SAD Books

Until Mac OS X came out this book helped me with _every_ hardware and software problem that ever turned up!
Only once one of my Macs was actually beyond repair, but ever since 1999 this book really saved the day.

The iMac I purchased in July 2001 is my first home computer. I found this book at the library, then discovered it contained so much good information, that I purchased it. It sometimes has too much info for a newbie, but still it is an excellent reference. This book is the "bible of troubleshooting", and a great way to learn how your computer works. I'd say it is a "must purchase"!

The iMac I purchased in July 2001 is my first home computer. I found this book at the library, then discovered it contained so much good information, that I purchased it. It sometimes has too much info for a newbie, but still it is an excellent reference. I use 2 other books along with this one, to trouble shoot and confirm resolutions to any computer problem. This book is like the "bible of troubleshooting". I'd say it is a "must purchase"!

One of the few technical books in my library that I feel has really paid for itself, and then some. Technical books are so expensive, and most of mine sit in the bookcase collecting dust within a month or two after purchasing them. This book had saved me more money than I spent on it within the first month, and I continue to use it on a regular basis. In addition to having real and practical advice on fixing problems, Mr Landau provides advice on preventative maintenance and must-have troublshooting aids, and background on how Macs work when thre aren't any problems. I would say that this book is the most essential of those aforementioned must-have tools.

I have a lot of respect for Landau .. and he knows what he's writing about ... but this was written pre-OS X.

It's time for another edition, since OS X has a whole NEW set of problems ... including the occasional "kernel panic" (read "crash"). There is also a whole new group of compatibility issues with peripherals: printers and scanners among them.

This book was fantastic and helpful! I have read many motivation books and this one was the first that offered strategies you can easily use each day. I suffer from seasonal blues and find it hard to get motivated in the colder months!! This book definitely offered valuable information on how to get up and get things done on a daily basis!!

I was quite impressed with this little book. I think that some people will relate to the 50 different strategies more so than others. But I can't imagine a depressed person NOT taking something valuable away from at least ONE of the 50 methods.

What I liked even more than the specific strategies was Julie's clear and honest explanation of what it is like to have depression. She does a great job illustrating how the depressed brain operates differently. She includes personal examples from her own life for EVERY strategy.

I did think her personal stories became a bit whiny and annoying by the end of the book, but I understand why she included them. I figure any frustration I have with her is the same frustration I have with my own depression. No-one wants to be whiny and self-absorbed, but when you're depressed, it happens.

This is one of the better books for depression out there. Even if you aren't depressed, it's a great read because it will help you interact with and understand those who are.

this book was helpful for me because it offered very hands-on, tangible solutions to managing my depression. fast emphasizes the fact that tasks will not necessarily be the most enjoyable to complete while depressed, but it is the feeling of satisfaction you receive after "just doing it" that is the great reward...after all, you will only feel worse doing the alternative, which is nothing.

great format, highly recommended for those dealing with depression.

*****
This book is incredibly helpful because it helps you to learn practical methods for coping with depression. The subtitle is "50 Strategies for Keeping Your Life on Track", and each strategy is thoroughly explored. First it is explained, then there is a short exercise you can do to apply the strategy to your life. Next the strategy is illustrated in a story from someone's personal life. Lastly, the author shares a story about applying that strategy in her own life.

For example, one strategy I found very helpful is "Accept the Limitations Caused By Depression". I expect way, way too much of myself every day and then feel bad when I can't accomplish what I want to. This strategy (and the book in general) helped me to see that I will feel better and get more done in the long run if I don't beat myself up about what I can't do, and if I work the other strategies diligently to do what I can.

It really helped that the author is successful and accomplished despite her depression, and the stories show how many, many people work with their illness to make valuable contributions with their lives instead of just giving in to depression and using it as an excuse for failure. It truly made me feel like I wasn't alone---that many others feel this way, and that they organize their lives so that they can still succeed.

I have to say that it's the most practical book I've ever read for actually coping with depression.

