Marquette to help with Donald. He is not sorry for many reasons --- he loves and truly admires Donald, he loves and kind of lusts after Cynthia despite their age difference, and he loves and beds their daughter Clare when she finally arrives back on the scene from California. (In case you're paying close attention, K and Clare are not blood cousins, since K is Polly's son from a subsequent marriage.)
K's account covers Donald's death and burial in Canada, where the family can arrange these matters as they wish. David's part picks up after Donald is gone and as he grieves in his own dithering way. David and Cynthia's parents were both rich drunks, their father particularly perverse and at times abusive. As Cynthia says, David is "very nice but has been basically goofy since he was a little boy. He couldn't accept the fact that Dad was a lost cause." David is a womanizer like his father, but different in that he forms deep, lasting attachments to the women in his life and doesn't hanker after jail-bait.
Cynthia's part begins months after Donald's death. She has tried to make plans and continue teaching, but she is continually tired and interrupted by grief. Donald had told her she'd have to get a new boyfriend after he died, and she's aware of her burgeoning need for physical contact, but she's confused about how to go about getting it appropriately. There seems to have been no ambiguity whatsoever in the long, sure love between Donald and Cynthia. And while Cynthia is a realistic, strong person, we wonder along with her whether she'll ever truly heal.
Succinctly, RETURNING TO EARTH is a rich, carefully crafted novel about an admirable life and a good death. As K puts it, "To care for Donald in his present state is to finally understand that there are no miracles except that we exist. Like his ancestor Clarence, we ride a big horse to the east and then it's over."
--- Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol
The Best.......2007-05-21
There's just no other writer the equal of Jim Harrison.
Readers, you're in for a treat. Writers, read it and weep.
My Favorite Harrison Work.......2007-05-15
I have a love/hate relationship with Harrison's works. I put up with the rambling, often disorganized plots and bleak characters for the beautiful, poetic prose and his strong sense of identity with the land. This book came full-circle in the end, offering the possibility of redemption which is unusual in his writing. Yes, his characters are often caught up in chaotic situations that are often not of their own making, but for most that is the nature of life. I loved this book.
Book Description
From Jonathan Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Beak of the Finch, comes His Brother's Keeper -- the story of a young entrepreneur who gambles on the risky science of gene therapy to try to save his brother's life.
Stephen Heywood was twenty-nine years old when he learned that he was dying of ALS -- Lou Gehrig's disease. Almost overnight his older brother, Jamie, turned himself into a genetic engineer in a quixotic race to cure the incurable. His Brother's Keeper is a powerful account of their story, as they travel together to the edge of medicine.
The book brings home for all of us the hopes and fears of the new biology. In this dramatic and suspenseful narrative, Jonathan Weiner gives us a remarkable portrait of science and medicine today. We learn about gene therapy, stem cells, brain vaccines, and other novel treatments for such nerve-death diseases as ALS, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's -- diseases that afflict millions, and touch the lives of many more.
It turns out that the author has a personal stake in the story as well. When he met the Heywood brothers, his own mother was dying of a rare nerve-death disease. The Heywoods' gene therapist offered to try to save her, too.
"The Heywoods' story taught me many things about the nature of healing in the new millennium," Weiner writes. "They also taught me about what has not changed since the time of the ancients and may never change as long as there are human beings -- about what Lucretius calls `the ever-living wound of love.'
"The Heywoods mean the whole story to me now: an allegory from the edge of medicine. A story to make us ask ourselves questions that we have to ask but do not want to ask. How much of life can we engineer? How much is permitted us?
"What would you do to save your brother's life?"
Customer Reviews:
found it boring.......2007-03-29
I read this book solely based on the author's fantastic first book "time love and memory", but found this book to be utterly boring. Instead of an entertaining read filled with scientific facts, we get the tragic and predictable story. Given the slow pace of medical research on most complex disease, the odds of even a billionare being able to save a brother in a short time frame are near zero, let alone a family of more modest resources. The writing style seemed overly simplistic, and i kept thinking that there were many facets of the story that to me, would be much more interesting, but didn't get told for whatever reason. With great respect for the author, i found this particular book unappealing.
"What would you do to save your brother's life?".......2006-08-17
A couple of years ago I had a cancer scare. There was a growth in my kidney that the doctors said was either a dense cyst or a tumor. So I had to have a CAT scan every six months for a year in order to monitor the growth. If it stayed the same, I was OK. But if it expanded, cancer was the most likely diagnosis. Fortunately, it turned out to be a cyst. But I came away from that experience with the knowledge that things can go terribly wrong in my body even if I do everything right. How do you deal with such a worst-case scenario, and how far do you go for a cure?
So it was with Stephen, a healthy and active 29-year-old from a successful family of overachievers. One day, Stephen was unable to turn the key in the door of the house he had just finished remodeling. He dismissed it as fatigue, but his hand continued to weaken and other symptoms arose. Finally, he could no longer ignore signs that something was wrong. He was examined and given a terrible diagnosis: ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). His younger brother Jaime, an engineer with an entrepreneurial streak, immediately switched careers to genetic engineering and began a race against time to save Stephen. Jamie founded an ALS foundation and enlisted the aid of various medical and research experts to help him find a cure using gene therapy. As Stephen's health declined, the pressure to find a cure intensified, until the stress began to take its toll on everyone involved.
