Coma Books

Although this book is rated for pre-teen/teen readers, as an adult, I found it very interesting in terms of thinking about dreams - what is the meaning of a dream, does it connect with regular life, and if so, how? The book also made me reflect on whether or not people who are on their deathbed and no longer seem conscious can hear/sense the presence of people nearby. I plan to pass this book on to a young aspiring teenage writer.

Although rated for young adults, this is a book for all ages. The imagery is startling -- you can clearly imagine all the characters and locations -- and you are gripped by the story from start to finish. The journey that Sammy takes in his recovery includes lessons that apply to us all, whether young or old. For the "grown-ups," they are lessons that we may have forgotten and could use a reminder now and then. This book makes a great Christmas, birthday, or other gift for younger readers, and is a great read-together book for families. Don't be afraid to buy it if you don't have kids in your life -- there's a kid inside all of us!

David Bromden's Gathering in the Mist will keep you turning pages in the continually fascinating journey that Sammy's subconscious embarks on to keep his spirit alive. The wild creatures he meets and becomes in the rainforest are intriguing in their detail and ability to help Sammy. By the end of the story, a part of me was emotionally rooting for Sammy to leave his broken body behind forever and stay with his amazing adventure that was taking place, whether it was in his imagination or real. On the other hand, each time Sammy showed signs of healing, I was hopeful that he would awake and be reunited with his mother. This was a "couldn't put down" book as I raced towards the conclusion. Gathering in the Mist is an educational yet inspiring story for all ages that I will recommend often.

While Sammy lies in a coma after a traumatic event, beings both inside and outside of his mind strive to
help him heal. Medical caregivers put the boy through a rigorous, often painful process of bringing him home
to his body; meanwhile, his consciousness roams the rainforests of Indonesia and merges with the minds of
animals--a tiger, a squirrel, a jackal, a rhinoceros, and a bright and empathic young orangutan named
Sembuh. Indeed, Sembuh emerges as the story's true protagonist as he struggles to grasp the significance
and responsibility of sharing his mind with that of a human whose survival depends upon machines--and whose healing depends upon the young ape's ability to "gather" the consciousness of other creatures.

David Bromden's "Gathering in the Mist" is an ambitious book with ambitious themes: illness, grief,
memory, healing, ecology, evolution, and--most of all--the deep mystery of consciousness itself.
Bromden's portrait of orangutans as wise, philosophical, and shamanic raises especially striking
questions about the quality of human consciousness and civilization. As Sembuh's elderly ape mentor Antik
observes, "The human's path is one of expanded comforts and conveniences. The ape's path is one of
thought and reasoning. We have expanded our minds and they have expanded their population."

The story hinges on the question of whether Sammy's rainforest experiences--including Sembuh's very
existence--are objectively real or the illusory creations of a self-healing imagination. Bromden
handles this question so skillfully that, by the novel's denouement, the reader is ready to feel fully
satisfied by either possibility. This is a wise, worthwhile, and compulsively readable book for readers
of all ages.

The Gathering in the Mist by David Bromden is a very big small book. The poignant subject matter is treated in such a unique fashion that the impact of the calamity that inspired it is almost obscured until the end. That allows the reader to experience Bromden's unique writing abilities and thoroughly unique perspective, in a far more innocent way than he or she might otherwise.

There is an spirituality to this book that transcends the story. And the lessons are subtle; subtle and invigorating. The writing style is fresh. It's clear that there is a strong emotional connection between the author and his story, and though he tells it with passion, it is not overly sentimental. Bromden draws you in slowly and persuasively until you begin to accept the possibility of his character's singular journey without even realizing it.

The triumph amidst the tragedy is a cathartic awakening.

It's the summer before junior year, and as Natalie endures the start of the year's first heat wave, she says, "Summer just started and it's already boring." She thinks ahead to a long, lazy summer, lifeguarding at the YMCA, sneaking into absent neighbors' backyards to use their pools late at night, and just spending time with her friends at the Ding-Dong diner. Natalie has smart friends who tease each other gently, engage in harmless flirtations and challenge each other with hypothetical, and sometimes gross, moral dilemmas (for example: "Would you rather eat a rat with the fur still on or eat sewage straight from the pipe?").