Highly recommended.
*****

Depression doesn't have to completely shut down people's lives - part of overcoming it is not letting it take over the sufferer's life. "Get It Done When You're Depressed: 50 Strategies for Keeping Your Life on Track" is an encouraging and helpful treatise to help sufferers overcome clinical depression to keep them going and get over it so they can continue leading healthy, productive lives in spite of it. Inspiring readers to continue creativity, overcome their own mind, and allow for time to pass to get what they want, and dozens upon dozens of other tips to getting through day to day life under depression, "Get It Done When You're Depressed: 50 Strategies for Keeping Your Life on Track" is highly recommended to self-help community library collections, for those who have been in the unending funk with the intimidating news that life still needs to be lived.

It's been a long time since a book for teens has touched me as powerfully as Bad Girls Club, Judy Gregerson's emotionally-raw debut novel for young adults. In it, the author, a childhood victim of abuse and neglect herself, explores the devastating impact of a parent's mental illness. As her mother descends into madness, teenaged Destiny becomes caregiver to both her Mom and her little sister, and fights to keep her family intact. It's a gripping tale, written with the authenticity of experience.

With mental health issues being so prevelant in society I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. Let me tell you that as hard as it was I read it in one sitting - it grabbed hold and would not let go.

All Destiny wants is to get a job and try to have a semblance of a normal life. Instead she is burdened with the responsibilty of taking care of her mentally ill mother and trying to protect her younger sister Cassidy from the violent rages and outbursts that have become more common than not. Destiny's life has never been anything but that of a constant caregiver and mediator...especially since the incident at Crater Lake. She loves her mother, and even though she knows that this is not a normal family life she is willing to do what her father asks and help keep her mother in their home, for better or worse.

As this book unfolds you watch this family go on such a downward spiral that my heart was literally breaking. As much as I hated to turn to the next page for fear of what was going to happen next, I was compelled to do so in hopes that a ray of light would be found and something positive would happen to change some of the bad to good. At first I was unsure if this could really happen - how could both parents let their children go through this living hell? I then thought of my own life, and the lengths I may go to keep my family in tact. Love is a very powerful emotion, and nothing is more powerful than the love between a parent and their children. As Ms. Gregerson points out in her Author's Note, children that come from abusive families are even more loyal to their parents than children who don't. They seem to constantly be searching for a way to gain acceptance and love from the parent(s) who neglects or abuses them.

This book is a true eye opener, although it is fiction we can't turn a blind eye to the fact that there are families like this in every town in America. I am hopeful that this book will give some of these families the strength they need to get the help so desperately needed before it is too late and the children are damaged to a point of no return. It will hopefully also make people think closely about some people they know and maybe will give them the strength to intervene in situations they know are not healthy for the family involved. The author has done a true service by writing about an issue that should not be ignored.

Questions for the author:

What made you decide to write the story from the perspective of the oldest daughter?

Well, it was personal really. I was a parentified child, meaning that I was one of those kids who took care of my mother and my older sister when my family was spiraling out of control. I was the one who felt responsible to hold everything together because no one else would. And I believed that multitudes of people all around the world experience that same thing -- they become the savior of their families because no one else will. I wanted to shine a spotlight on that problem and what it does to a kid. And on another level, this is a cautionary tale: beware what you do to your children. When 5 children a day die in this country because their mother, a family member, or someone who knows their parent kills them, we're in deep trouble. We are allowing the ruin of our children and then we wonder why these kids can't learn in school or why they turn to crime, or why they're depressed. This book tells why, in some cases, our children are lost.

What was your inspiration for the story?

There were several things that inspired me. And in some sense, it was reaching critical mass and feeling that I had to say something about this problem. I tell everyone the story about meeting a man whose mother set their house on fire after locking him and his little brother in. There was Susan Smith and Andrea Yates. I thought they were anomalies, but I found out that they aren't. I started studying this issue and realized that 500 mothers a year kill their children. I started wondering what it would be like to live in a family like that. What if every day, your little sister's life was on the line and you couldn't do anything except be the one who stood between her and your mother? What if you knew your life was on the line and you had to live with one eye open so you could survive? These are the things I thought about, they're the questions that horrified me, as I wrote this book.

Do you have any books currently in the works?