I was afraid that "His Brother's Keeper" would be a turgid read, but I was mistaken. Jonathan Weiner writes in a clear fashion, and has the ability to make complex subjects easy to comprehend. The author uses Stephen's saga as a gateway to the world of cutting-edge medicine, including cloning, gene therapy, and the use of stem cells. He also reveals the arcane world of drug development and testing in the United States. Not surprisingly, medical ethics also come into play, such as the right and wrong of profiting via seeking cures, and experimental drug trials on dying humans who have no other options. But most compelling was the personal story of a family rallying to the side of a terminally ill member. Mr. Weiner was not exempt from tragedy either, for he parallels Stephen's fight with his mother's decline from a rare neurological disorder. His account of the moment when he discovered she was "not Ponnie and...not my mother (p 220)" is perhaps one of the most disturbing passages I've ever read in a non-fiction book.
Despite its excellence, I would've liked two changes in "His Brother's Keeper." First, it seemed that Stephen was a cipher in his own story. He pops in and out of the proceedings at various stages of disability, and appears lost in the tornado of Jaime's quest, the author's personal struggles, and the medical discourses. Perhaps that was intentional, but knowing Stephen better would have made him a more compelling figure. Second, the book does not end with Stephen's inevitable death and its repercussions. I wanted the closure of finding out how Stephen and his family dealt with his passing and the aftermath. But even with these issues, "His Brother's Keeper" is a fascinating tale of one family's forced entry into a part of medicine that is almost science fiction in nature. Recommended.
Science vs. Profitability vs. Humanity.......2006-03-12
The book itself is compelling as it glides you through the journey Jaime Heywood (the protagonist) takes in order to engineer a cure for his brother who has been diagnosed with ALS.
Weiner does a great job in showing the reader the reality and complexities behind scientific discovery and engineering. He also manages to showcase the giants in the world of neuroscience and neurology - the battle and fuse between academia and industry - the red line between ethics and empathy.
Although the summary on the back cover claims the book is written in 'translucent prose' - this is only partially true. It is evident that Weiner exerts considerable effort to keep the techno-jargons as simple as possible, however it is hard to appreciate the scientific gibberish without any prior knowledge (or interest) in the neurosciences.
Weiner writes in an incredibly personal manner and at times his bias and favourtism seems a little overwhelming. Nonetheless, Weiner is honest in the sense that he as a bystander (despite cheering the Heywoods on with all his might), is capable of comprehending the truth of the matter at hand - an incredibly interesting perspective.
The book reads almost like a non-fiction. The Heywoods seem almost too good to be true (any other ordinary family would have fallen to tatters). Then again not many families have handsome business-minded chap with lucrative connections in the MIT and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author documenting their story...
A good read.
Heartbreaking and uplifting:.......2005-08-14
I read a review of this book and instantly wanted to read it. It is a heartbreaking story of an amazing family and the sacrifices one brother makes for another. It is well researched and although science is one of the major stars here, the author makes it understandable to the lay person. It made me laugh and cry along with the family - the kind of book you save to read again. I will follow Steven's progress with care and keep this family in my heart for long after the book is finished.
As a stone felled Goliath, a twitch tries another........2005-04-26
A few years ago Stephen Heywood was a great looking guy with a seemingly unending future. Raised among academia and European holidays, he chose a different path, becoming a carpenter.
While other guys might make sure that the car was vacuumed out before a date, Stephen was concerned with having to start the car with his left hand, his right seemingly unable to turn the key. But, the object of his affection takes his hand anyway, beginning the journey together, towards...?
The reader learns that Heywood's affliction is ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Choices are to be made: To continue living life as he knows it, with needed changes along the way. The romance turns to marriage and later, he's blessed with becoming a dad. His brother leaves a career to pioneer in ALS research and fundraising.
This story is one worth knowing and certainly one a reader will remember. While disease may tether someone to the ground like Gulliver, as long as the brain can think, think, think! the giant survives. -Laurel825
Book Description
Jenifer Estess is a beautiful, successful, thirtysomething New Yorker with dreams of starting her own family when she is diagnosed with ALS, a fatal disease. Doctors tell her to max out her credit cards and prepare to die. That is precisely when Jenifer starts to live -- dreaming deeper, working harder, and loving endlessly. A girlhood pact with her sisters Valerie and Meredith -- nothing will ever break us apart -- inspires Jenifer as she faces down her most vicious enemy.
Beautifully written and wholly inspiring, Jenifer's memoir forces us to reconsider society's notion of "having it all," and illustrates, more than anything, the power of memory, work, and, most of all, love.
Customer Reviews:
A very moving memoir.......2007-08-30
This was another memoir I wasn't sure I would keep reading. I am glad that I gave this book a chance. It is a very moving, sad book. I think about it fairly often.
LOVED IT!!.......2007-08-18
I've never been moved to write a review before, but this is such a moving memoir. Jennifer's story inspired me in every way. Although I'm completely healthy, I could relate to the book. Life is hard but we all should feel lucky for what we have, for what Jennifer didn't get to have. I want to kiss my kids more than I ever did before, after reading this book. And Jennifer was a great storyteller and writer. I'd recommend this to anyone in need of a good read in front of the fire. That's the kind of book this is. Curl up and enjoy.