Natalie's summer will be fine, she guesses, but she knows that at the end of it, her beautiful, brilliant older sister Claire will be off to college. Claire is embracing her future, telling Natalie at the opening of the book, "I have this roar in my head...of anticipation. That it's all just starting. Stuff I don't even know about." As for Natalie, when she imagines Claire leaving for school, she feels sick to her stomach.

Claire's future is bright, and her summer is sure to be glorious --- until one second changes things for Claire and her entire family forever. Returning home from a late-night swimming party, Natalie sees police cruisers and ambulances in a nearby neighborhood. She doesn't connect these sirens and flashing lights with herself until she returns home to find her mother and father nearly hysterical with fear and worry. Claire, they say, has been hit by a car, has a severe head injury and is in a coma.

Over the next several days, Natalie and her family face moral and ethical dilemmas far more strenuous than anything her friends had cooked up before. She feels guilt over "borrowing" Claire's new black blouse and assuming that Claire's shiny new Apple laptop will be hers soon. She clashes with her mother over the state of her (and Claire's) room and with her father over the possibility of Claire's emergence from the coma and the ability to seek revenge. She feels uncomfortable when she is asked to massage Claire's nearly unrecognizable feet, and finds unexpected moments of grace and clarity when she speaks to her unresponsive sister in the lonely hospital room. After a brain scan reveals the worst possible outcome, Natalie and her parents must answer the most difficult questions of all.

There certainly have been plenty of other young adult novels about death and dying, but many of them are unbearably angst-ridden or nauseatingly maudlin and sentimental. WOULD YOU is neither of the above. It is, instead, a realistic, thoughtful exploration of the kinds of tough choices --- and the painful thoughts --- that run through people's heads during moments of tragedy. Although Natalie inevitably compares herself negatively to her golden older sister, readers will recognize her as a bright, articulate, contemplative girl forced to move into a new kind of future before she feels entirely ready.

As Natalie says near the book's close, the ending is "nowhere near happy," but she does, with the help of her remarkably perceptive and supportive friends and family, find a measure of hope, a way of looking peacefully at a future that no longer has Claire in it.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

I was hesitant to start this book, but as it progressed it became absolutely incredible, and it is a tear jerker in a major way. I read it in one night, it is an easy read, but sends out a powerful message. I would recommend this book to any Middle School or High School girl, since it deals with many differently "weighted" issues.

First I have to say that I love the cover of this book. Once you have read the storyline, you will understand about the cover - which, in my opinion, has two meanings.

This YA book starts off with the "Would you" game. Natalie and some of her friends get together and play this game of "would you". I have to say that I had never heard of this before (I guess it was a little after my time as a YA) and that some of the questions (and answers) were pretty disgusting. Yet, I thought it was an interesting way to start a book - throughout the various answers to varied questions sprinkled in the book, you also get some insight into the minds of these teenagers.

The other interesting thing these kids do is pool-hopping, which, frankly, I don't see the point in, but it is an integral part of the story. Basically, these YA are all just doing their thing (with a surprising minimal (read: none) amount of drunks, boozing, etc.).

Yet, you know somehow, behind the under-current of the words that there is a countdown of some type going on - and when it occurs - its a biggie. Natalie is called home one night to be told that her sister (and best friend) Claire, who was weeks away from leaving for college has been hit by a car and is in a coma.

From this point, Natalie's life takes a dramatic change - gone are the joys of being young and free. Natalie is brought to her sister's bed and after some time, her family is told that there is nothing they can do for Claire - that she is brain dead and being kept alive by machines.

Natalie feels lost and cannot turn to anybody. Her mother is hysterical and her dad is being stoic "for the family". The most revealing parts of Natalie are spent when she is alone or when is alone talking to her sister.

I loved the way the author wrote about Natalie's fears (for herself, for her family and for Claire). She managed to honnestly express many feelings that needed to be surfaced - without making Natalie sound whiny or annoying. I also loved the way the author brought all of Natalie's friends in, in various ways, as a support system for Natalie.