I currently have one book in the works about a girl whose mother deserts her at the local grocery store, leaving the girl with her eccentric extended family and the question, "Why did she leave me?" I'm about a third through that and may get back to it soon. I also have another book finished about a girl in a trailer park who's the underdog and can't seem to find her way.

What hobbies do you enjoy?

Oh, I'm an odd one. I love to research. That is really relaxing to me. I pick a topic and then I search it out. I travel a little. We have a summer place on a beautiful glacier fed lake and I love going there. I hang with my daughters who are almost 18 and 21. They're my greatest joy. I read some, mostly nonfiction. I have a few favorite TV shows like CSI and Ugly Betty. Other than that, I just hang and try to find things to laugh at. The absurdity of life amuses me.

[...]

From the opening pages where Destiny's father tells her that her job is to help her mother, June, to the final pages where Destiny must make a tough decision about her family, we see a girl torn between love for her mother and facing the reality of her mother's illness.

As her mother sinks deeper and deeper into her world of darkness, Destiny attempts to hold the family together. She remembers earlier times, when her mother was kind and gentle and showed her how to paint. But those days have long passed, and now Destiny is the only protector of her younger sister, Cassidy, who has imaginary friends and bruises and bald spots where she's pulled out her hair, and who talks to no one except Destiny. Their dad, Bob, lives in his own world of denial, defending his wife, saying she'll get better. Destiny wants to believe him, so she does.

In bits and pieces throughout the story, Ms. Gregerson reveals what happened that awful day at Crater Lake, the day their mother changed their lives forever. The only person Destiny can confide in is her best friend, Chloe, who urges Destiny to come stay with her family. But Destiny cannot leave: Her mother needs her, Cassidy needs her, even her father needs her. Finally, Destiny's grandmother recognizes the hopelessness of the situation and gives Father an ultimatum: Put June in the hospital or the girls go home with her.

Bad Girls Club portrays a realistic look at a family in crisis and what happens when the truth is denied. Have a box of tissues handy. You may need it.

Listen to the Ghost
Secrets I Have Kept

Like any teen, Destiny just wants a normal life. She'd love to get a summer job, hang out with her best friend, Chloe, and her boyfriend, but she can't. Instead her life is spent caring for her younger sister, Cassidy, and insane mother. The father uses guilt and fear to manipulate Destiny, mentally keeping her a prisoner.

The darkness of this mental illness was so strong in the story that it manifested itself. At first, Destiny thought she was imagining things until the shadows started to follow her mother around, fueling her madness. When she finds her sister taking to an imaginary friend with black wings who flies and plans to cut their mother up into pieces, she realizes this madness is spreading like a disease. Slowly, this darkness tries to take her away too.

As the story unfolds, I begin to wonder why their mother isn't in a mental health facility and then memories of Andrea Yates hit. Do you know that the American Anthropological Association stated in 2005 more than 200 women kill their children in the US every year? These are the cases where a death has occurred and therefore is news worthy. What about those children who aren't killed and have to live through this mess? "Bad Girls Club" is a work of fiction, but it's definitely not a far fetched story.

Kudos to Judy Gregerson for bringing a story like this to the surface where it can be discussed.

Review by J. Kaye at http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/

The Bad Girls Club is a riveting look at a family ravished by mental illness. The first chapter pulls you into Destiny's crazy world and won't let you go. Gregerson uses flashbacks to the mysterious Crater Lake incident, revealing bits and pieces, and making us ask ourselves--do I really want to know what happened? And when we finally do learn the truth, we don't think it can possibly get any worse. But we're wrong. A heart-wrenching, eye-opening story that you will never forget.

Aspiring script writer Matt visits a hospice in order to gather inspiration for his great play. Spending the days getting to know the people staying there, Matt realized the hospice is full of stories, for anybody who cares enough to sit down and listen. From the lady whose sister ran off with a circus artist (or wanted to, anyway) to the old man who was just hoping to be reconciled with his children before he left this earth, Matt talks to them all, asking them what was their best experience in life, and hearing the stories they just have to get off their chest-before it's too late.