Meh. Very sad and somewhat moving, but not entirely memorable........2007-08-05
First off, I have to admire how Jenifer used her illness and influence to educate others and raise awareness and money for ALS.
That said, I have to agree with the others who said that this book seemed to be heavy on the early-childhood memories and name-dropping than it was about Jenifer's self-awareness and feelings throughout her illness. I would have liked to know how more about how she created and structured Project ALS--it seemed like she just picked up the phone and called a few of her celebrity friends to organize a fundraiser. It might have been more powerful and meaningful if she had gone into more detail about her feelings and thoughts as the disease progressed.
I'm glad I read this book. I certainly do appreciate the courage that Jenifer and her sisters had around ALS, but I agree with the other reviewers who could have done without the list of her many celebrity friends and childhood stories.
lifetime movie.......2007-07-14
I actually bought the book after seeing the lifetime movie. I have to say I would recommend the movie over the book. Maybe its because I saw the movie first, usually its the other way around. The book is kind of boring compared to the movie, I guess I just expected more from the book.
Bad -- Very Very Bad.......2007-05-13
Alright, I was reading 'Tales from the Bed' by Jenifer Estess as told to Valerie Estess (NONFICTION) This lady (Jenifer) has ALS and this is her trials and dribulations of her life esp. when she is hit with the ALS. BEFORE I START I realize that ALS is a very serious terminal condition okay ... I got that ... anyway, it may be because it was written by her sister and not her (the author passed away) but this reads like a 5th grader wrote it. I kept thinking that it had to get better, NOPE. At the beginning she brags about being the most popular girl growing up and that she came from money etc ... okay, I'm having a hard time already ... then she (as an adult) finds out she has ALS. Her sisters have to take care of her in every shape and form, which is great to have family like that. Then I got to the part where her dad had divorced their mother (years ago) and they realized they weren't going to have the funds to pay for college cause daddy had a new family ... are you still with me, I know it's hard ... so they go egg his house (remember, the author has full blown ALS) and the author is excited because she RAN up (she can't move on her own?) and she got 3 bulleyes in a row on the door???? Alright, now I'm confused ... I proceeded to read knowing it couldn't possibly get dumber, which means that I'm dumb for thinking that ... they then decide that they want to get the word out about ALS to try and find a cure. They want to light a fire under the Dr.'s so they'll start working harder (yes, I know, they're delusional) to find a cure for ALS and they decide to put on a little play -- A PLAY PEOPLE!!! That is where I stopped ... I couldn't take anymore ... tihis book is absolutely ridiculous -- ahhhhh I feel so much better, thanks for letting me rant. Next time I'll take note of who they are featuring as comments for the book -- this one was Sarah Jessica Parker, that should have been my first clue!
Christy
Book Description
College student Bec is self-conscious of her aimless life; she has fallen into an affair with a married professor and a major she has no interest in. In a half-hearted effort to redeem herself, she answers an ad for a caregiver and finds herself employed by Kate, a wealthy, happily married woman with ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease). Their relationship develops into a surprising intimacy, and as she observes the implacable changes in Kate her own life takes shape in ways she didnt anticipate. Vibrant and sensuous, this is a fiercely unsentimental yet poignant novel.
Customer Reviews:
A touching, fast read........2007-09-17
This book was very moving and very well written. I didn't want to put it down. While the subject of the book is not a happy one, the author mixed in some humor & kept it real. It was interesting to see the characters grow & learn from their relationship with one another.
All she wrote.......2007-09-04
This book started out with promise, but by the time I got 30 or 40 pages into it I stopped forgiving the problems with it. The writing couldn't be described as "deeply sensual" either unless they were referring to a couple meal descriptions, which are available on plenty of menus. Mainly, the story, nor the characters, were believable to me. Many of the "extras" in the book seem to be thrown in as page fillers. I didn't feel anything for the characters, except maybe annoyance..with the author too for that matter. And PS Miss Wildgen, 45-year old women aren't old ladies with white streaks through their hair!
Recommended Read from a First-time Novelist.......2007-08-12
When Bec, a 21-old Madison, Wisconsin college student decides to change her part-time job from bartending at a local greasy spoon restaurant she has no idea how much her life will change or how much her charge will influence her.
Sophisticated 36-year-old Kate Norris has had ALS aka amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease for two years. Happily married she to husband Evan, she is wheelchair-bound and literally unable to do anything for herself. Her speech is even getting so bad that it difficult for her to be understood by anyone other than those very close to her. Bec literally has to do everything for her from bathing her to toileting her to putting her makeup on. As the months go by Kate, a former gourmet cook who is unable to eat by mouth due to her condition, teaches Bec to make the meals she used to love. Meanwhile, Kate's marriage deteriorates and when she and Evan separate, Bec is called upon to perform even more caretaking duties.
The life of caretaker and patient are vividly portrayed in this novel, by first-time novelist Michelle Wildgen (who has done essays and food writing, editing a couple of books of food related essays). While it is void of a heavy plot, what is at stake here is more gripping than a thrilling page-turner. Bec goes from carefree college student having an affair with a married instructor, to more sophisticated young woman who grows in more ways than one from her experiences with Kate.