Finally, there is the love that Natalie (and the resentment) feels for her sister. How could Claire let this happen?

Finally, a decision must be made and this was one of the saddest chapters I have ever read. I had a clear vision, in my mind, of what Claire looked like lying in that bed - it was all very, very sad.

At the same time, Natalie finds strength in the end.

This is not a "light,witty read" be warned - but it is a story that needed to be told.

Marthe Jocelyn's WOULD YOU tells of an older sister injured by a car, and four days in which Natalie and her family wait to learn if Claire will ever recover. A heartbreaking story of sudden changes will attract middle school readers. An excellent leisure read for middle school readers.

This book Would You, by Marthe Jocelyn is and intriguing story about the life of a teenage girl, Natalie, whose life is turned upside down when her sister Claire is hit by a car and is in the hospital in a coma. Natalie thought she was going to have a fun summer with her sister and friends before her sister goes off to college in the fall, but that all changes in the blink of an eye. Everything changes for Natalie and her family when Claire is declared brain dead and taken off life support. Natalie and Claire both have a lot of friends, but Natalie's favorite thing to do with her friends is go pool hopping. Which is when you sneak over to someone's house and jump in the pool, then run away before you get caught, Natalie and her friends never imagined when they rode there bikes past a car accident one night after doing that, that it would involve Claire.
Jocelyn has written a lot of other books, including the series about "Hannah's Collections" which is based on her daughter Hannah. "Would You" was very good, but there is one thing that I would change, after Claire went into her coma it went on and on about how sad everyone was and I thought that was a little boring. Overall it was a very good book that i recommend to everyone.

Terry Wolverton's debut novel, BAILEY'S BEADS, is one of the most extraordinary and engrossing books I've read in some time. This moving, wise, and provocative novel is the story of Bryn Redding, a Los Angeles writer who lies comatose following an auto accident. At her bedside are Bryn's lover (Djuna) as well as Bryn's mother (Vera) and through their alternating points of view the reader soon comes to discover that Bryn is not quite the person either of the two grieving women thought she was. While drawing the reader into the compelling plot Wolverton simultaneously explores that common human tendency to feel we actually "know" another person when in fact we are often only familiar with a select part of the whole...or we are merely interpreting their behavior...or simply projecting our own experience onto them. This extremnely well written novel accomplishes this all in a quiet and subtle manner which haunted this reader long after finishing the book. It's a real gem not to be missed.

I enjoyed the story of Djuna, Brynn and Vera, and I appreciated the fact that all three sides of the story were told. It's especially useful to present the poetry and novel of a character who can't speak for herself; this is very clever. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the novel-within-the-novel, which was called Splinters. The second half of the book is really where it all comes together, and it was only then that I really came to care about the characters. Wolverton is clearly a talented and gifted writer, but I couldn't fathom a whole lot of sympathy for Brynn, the woman in a coma whom everyone is rallying around.

This book is fascinating exercise for the mind, as Terry Wolverton artfully explores the ways we build the stories of our lives and of those we love. The author invites us to construct our own view of her central character, Bryn, based on the tales and memories of those who gather around her in a crisis and, perhaps most remarkably, through Bryn's own novel. Wolverton raises stimulating questions that will stick with you after you finish reading, like the memory of a particularly engaging and satisfying conversation. Fans of Jeanette Winterson will likely be thrilled with Bailey's Beads!