The idea behind Evacuation Plan is brilliant. Joe O'Connell works from the theory that "everybody has a story to tell," and you are left with the knowledge that this is without a doubt true. The book changes focus constantly with the chapters alternatingly being told from Matt's point of view, and then from the view of one of the people at the hospice.

The main thread running through all the stories is death and how to cope with it, but this is not a strong enough connection to get the stories linked together properly, and Evacuation Plan ends up feeling more like a book of short stories with a common theme, than like a full novel. This doesn't make the book any less worth reading, but it is always an advantage for the reader to know what to expect, in order not to be disappointed by the number of loose threads left hanging.

Though dealing with a sober subject, Joe O'Connell manages to be neither too somber nor engage in too much gallows humor. Death is faced unapologetically and straightforward-a very refreshing change from books that tend to either shy away from the subject, or wallow in it.

Armchair Interviews says: This is more a collection of well-written short stories than a novel, with the thread that connects are the stories at the hospice.

EVACUATION PLAN brought me to tears at several moments throughout the book. It's dark beauty and poetic interpretation of our struggle to embrace and accept death is heart wrenching in its honesty. A true work of art and a novel that O'Connell should be tremendously proud of!

"Evacuation Plan: a novel from the Hospice" is a wonderful blend of lives ordinary but with sometimes extraordinary elements. We all share these stories of life in some way, despite moments of harshness or unforgiving pain. There is always a common thread of "humanity" and ultimately forgiveness to be found, even if it's in the last moment of life. Elaine Williams

Hospice-----a place to die. The End. Joe O'Connell's Evacuation Plan is a beautiful contradiction to those very general concepts of human finality. For those who believe there is life after death and for those who don't, O'Connell has shown that there is life BEFORE death with each glimpse into the souls, hearts and memories of us all. Evacuation Plan reminded me of the woven potholders that my older brother and I made during our childhood-------over, under, around and through, and a final stretch to completion. Life experiences- fascinating, painful, endearing, complex, ugly, but a part of each of us, make this book a worthwhile read. Joe O'Connell's writing opens our eyes wide to see human beings rather than Hospice patients and those who are brave enough to go as far with them as mortals are allowed to go.---Eleanor Bosl, Joe's mother-in-law and very proudly, his friend.

You are in a hospice, and Rod Serling walks in and asks you to tell him a story. If you had to pick one event out of your life to tell him about, what would it be? Evacuation Plan, by Texas writer Joe M. O'Connell, is a collection of stories told to the novel's protagonist, Matt, who is a screenwriter working in a hospice so he can collect material. The occupants of the hospice -- dying residents, their family members, and the hospice staff -- are like the tattoos of Ray Bradbury's Illustrated Man, each one offering a tale that stands out in their lives. Like the loser who stares at himself in childhood pictures until the pictures come to life. Or the guy who gambled his wife in a game of Monopoly at his murderer father's Christian home for the deranged. Or how fate undid the fate of a young unwed father-to-be. These are stories of reflection, of the best day in one's life, the worst day, the turning points, and the close calls, some joyous, some sad, some bizarre. Not the stuff one would discuss on a first date or a job interview. The surreal atmosphere of the hospice, where angels might be eavesdropping, drops the guard of the storytellers, and sincerity prevails. Evacuation Plan is both entertaining and thought provoking, and it is a wonderful book.

The seller's description was accurate and I received this book quickly. I would recommend this seller.

We love Mo Willems' books. This one is particularly fun. The illustrations are very fun and engaging and the humor has an edge that any parent would appreciate.

My two boys (5 &9) will read anything by Mo Willems but this was the first one we ever read. They (and I) absolutely love it!
Make sure you do individual voices for each character.
You and you child will be laughing out loud!

Very cute book! Mo Willems is a great kids author and his Pigeon books are a must read, as well!! Your kids will love them all!

All the Mo Willems books are huge hits in my classroom, and the Elephant and Piggie books are the hottest items in home reading. Even the parents enjoy them and especially love seeing their emergent readers read and reread with animation and excitement. No whining about home reading practice with these books! As a teacher, I'm really excited about this series and have already preordered the two Elephant and Piggie books that are going to be released in a few months. Great high frequency word practice, too!