This book was a New York Times Editor's Choice and was selected as one of People Magazines Top 10 books of 2006. And while I was expecting perhaps a bit more, I did end up enjoying the book overall. I give it a solid B and look forward to this author's next effort.
An astoundingly beautiful first novel.......2007-06-28
Oh, You're Not You, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love the intricate shape of the characters - they grow and change in the most surprising ways, even within situations that can't be changed. I love the unsentimental way Wildgen tells her story, these are real people handling a situation that requires enormous courage - less than courageously. I love the way I felt uplifted, not depressed at the end. I simply don't understand the reviewers who claim this is "inaccurate" - first of all, this is a NOVEL. If you want detailed reality, buy a non-fiction book. But if you are looking for a gripping and intelligent novel, written with elegance, style, and wit - then check this one out. This is a writer of rare talent, and I wanted to read this book over and over again, and I bet you will too.
Excellent! Riveting!.......2007-06-13
I am a private duty caregiver/nurse. The details in this book are so real. As I read this novel, I felt that I was actually there. It is so true to life, it was almost scary! I was truly captivated by this book. I hope that she writes another just like it.
Thanks!
Kathy Turfle
Amazon.com
Lou Gehrig started his professional baseball career at a time when players began to be seen as national celebrities. Though this suited charismatic men such as Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, Gehrig avoided the spotlight and preferred to speak with his bat. Best known for playing in 2,130 consecutive games as well as his courage in battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a disease that now bears his name), the Iron Horse that emerges from this book is surprisingly naïve and insecure. He would cry in the clubhouse after disappointing performances, was painfully shy around women (much to the amusement of some of his teammates), and particularly devoted to his German-immigrant mother all his life. Even after earning the league MVP award he still feared the Yankees would let him go. Against the advice of Ruth and others, he refused to negotiate aggressively and so earned less than he deserved for many seasons. Honest, humble, and notoriously frugal, his only vices were chewing gum and the occasional cigarette. And despite becoming one of the finest first basemen of all time, Jonathan Eig shows how Gehrig never seemed to conquer his self-doubt, only to manage it better.
Jonathan Eig's Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig offers a fascinating and well-rounded portrait of Gehrig, from his dugout rituals and historic games to his relationships with his mother, wife, coaches, and teammates. His complex friendship with Ruth, who was the polar opposite to Gehrig in nearly every respect, is given particularly vivid attention. Take this revealing description of how the two men began a barnstorming tour together following their 1927 World Series victory: "Ruth tipped the call girls and sent them on their way. Gehrig kissed his mother goodbye." Eig also shares some previously unknown details regarding his consecutive games streak and how he dealt with ALS during the final years of his life. Rich in anecdotes and based on hundreds of interviews and 200 pages of recently discovered letters, the book effectively shows why the Iron Horse remains an American icon to this day. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
Lou Gehrig was the Iron Horse, baseball's strongest and most determined superstar -- struck down in his prime by a disease that now bears his name. But who was Lou Gehrig, really? What fueled his ferocious competitive drive? How did he cope with the illness that abruptly ended his career and drained him of his legendary power? Drawing on dozens of new interviews and hundreds of pages of Gehrig's personal and previously unpublished letters, this definitive biography gives us a deeper, more intimate understanding of the life of an American hero.
Lou Gehrig is regarded as the greatest first baseman in baseball history. A muscular but clumsy athlete, he grew up in New York City, the sole survivor among four siblings. He idolized his hardworking mother and remained devoted to her all his life. Shy and socially awkward, especially around women, Gehrig was a misfit on a Yankee team that included drinkers and hell-raisers, most notably Babe Ruth. Gehrig's wife, Eleanor, was an ambitious young woman who pursued him and persuaded him to embrace his growing stardom. For years, rumors have persisted that she and Ruth had an affair, and that this was the event that ended the friendship between the two ballplayers.
Gehrig and Ruth formed the greatest slugging tandem in baseball history. They were the heart of the first great Yankee dynasty. After Ruth's retirement, Gehrig and a young Joe DiMaggio would begin a new era of Yankee dominance. But Luckiest Man reveals that Gehrig was afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) much sooner than anyone believed, as early as the spring of 1938. Despite the illness, he didn't miss a game that year, keeping intact his astonishing consecutive-games streak, which stood for more than half a century.
After he was diagnosed, Gehrig's doctors allowed him to believe he had a fifty-fifty chance of surviving what they knew to be a fatal illness. The same doctor who wrote him encouraging letters secretly wrote Eleanor Gehrig to tell her the terrible truth. But even as his body deteriorated and Gehrig realized he was dying, he never despaired. In his final months Gehrig proved himself truly to be the Iron Horse. The man who spoke spontaneously from the heart when he gave his great speech at his farewell in Yankee Stadium continued to sound the same themes: that he'd led a good life and had much to be thankful for.