The best book I've ever read and believe me, I've read many. I can't help but am immensely impressed by the unusual writing style employed by the writer, Terry Wolverton. In fact, once you started reading the book, there's no turning back. The book is extremely well written with the emotions of each and every characters that follow after Bryn's (also known as Brenda) car accident, carefully and beautifully displayed. There are other characters like Bryn's mother, Vera, her lover, Djuna and her students and friends revolving around in the story. The most amazing thing about the story, which is not just like any of those involving a lover's and many loved ones' exaggerated display of emotional feelings and memories that always seem to follow after an accident and with a very predictable ending, is the way how the writer makes it a point to suck the readers' mind and soul into it. As you read page by page, you actually feel that at one moment, you're Bryn, and the next moment, you're either the hilarious but faithful friend, Emily or the distraught mother, and worst of all, the dishearten girlfriend, whom had been mercilessly 'erased' from Bryn's memory after she regained her consciousness... You feel the pain, the struggling of each characters' emotions of having been brought together once again because of the accident and makes you realised how in real life, we have missed so many chances of treasuring our loved ones until we start to lose them, or the chances of finally being able to realise how we have mistreated or have taken advantages of some people, how we can actually know a person more deeply if given the right chance to try...it can be between a mother and a daughter as in this case, or just anybody, like you and I, in many of our lives' circumstances and how we wished if it have been the other way, things might have been much better... After reading the book, I suddenly have this huge urge to cry over these missed chances and to start reading Anderson's fairy tale, 'The Snow Queen'. I did.

For anyone who enjoys any of Christopher Buckley's great books of satire, and/or enjoys following politics or even hates politicians and the sometimes strange things that happen.....this is the book for you!

As someone who works in Washington, this book struck a chord with me, seeing some of the "carictures" in the book....then watching the real politicals so vividly displayed on the daily news doing many of the same things. I literally was laughing out loud and finished this book in less than 48 hours! I say this is a must read.

This is the story of the election to fill the congressional seat in a fictitious district. The seat becomes available when its occupant, Buzzer LeBrand, falls into a coma. To reveal who runs would ruin some of the early surprise. Once the race is on, it is quite suspenseful. This book will please Hiassen and Buckley fans. The writing is of that caliber. My only lament is it is told from multiple points of view, none of which are particularly empathetic, and it's hard to figure out whom to route for. But if you're not a stickler for classic story structure, this will be of the moment. All in, it is good, its two chief assets being it is funny, and it provides a great fly-on-the-wall view of the election process.

This is a fast-moving page-turner for anyone intrigued with the day-to-day process of political campaigns, written with the insights of someone who's been working for political candidates and office holders since 1968 or so.

Bill Gavin has written what one reader has called "a work of comic genius and originality." Yes, "One Hell of a Candidate" is funny, often unproariously so; but it is also a shrewd depiction of the various types of characters who populate the current American political scene. Above all, Gavin's novel is a real page-turner, a fine story of a campaign for a Congressional seat. The Congressional seat in question is being decided by a special election caused by the incapacity (the Congressman goes into a coma)of the sitting Member. The seat is declared open and a diverse group of candidates and assorted campaign consultants battle to replace the comatose Congressman. The story is riveting, but the key to "One Hell of a Candidate" is Gavin's expertly drawn characters. In each case, they are "right on". As Richard Whalen, the author of "The Founding Father: The Story of Joseph P. Kennedy" put it: "Think Machiavelli meets the Marx Brothers. Don't wait for the blockbuster movie. Read it now." - George Denison

Absolutely a must read for those hopeless romantics that enjoy shedding a tear here and there. As always, James Michael Pratt touched my heart through his story of Paradise Bay. The characters in his stories are so life-like and portray deep emotional feelings, as real-life so often does. He creates his characters and shares their innermost thoughts so that by the time you are just pages into his story you can almost feel yourself as one of the characters themselves. I picked up his first book, The Last Valentine, in paperback at a local store several years ago. . .since then, I anxiously anticipate his next arrival! He goes on my "best reads" list with Nicholas Sparks, Kristin Hannah, and Debbie Macomber. His books are fit for anyone to read--very clean and heartful! Don't miss out!

A very entertaining read that caught my eye and I couldn't put it down. Pratt weaves a unique story of love, life in the 50-60's and Vietnam. I found the story to be a real page turner and Pratt's simple but effective prose worked wonders. The life of Levi especially during the war was very well done and the characters were colorful and personable yet also innocent at times. The story itself is a compelling tale yet unrealistic at times the story reads extremely fast. I ploughed through it in a couple hours and I am not a fast reader. Each page kept me going. My only problem with the story was it's Hollywood style happy ending. Filled with grief, mourning, and hardships throughout I was shocked to see that in the end Pratt briefly wraps it all up in a simplistic manner and over the course of only a couple pages. had the ending been more realistic and thoroughly portrayed I would have given it a 5 star rating.