"Mad, Sad, or just Totally Confused" is one of those books you won't read in a day or even a week. You won't want to breeze through Ms. Waggoner's honest, unapologetic advice and set the book aside; rather, this is one for the backpack, the top desk drawer, even under the mattress. You'll need these candid stories, thoughts and prayers at your disposal--when you find yourself down and discouraged, "Prayers" delivers legitimate dialogue on tough issues. Don't expect Ms. Waggoner to shy away or bandy out an easy answer. Her voice is strong and self-assured while at the same time stressing that it's okay to be real and vulnerable. Her book meets teens where they are, not where their elders think they are or should be. "Prayers" should be added to any teen's library of essentials--somewhere between the study Bible and the issues of "Seventeen." It's that pertinent and that useful.

Although the content of this book is meant primarily for teens and young adults, the principles apply to anyone who is struggling...and who isn't?! This book is witten in a clear, uncluttered manner. It is obvious that Brittany has a thorough grasp of how to convey trust to her readers without being preachy. After the loss of our oldest son, reading Brittany's chapter about grief is right on! I recommend this book to teens and their parents!

A great resource for turbulent years, I found this book to be a great guide for those in one of life's many hardships. Waggoner relates the tough times that we all must face in an honest, realistic way, and yet points us towards the only solution in every trial. Excellent material, especially from such a young writer, she writes with a command that many veteran writers cannot seem to find. Simply an excellent work, I cannot wait to read this promising young author's next work!

What an outstanding book! Brittany takes a hard look at the very real issues that all teens face as they grow up in today's society. Extremely helpful for the teen at heart too. It's an excellent choice for when has you all twisted and turned around. I couldn't put it down. When reading "Prayers," it becomes so evident that these are things Brittany has dealt with herself and came through in a positive way. I definite must read, no matter where you are in life.

If you want an outstanding book for that teen or young adult in your life, I highly recommend Prayers for when you're Mad, sad, or just totally confused by Brittany Waggoner. It's the perfect book for the issues with which young adults struggle. The short chapters make it a quick read, you can easily find the chapter that addresses your problem and you're provided with practical insights and Biblical solutions in a warm, encouraging way. A much needed book!! Pa Licensed Psychologist

Simply put this book should be mandatory reading for anyone that feels the American military should always have a "world presence" in the various political quagmires. Both young & old & in-between will benefit from a book that can make you laugh & cry often within the same paragraph.

Very Dry humour... I LOVE IT

This has to be one of the funniest, well-written, smartest books I've ever read. You can find the time to cry and laugh at the same time - it is an example of others in a horrible situation that can find some security in laughing and making their experiences funny to a certain point. I love this book and I intend on having my friends read it.

I was given this book by a friend who raved about it. I expected yet another terrible "Vietnam was hell-don't you feel sorry for me" books. Instead I got to read a book that transcends that conflict and all others. The story and mood could easily be transplanted to any other conflict in history and thats what makes this book so compelling. As a former enlisted infantryman, I rarely read any accounts that accurately portray the bizzare and often irrational logic that one has to adopt to deal with the situations faced by a soldier. Most stories and recollections make soldiers clear-thinking and rational and are usually from the perspective of an officer or high ranking NCO who seem almost to enjoy the experience. Any bad decisions are made "out-of scene" by politcally motivated officers or out-of-touch politicians. They imply that things would be fine without these busybodies. McAfee throws away these stereotypical conventions and gives us the hazy and almost absurdist reasoning that governs a man in times of unrelenting stress and deprevation. Each character in this story clings to each other, and in one case a mortar, to try and ground themselves in an environment of chaos and incoherence. This book should be a classic and the fact that it is out-of-print is a disgrace considering how much junk out there should never have been printed in the first place. However you can swing it, get this book. You will not be disapointed.

Dear Mr. McAfee,

I read your book. I have sent copies to friends. I never understood why it did not become an American classic. Finally, I saw your on-line comments and I understood.

You have done a marvellous thing for veterans and civilians alike. You have captured the essence of the Vietnam conflict. You "Get" it. You also made me weep for the first time in thirty years.