In Luckiest Man Jonathan Eig brings to life a figure whose shyness and insecurity obscured his greatness during his lifetime. Gehrig emerges on these pages as more human and heroic than ever.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent biography!.......2007-07-21
I'll be totally honest, this book made me cry... twice. I've read towering biographies before that were informative and enlightening, but read like phonebooks (see "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" by Edmund Morris). "Luckiest Man" reads more like a novel, a story about a shy guy who deeply loves his family and tries to always do the right thing. About how this guy did everything he could for his mother and did everything he could to succeed in baseball. You're there with him emotionally just as he finally begins to embrace his fame and enjoy his celebrity, as he breaks out of his shell of shyness and finds true love. And you're there when he gets thrown the biggest curveball of his life, blames himself for his mysterious decline, and hopelessly believes that there may be a cure. This book is as informative as it is heart-breaking. I HIGHLY recommend it!
This one really moved me.......2007-07-12
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I felt a connection to the story which surprised me.
I lived in Rochester, MN for most of the 90s, I've been to many of the places outlined in the book, I worked for the Rochester newspaper, which has several mentions, and I've seen the Lou's cancelled check, which is on display at the Mayo clinic.
From that background, I felt this as a completely real story of both heroism and tragedy. This is real stuff, a completely honest telling of the rise and fall of a man who might have been any of us.
Powerful.......2007-04-19
Jonathan Eig has unleashed a grand slam of human spirit and fortitude in this biography of legendary baseball great Lou Gehrig.
We read it all. From Gehrig's impoverished beginnings through his stellar career as the New York Yankee's first-baseman in 2,130 consecutive games, to his slow, agonizing battle with ALS.
He clutched onto hope as if it were a bat, repeatedly stating, "I have a 50/50 chance" for what was an incurable disease.
This is not only baseball at its best, but also an extraordinary study into human character and strength of mind.
Well researched. Writing superb.
Very Well Done.......2007-04-19
This is the by far the best Gehrig book available (I named my son Gehrig and have probably read most of them). It gives a more personal look at him than the others. If you want statistics and information on his baseball exploits, this may not be the book for you. If you want to learn about a truly remarkable man of integrity, this book will offer you a glimpse of him that has not been offered before.
Disappointing.......2007-04-03
I found the book no more revealing than the movie, Pride of the Yankees. A straight arrow with unhealthy devotion to his mother. A man socially crippled by such a desire to please momma. There's little explanation about this devotion or about many aspects of his life which results in a one dimensional portrayal. And did I miss an explanation as to the "feud" between Lou and Babe --- which prompted Lou to turn his back on the Babe after a Babe homerun? Maybe I slept through that part. (It couldn't have been the cruise incident -- Babe was traded shortly thereafter).
Book Description
Now I find myself in late August, with the nights cool and the crickets thick in the fields. Already the first blighted leaves glow scarlet on the red maples. It’s a season of fullness and sweet longings made sweeter now by the fact that I can’t be sure I’ll see this time of the year again....
— from
Learning to Fall
Philip Simmons was just thirty-five years old in 1993 when he learned that he had ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, and was told he had less than five years to live. As a young husband and father, and at the start of a promising literary career, he suddenly had to learn the art of dying. Nine years later, he has succeeded, against the odds, in learning the art of living.
Now, in this surprisingly joyous and spirit-renewing book, he chronicles his search for peace and his deepening relationship with the mystery of everyday life.
Set amid the rugged New Hampshire mountains he once climbed, and filled with the bustle of family life against the quiet progression of illness,
Learning to Fall illuminates the journey we all must take — “the work of learning to live richly in the face of loss.”
From our first faltering steps, Simmons says, we may fall into disappointment or grief, fall into or out of love, fall from youth or health. And though we have little choice as to the timing or means of our descent, we may, as he affirms, “fall with grace, to grace.”
With humor, hard-earned wisdom and a keen eye for life’s lessons — whether drawn from great poetry or visits to the town dump — Simmons shares his discovery that even at times of great sorrow we may find profound freedom. And by sharing the wonder of his daily life, he offers us the gift of connecting more deeply and joyously with our own.
Download Description
Philip Simmons was just thirty-five years old in 1993 when he learned that he had ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, and was told he had less than five years to live. As a young husband and father, and at the start of a promising literary career, he suddenly had to learn the art of dying. Nine years later, he has succeeded, against the odds, in learning the art of living.
Now, in this surprisingly joyous and spirit-renewing book, he chronicles his search for peace and his deepening relationship with the mystery of everyday life.
Set amid the rugged New Hampshire mountains he once climbed, and filled with the bustle of family life against the quiet progression of illness, Learning to Fall illuminates the journey we all must take -- "the work of learning to live richly in the face of loss."
From our first faltering steps, Simmons says, we may fall into disappointment or grief, fall into or out of love, fall from youth or health. And though we have little choice as to the timing or means of our descent, we may, as he affirms, "fall with grace, to grace."
With humor, hard-earned wisdom and a keen eye for life's lessons -- whether drawn from great poetry or visits to the town dump -- Simmons shares his discovery that even at times of great sorrow we may find profound freedom. And by sharing the wonder of his daily life, he offers us the gift of connecting more deeply and joyously with our own.
"Philip Simmons writes with clarity and a passion for honesty, laced with wit. An extraordinary book."
ELAINE PAGELS, AUTHOR OF THE GNOSTIC GOSPELS
"Generous and genuine, like water from a deep well, halfway between a meditation and a dance, this book is an act of grace."