Never having read Mr. Pratt's previous works I decided to give this one a try since my book club reviews praised it highly. Usually I read mysteries and this did have an air of mystery about it. Also I just finished Up Country where I learned a lot about Viet Nam geographically and culturally and was able to place the locations mentioned in this work though nowhere near as detailed as in the former. The beginning was slow and I guess I would have to say the whole pace was slow except for the war episodes. I could relate to all the music and musicians mentioned and life in the 50s to the present. Levi Harper was one loyal loving guy and his Jenna the heart and soul of his being. A love that strong can carry you to heights of delight and excitement and carry you when burdened with imminent death. All the characters, including Jack, were interesting personalities and seeing how their lives were woven together because of love was delightful. Paradise Bay sounds idyllic as does Catalina Island - 26 Miles Across the Sea. Without explicit sex, graphic violence, and foul language, but with religion, love, humor and music James Pratt told a wonderful love story through journals, flashbacks, and characters' insights. It was thoroughly refreshing. Have already bought A Ticket Home!

When I saw this book, I did judge it by the cover, and I thought it would be a pretty good book. So checked it out from the local library and read it. I have to say, I couldn't keep it down, I kept reading till I was done. This book keept me reading from cover to cover. This is an amazingly written book, the idea and plot is unthinkable. This book is worth reading, infact it's worth owning. It would be a pleasure to read it over and over again, which is why I reccomend this book. Rating this book five stars was a mistake, it should be ratied ten stars or a hundred stars, or infinity stars. So if you are looking for a fantastically-great-full of adventure-never put down to stop type of book to read, I more than recommend this book.

This book is great! It is all about a teenager who is spoiled and a brat. But when she gets in an accident and is in a coma when she awakes she is a whole new person! She trys to make up for her mistakes. In the end she falls in love! Fin out who!

This book was excellent! It really flowed. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes doing things right after doing something wrong.

While I just baught this because I liked No Gaurantees and Second Best, I didn't like it at first. So why the 4 stars? Because I ended up liking how the book went and just the general theme. I recomend this book and the other four books in the series. I know that in one book or another anyone can identify with a main character.

I read this book as a young girl and this story made a huge impact on me. I felt so lucky that when I crossed the street with my brother--he reached out his arm to let me know it wasn't clear to cross. (I was looking the opposite direction) The struggle Kathy faced was great and anyone reading can appreciate that. Does anyone have a copy of The Miracle of Kathy Miller (with Helen Hunt)? email rtcsmith@centurytel.net

I read this book several times over when I was a kid. I gave up my treasured, notes in the margins, copy to a family who had a son in a coma (he recovered just fine). Everyone I know who has read this book says the same thing-"where is she now?"

In fact, I wound up writing this review only because I ran into this page doing a search on her, but so far, no luck.

I plan to pick up a copy to read to my kids. It's a great story to teach the all important life skill of not listening to naysayers.

I had to read Kathy for a school project. It was very interesting and I enjoyed it very much. I would like an update on Kathy Millers life though. How she is doing and what she is doing. It was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone.

Laughing Through the Tears is a loving chronology of one family's successful efforts to restore a daughter's life after a near fatal automobile accident. It is a positive story. Never is there a hint of defeat.

Step by step we are taken down this arduous path - from a comatose state to rehabilitation. Through a series of operations, physical therapy, speech counseling and other methods of modern medicine, we witness their struggles and ultimate triumphs.

The love and devotion of the Nussbaum family is beautifully expressed by the author and father, Luther, and Kari, the daughter, is a young lady of tremendous courage and determination.

For any family facing similar problems, Laughing Through the Tears is a marvelous procedural guide. It is also a story of love and dedication that any reader can embrace.

LAUGHING THROUGH THE TEARS is a loving chronology of one family's successful efforts to restore a daughter's life after a near fatal automobile accident. It is a positive story. Never is there a hint of defeat.