Thank you

I could read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter over and over - such an awesome story. As a McCullers fan, I enjoyed reading her other works.

THIS BOOK IS FULL OF GREAT STORIES. " THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING" IS MY FAVORITE! I THINK IT TOOK C. M. 7 YEARS TO WRITE THE PLAY AND STORY! ANYONE INTERESTED IN WRITING OR GREAT WRITERS SHOULD BUY THIS BOOK. IT'S A MUST-RED NOW BOOK!!!!!

Carson McCullers, one of America's greatest Southern writers, was often misunderstood, as many people were put off by or unwilling to deal with her (at the time) controversial subject matter. MCCullers used the grotesque as exaggerated symbols of everyday experience. The loneliness and isolation of her gothic-like characters were merely extreme examples of feelings we all have, though magnified and intensified to the nth degree.

Tennessee Williams, in his introduction to MCCullers' "Reflections in a Golden Eye", posed the question (in a mock dialogue) most people asked about writers of the 'gothic' school such as Carson McCullers, Flannery O'Connor, Katherine Anne Porter and Eudora Welty: "Why do they write about such dreadful things?" Williams replies, " In my opinion it is most simply definable as a sense, an intuition of an underlying dreadfulness in modern society.. Why have they got to use..symbols of the grotesque and the violent? Because a book is short and a man's life is long... The awfulness has to be compressed."

McCullers, unlike any writer I have ever read, pierces the heart of themes such as love, isolation, and loneliness with her lucid, poetic prose. Tennessee Williams, in Virginia Spencer Carr's biography of McCullers summed up McCullers' writing as follows: "I have used the word 'heart', but it is not an adequate word to describe the core of Carson McCullers' genius....I believe, in fact I know, that there are many, many with heart who lack the need or gift to express it. And therefore Carson McCullers is what I would call a necessary writer: She owned the heart and the deep understanding of it, but in addition she had that 'tongue of angels' that gave her power to sing of it, to make of it an anthem."

Until very recently, it was quite difficult to find a nice hardback copy of Mc Culler's novels. Each one of them is absolutely priceless and unforgettable; believe me when I tell you that "The Ballad of the Sad Café" is one of those stories that long remain on your mind. Mc Culler's novels, clearly influenced by Faulkner, surpass the master himself in magnetism, , power of storytelling and above all, characterization. If you add to all this a dose of gothic dark strangely ambivalent sense of humour, the result is certainly a writer utterly impossible to classify, novels that you really enjoy reading and characters that you are very unlikely to forget. Besides I am fully in love with the Library of America hardback editions and Mc Cullers certainly deserves to be included in this collection.
Later, if you want to give yourself a treat, go and buy her autobiography, although unfinished, a memorable book.

I have read many novels by many writers, both American and foreign, but it's been a good long while since I've read something so penetrating and perceptive as Carson McCuller's first and last novels. The characters in the books, their lives and personalities, are so well thought-out and delineated that you have to wonder how a woman of 23 could put something like this together. Anyway, below is a synopsis of each story in this volume.

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is the longest of Carson McCullers' novels, and the first. She wrote it in the late `30s, and published it in 1940, when she was 23. It's an incredible first novel, and amazingly prescient and wise for someone of her age, era, and upbringing. The story revolves around a deaf mute, John Singer, who works engraving silverware in a small city in the South somewhere. He has only one friend in the world, another deaf mute who works for his cousin, making candy. As the story begins the candymaker (named Antanopolous) is committed to an asylum, and Singer moves from the home they shared, and slowly begins to acquire a circle of other friends. Principle in this circle are four people: Mick, the daughter of his landlords at the rooming house he lives in; Biff, who runs the diner where he takes his meals; Blount, another denizen of the diner, who wishes to unionize the local mill-workers; and Dr.Copeland, a black man who rages against the injustice of white society towards him and his race. The heart of the story is a character study of these five people, with alternating chapters following the one and then the other. Each is intelligent, in his or her own way, and each has special insights into the world around them. How these characters interact, and the relationships between them and the rest of the world, make the heart of the story and most of the book.