JACK KORNFIELD, AUTHOR OF AFTER THE ECSTASY, THE LAUNDRY
"Learning to Fall is for anyone who loves life -- or needs to love it more.... A wonderful achievement."
BALFOUR MOUNT, M.D., PROFESSOR OF PALLIATIVE MEDICINE, MCGILL UNIVERSITY
"Not only has Philip Simmons figured out the meaning of life for himself; with prodigious literary grace he has figured out how to tell us too. Required reading for Basic Humanity 101."
RABBI LAWRENCE KUSHNER, AUTHOR OF INVISIBLE LINES OF CONNECTION
Customer Reviews:
A Blessing In A Book.......2007-06-24
I was in a book store last evening and this book lay on a display table surrounded by fifty other books. What attracted me to to it? The simple yet beautiful cover art? The title? I'm not sure- but for some reason I picked it up and opened it to a random page, and read, "But maybe we're asking the wrong thing of God. Rhyme and reason, after all, are human values, not divine ones. Wanting human suffering to fit some divine plan is like wanting to fly an airplane over tornado wreckage and see that it spells out song lyrics or a cure for acne." (p.29)
In the words of Jerry McGuire, the author had me at hello. I read no further and bought the book.
I had a million other things on my to-do list today, and taking half the day to read a book wasn't on the list. But I read. And I couldn't put it down. And it's ironic, since the end of the book focuses on our need to practice the art of doing nothing--and in doing what we do with an aware mind. I suspect that if the author were still alive, he would be pleased to know that I stopped my endless tasks and simply read.
It is truly a book borne of human spirit and all that is good- love, compassion, understanding, faith. It is about looking at the "bad" and seeing it for what it is-- just part of life. It is funny-- I couldn't stop laughing at some of his jokes and observations. I won't spoil them for you but I hope you enjoy his joke about the turtle and the snail as much as I did. This book will make you laugh and make you cry-- that's a trite comment I know, but it's true. And, to continue my trite comments, I couldn't put it down. I hope you won't be able to either-- because that means it touched you like it did me. I know I will re-read it soon and I hope I remember to re-read it often. As the author would say (but not out loud for fear you might question his sanity) "Namaste."
Recommended suffering the loss of a loved one or going through an emotional trauma.......2007-06-12
This book is one of compassion and caring, without being leaden or self-serving. It is a learned book of considerations of life as a transient condition of being. I have given it to many people who have suffered the loss of a loved one or who themselves are facing great trauma. It is a salve on the wound of self-doubt and loss. I recommend it highly.
Learning to Fall: The Blessings of an Imperfect Life.......2007-05-19
Philip Simmons has a very good ability with words and his discriptions of the seasons and his own experience of losing physical abilities. He covers the various religions and the experience of living and dying.
This is for all individuals, those with chronic illnesses as well as for those who live with individuals who have chronic illness.
Beautiful writing.
Good and simple reading.......2007-02-15
I found this book at a mens retreat this past fall. I found his stories very easy to follow and helpful. His new found outlook to life under difficult times is inspiring.
I find myself trying to practice, and using simple actions and opening myself to new ideas very rewarding. Though I am no way going through his personal ordeal, I to am "falling" and hope to fall with grace.
A book for anyone, no denomination required. Enjoy life...look at the alternative!
A good book changes each time read. This is a good book.
Faling with--and not from--grace.......2006-12-31
Learning to Fall is a wonderfully enlightening and amazingly well-written book describing how suffering need not be a fall from grace if it is approached as a means of mindfully falling with grace. Although Phillip is dying from Lou Gehrig's disease, he models for the rest of us how to live more fully. In the spirit of Irvin Yalom's existential approach, by accepting his existential realities, Phillip is able to more fully engage in making his remaining days as rich as possible. May we all seek ways to find perfection in the imperfections of life!
Average customer rating:
- Moving...
- A Life of Courage
- Inspiration Where You Might Least Expect It
- I Remember Running: The Year I Got Everything I Ever Wanted - And ALS
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I Remember Running: The Year I Got Everything I Ever Wanted - and ALS
Darcy Wakefield
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
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I Choose to Live: A Journey Through Life with ALS
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Tales from the Bed: A Memoir
ASIN: 1569242798 |
Book Description
A little over a year ago, Darcy Wakefield was a single, 33-year-old, athletic, workaholic English professor, a vegetarian who had never had a serious health problem or injury. Then she was diagnosed with ALS, and her world turned upside down. I Remember Running is Darcy's story of change and loss and challenges during her first year with ALS, as she struggles to make sense of her diagnosis and redefine herself in the face of this terminal illness. With unflagging courage, wit, and eloquence, Darcy shares what she calls her “fast-forward” life, a life in which she applies for disability, leaves her job, and plans her own funeral as well as meets and moves in with her true love, buys a house, and gives birth to her first child in less time than it takes most of us to accomplish even one of these things.
Beautifully written and wholly inspiring, I Remember Running proves that it is possible to live a rich, meaningful life after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. This book will move readers to see the world in a different light.
Customer Reviews:
Moving..........2007-07-05
Years ago I took an essay writing class with Darcy Wakefield. She was an aspiring writer and a pleasant person. I'm sorry that her first success at publishing came under such tragic circumstances. Reading her memoir, I wish I had known her better. She is smart, funny, and real. I'm glad she found personal happiness, motherhood, and spirituality before she died.