Step by step we are taken down this arduous path - from a comatose state to rehabilitation. Through a series of operations, physical therapy, speech counseling and other methods of modern medicine, we witness their struggles and ultimate triumphs.

The love and devotion of the Nussbaum famiy is beautifully expressed by the author and father, Luther. Kari, the daughter, is a young lady of tremendous courage and determination.

For any family facing similar problems, LAUGHING THROUGH THE TEARS is a marvelous procedural guide. It is also a story of love and dedication that any reader can embrace.

I was moved from tears to outright laughter in the span of four hours. The author, Luther Nussbaum, does an outstanding job of bringing you into his thoughts, fears and emotions as his world collides head-on with his worst nightmare. I was drawn into this very personal story and found myself thinking Luther's thoughts and feeling his pain. The Nussbaum family's love and their enduring passion to embrace events with realism and deep compassion sprinkled with a dose of humor made me want to preach the power of the human spirit.

I highly recommend buying this book. Get it into your bookclub or just hand a copy to a friend. This book has both "Oprah" appeal and enough detail that you will learn a tremendous amount about the realities of working with individuals who have fallen into a coma.

Many kudos to the author who, with his family and friends, reminds us what it means to be truly blessed.

I'm a big Robin Cook fan. He's a lot like Michael Crichton in that I'll read him when I want a good thrill, and maybe to learn something. I consider their genre to be sort of science horror. Coma was exactly what the doctor ordered, in this case (no pun intended). Although I wouldn't recommend it as light reading when you're planning some minor surgery of your own.

People are dying. They come in to Boston Memorial Hospital for routine, minor surgery... and end up dead. It can't possibly be a fluke - so many apparently healthy people coming in, going into the operating room, and never coming back out alive. New intern Susan Wheeler is determined to find out why.

This book has Cook's usual cast of gripping characters and compelling moments between the heroine and her reluctant hero. You won't be disappointed with this effort. The twists and turns are sometimes a bit dizzying, but so worth it when you reach the climax of the action. There are also some pretty horrifying bad guys in this one, although most of Cook's villains are usually soulless, conscienceless creeps anyway. Definitely worth picking up if you're a fan of the genre or of the author. Heck, it's worth picking up even if you aren't.

Wonderfully written book....The suspense will keep you glued to the book...And the most amazing thing is that the story just runs in a couple of days....so many big shots investigating the coma matters are clueless about the entire episode (or arent they)..and this girl from med school comes....with just the right quantity of enthusiasm and spirit....and uncovers the murk that is a not so obvious part of the entire episode.

Bias: I am a friend of the author.

I enjoyed this book. The characters are present and are treated in depth. You feel yourself there with them. You want to find out more about who they are, and what happened to them. Springer writes with feeling and care. It seems like part of himself, or part of those he knows, are present in every character. It would also seem like Springer writes from a place of violence, for every story is raw emotion and damage.

Perhaps the primary detriment to the book is that the stories are so short. One wants to find out more about each of the characters, and some stories last only a few pages. At times it feels like the treatment is too light: although we discover a great deal about each character in only a few tight words, we are left wanting to know more. And as such, the two best stories are the longer ones. In one Springer writes of picking up a homeless man on the streets, and he writes with such vivid imagery and realism it would seem that he was there, living with this man.

To be honest, I started off the main story, Coma Dreams, being rather uninterested. The description simply didn't appeal to me. My taste evidently needs a good deal of refrinement. For I was quickly pulled in as I saw characters filled with real pain, as all Springers characters are. Here they search repeatedly for a way out of the pain, in viscious circles that seem to have no escape. These circles pull the reader in to the emotional whirlpool, and one finds themselves struggling to grasp for air along with the characters.

I would recommend the book simply for these two filling stories.

This is a book I won't forget. Coma Dreams is a collection of hard-hitting portraits - the battered, the lost, used-up and desperate men who still seek meaning in an often indifferent world. Responding to the cartoon violence splashed across our modern media landscape, Springer offers a more realistic vision of a world hooked on adrenaline, testosterone, and sweat under the lights that have now faded with the roar of the crowd.