A Life of Courage.......2007-03-29
I went to a reading by Darcy shortly before her death. Her sister read short passages, as Darcy with ALS by that time could not do so. Darcy, herself, answered audience questions. She was alight with life and her book, with its candor and humor is a beacon of hope and a challenge for us all!
Inspiration Where You Might Least Expect It.......2007-01-10
Darcy Wakefield in her mid thirties was diagnosed with ALS. Coping with ALS must surely be one of the most difficult of life threatening illnesses, for every step along the way brings greater challenge and diminishment. There is no uncertainty with this diagnosis, except for the amount of time left and swiftness of the onset of debilitating symptoms. Darcy is a most engaging person from the very first pages of her book and what happens in the year after she was diagnosed is nothing short of remarkable. I cannot think of a more inspiring book. She lives every moment fully and is an example of a person who knows how to live life well no matter what the limitations. She experiences and expresses a very full range of emotional life and writes powerfully and beautifully. When I finished this book,I felt so enriched, and I could not help but feel immensely grateful that she had written it.
I Remember Running: The Year I Got Everything I Ever Wanted - And ALS.......2007-01-04
This is a truly emotional and thought provoking book. She endured a deadly disease with grace and courage... teaching the reader how to live and die gracefully. Very powerful!
Beautiful.......2007-01-03
Darcy Wakefield's memoir is a beautifully written account of her life after contracting ALS. It is told in an epidodic fashion and could be read in one sitting. However, I found myself wanting to savor each moment with Ms. Wakefield. Last year I read "Chasing Daylight" and they make good companion peices. Her courage and honesty are inspiring.
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Neurological Disease and Therapy)
Manufacturer: Informa Healthcare
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Guide for Patients and Families
ASIN: 0824729242 |
Book Description
With cutting-edge contributions from internationally recognized experts and field pioneers, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is the definitive guide to the subject. Formatted in an easily accessible manner, with summaries of key points at the end of each chapter, this guide covers all the essential information clinicians require for daily practice, as well as providing a reader-friendly approach to every aspect of ALS with detailed sections on the clinical features of disease, translational research, patient care and management, and emerging therapies.
Book Description
This comprehensive guide covers every aspect of the management of ALS, beginning with discussions of clinical features of the disease, diagnosis, and an overview of symptom management. Major sections deal with medical and rehabilitative management, living with ALS, managing advanced disease, end-of-life issues, and resources that can provide support and assistance.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource.......2006-01-02
I used this book religiously before my dad passed away from complications due to ALS last July. The book was very helpful to understand what was happening and what was coming. As depressing as it all is, it was better to understand the situation so I could do all I could to help my loved one. I was just looking at my copy the other day and the amount of highlighting in it and stickies hanging out of it reminded me of how used the book was.
HOW YOU GET SCREWED IF YOU HAVE ALS.......2005-04-18
SAM,
I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE THIS MORNING BUT THERE ARE A FEW FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW. AND PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE HONEST BUT UNFORTUNATELY IN OUR INSURANCE WORLD OF TODAY IF YOU SAY YOU WERE DIAGNOSED WITH ALS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WELL, YOU JUST CAN'T GET WORK BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL REALITY OF THE RIGHT-WING POWER BASE. THAT IS, IF YOU ARE WORTH INSURING THIS MEANS YOU ARE WORTH HIRING WHICH MEANS OF COURSE THAT THERE COULD NEVER BE ANY THING WRONG WITH YOUR HEALTH BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW GOD ONLY CURSES THOSE WHO DESERVE IT, AND THEREFORE, IF YOU HAVE ALS IT MUST BE FOR A GOOD REASON, SUCH AS HAVING RUBEOLA AT 6 IN 1961 THAT ALMOST KILLED ME BUT BY GOD'S GRACE, SOMEHOW SURVIVED. THOUGH I COULDN'T WALK OR TALK FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. BUT ONCE YOU GET VIRAL ENCEPHALITIS, WELL, YOU KNOW, 45 YEARS LATER YOU DEVELOP BULBAR ALS, WHICH I GUESS IN THE CONSERVATIVE'S WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD, AND THAT IS GOD'S WAY OF PUNISHING ME FOR SURVIVING AT 6 YEARS OF AGE. I MEAN, I AM SURE GOD MEANT TO KILL THE LITTLE CHILD (...) AT THE TIME BUT SOMEHOW I FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS WHICH MUST REALLY PISS BILL OREILLY OFF. I MEAN, IF GOD MEANT FOR ME TO HAVE INSURANCE, WELL, I WOULD BE IN PERFECT HEALTH. I THINK THEY CALL THIS CIRCULAR REASONING, BUT LOGICALLY, OF COURSE, IT IS NONSENSE OF WHICH THE OREILLY'S OF THIS WORLD JUST LOVE. ANYWAY, THIS LAST YEAR HAS BEEN GETTING A BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR ME IN MOVING AROUND, ESPECIALLY MY LEGS-EACH MORNING MY BROTHER, ALONG WITH ZANAFLEX, BACLOFEN, AND A 1 HR HOT BATH GETS MY LEGS GOING. THIS MORNING ENSIGN GOT UP AND WOKE ME UP AT 6 AM; HE HAD TO TAKE HIS YAMAHA DOWN TO GET IT TESTED FOR REGISTRATION. I FELL BACK ASLEEP BUT NORMALLY HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN ME UP AND INTO THE BATH TO GET MY LEGS GOING-HE AND I JUST FORGET TO SET THE ALARM THE SECOND TIME FOR WHICH I WILL BE ETERNALLY DAMNED BECAUSE ONLY PERFECT PEOPLE WORK IN THIS COUNTRY. IT IS A PROJECT FOR ME AND I SUPPOSE IT WAS FOOLISH OF ME TO HOPE THAT I COULD WORK AGAIN, ESPECIALLY RETAIL, WITHOUT HELP TO GET THESE DAMN LEGS WORKING EACH DAY. ONCE THEY'RE MOVING THEY DO OK BUT GETTING THEM STARTED CAN BE A MAJOR TASK. SO, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT TELLING YOU ABOUT MY ALS BUT THEN THIS IS A LEARNING PROCESS FOR ME TOO IN TERMS OF WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO ALL THE TIME. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO WORK THOUGH IT WAS PERHAPS RIDICULOUS TO EXPECT SO MUCH OF MY WORTHLESS BODY. I WAS NICE TO KNOW THAT I COULD INTELLECTUALLY AT LEAST STILL FUNCTION AT A DECENT RATE. I DON'T THINK I MADE ANY MISTAKES WHICH IS A BIG ACHIEVEMENT FOR ME THOUGH A SMALL ONE. BUT IMPORTANT. I REALIZE NOW WHY WE DON'T HAVE HANDICAPPED PHARMACISTS (EVER SEEN ONE?) ANYWHERE. THEY SHOOT HORSES DON'T THEY??? IT IS FUNNY BUT MY BINDER AND BINDER SOCIAL SECURITY PEOPLE TELL ME IT WILL TAKE 2-3 YEARS TO GET DISABILITIY INSURANCE, BENEFITS BUT OF COURSE I WILL BE DEAD BY THEN MOST LIKELY. YOU GOT TO LOVE THE GOVERNMENT AND THE LAWYERS. OF COURSE I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RENUMERATION FOR MY" SUBPAR SERVICES" BUT IF YOU WANT I WOULD SEND ANY FUNDS TO "DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS", A FRENCH GROUP THAT DOES REALLY GOOD WORK WITH THE MONEY THEY GET FOR THE BOOKS, AS IN ACCOUNTING BOOKS. SO, TO FINISH, I DO HONESTLY APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO WORK THOUGH IT WAS PERHAPS ON MY PART UNREALISTIC TO THINK I COULD WORK CONSISTENTLY AGAIN-I WON'T HAVE ALL THE SUPPORT STAFF, IE, MY BROTHER, TO GET MY BUTT GOING EVERYDAY. IF I CAUSED ANY PROBLEMS YOU HAVE MY MOST SINCERE APOLOGIES. YOU ARE A GOOD GUY SAM AND I REALLY WAS HOPING TO GET A CHANCE TO WORK FOR YOU-YOU'RE HONEST AND CARING AND THAT IS DAMN RARE ANYMORE, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WITH SPECIAL ISSUES. I WON'T SAY CRIPPLED BECAUSE THE FEDS DON'T LIKE THAT TERM AND I MIGHT BE ARRESTED FOR INSPIRING SOCIAL UNREST LIKE SUGGESTING PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES SHOULD HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE AND DISABILITY INSURANCE WHICH OF COURSE COSTS MONEY AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO GET RID OF SOCIAL SECURITY ANYWAY, OR AS LEAST GET RID OF MOST OF THE BENEFITS. SORRY ABOUT THE POLITICAL DIATRIBE BUT IT DOES ACTUALLY APPLY HERE PERFECTLY. I SHOULD SEND A LETTER TO OUR PRESIDENT BUT I AM AFRAID THAT I WOULD COME UNDER SUSPICION.`
SINCERELY YOURS,
GARY HINCHMAN, RPH
It's a 5.......2004-01-27
This book has helped our family tremendously with understanding what is occuring and how to stay ahead of the game dealing with ALS.
Ideas shared in the book are practical and helpful.
A good read for families dealing with ALS...especially care givers.
Must read for newly diagnosed and families........2003-05-17
My mother was diagnosed with ALS in January 2001. Unfortunately, it took me 4 months as "Buyer Waiting" to obtain a copy of this book. By the time I received the book, my family and I already felt besieged by the challenges of rapidly advancing bulbar ALS. While I cannot speak for what this book might mean for the ALS patient, I can attest for what it has meant to me as caretaker. As such, I found my time and attention limited to each immediate crisis at hand. Fortunately, the book is arranged in such a way that you can skip around--reading whichever chapter or chapter portion pertains to your current dilemma. Sadly, I lost my Mom on Easter Sunday 2003. Probably, I only read 50 percent of this book before her passing--but that 50% did help me navigate the turbulent challenges of this disease and connect emotionally with my mother on a level that otherwise might not have been possible once she lost her ability to communicate. While this book is not an end-all resource within itself, it is a good place to start for the newly initiated.
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