Reflections in a Golden Eye is a shorter story, one of McCullers' novels that is really more of a novella. The plot revolves around a love triangle that develops between two officers on an Army base, and the wife of one of them. There's also a strange, solitary, enigmatic private who tends the horses on the base, and he interacts with the other characters. Frankly, I didn't enjoy this story as much as The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. The characters weren't anywhere near as believable, and their motivations weren't as transparent or understandable. The ending was also somewhat predictable.

The Ballad of the Sad Café is the shortest of McCullers' novels or novellas, weighing in at 60 pages. It's the story of a strange, unpredictable relationship between the standoffish businesswoman who dominates the culture of a small town, and a dwarf hunchback who shows up one day claiming to be her long-lost nephew. How the two of them interact in the story is strange, to say the least, and not wholly explained in the story. This creates an enigmatic atmosphere, and as the story progresses and it becomes obvious we're not going to receive an explanation of things, you find yourself re-reading passages looking for clues as to motivations. I enjoyed this story much more than Reflections in a Golden Eye, perhaps almost as much as The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

The Member of the Wedding is perhaps McCullers' most strange work. The heart of the book is built around the fantastic intentions and beliefs of a twelve-year-old girl. In the first portion of the book, she's known as Frankie. Later, when she gets the idea she's going to leave with her older brother on his honeymoon, she changes her name to F. Jasmine, and the book follows that convention. Once it develops that she can't go with the brother and his new bride (you knew this was going to happen) she becomes Frances. There isn't much of a plot other than this girl fantasizing about all of the things she's going to be or do, and looking down her nose at all the common people who surround her, who she thinks are beneath her.

Clock Without Hands is the best of McCullers' books other than The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. I now wonder if the length of the books had something to do with whether I liked them or not. She seems to have been able, in the longer books, to build her characters more, and have more plot twists. Clock Without Hands is about a dying pharmacist in a small Georgia town, and the events surrounding his death, but it really turns out to be more about one of his acquaintances, a senile old judge who imagines himself a great leader of the opposition to the desegregation movement. The episodes of the Civil Rights movement, as McCullers recreates them, become at times farcical and silly, and the resistance to the movement altogether silly and irrational.

Library of America volumes are wonderful to hold and read, and this is no exception. The type is clear, the book handy to hold or slip into a pocket. Given McCullers' stature as a writer, I think I'm going to value this book for a good long while.

I found this book to be very informative and highly recommend it to anyone concerned with how "sad" or withdrawn their child is.

Although adult depression has been recognized for decades, childhood depression has only been considered since the 1980's. Previously, it was simply thought that children couldn't be depressed. Perhaps this is because (as is learned from this book) the lethargy and weepiness that adults and adolescents experience during depression, in children is often expressed as hostility. The depressed children may in fact be the troublemakers and the discipline problems.

This book reports on few case histories, but because only twenty years of research are behind this subject, that isn't surprising. Most of the descriptive text looks at the stages of childhood depression, and what to expect from various treatment options. The authors do suggest that while several stressful situations such as parental divorce, or placement in foster care can lead to childhood depression, in most cases, there will be no single, obvious, precipitating factor, and parents should not look for one.

More than once, the authors state that depression is not the fault of the parents, or the result of bad parenting. Of course, what are they going to say, if they want parents to buy their book? Parents don't want to be blamed. At any rate, if they are voluntarily looking for help, the family is probably at a point where placing blame will not solve anything, so the authors are undoubtedly correct in this approach. The problem is that this approach appears to slant the book toward physiological causes of depression almost to the exclusion of environmental factors.

Nonetheless, the information presented is readable, clear, and written in a soothing narrative voice. Just reading the book may give relief to parents who are concerned about a child.

The book neatly describes external symptoms of childhood depression, offering a great deal of help to parents and people who work with children in identifying children who may be depressed. Much of the book is given over to choosing a therapist. This is so thoroughly commendable, I don't know where to begin, because it is not uncommon for people to walk into a therapist's office, and immediately turn over all their power. This book will help families hold onto themselves until they are certain they have the right person, not just for the child but for the whole family.

I would recommend this book over most of the others addressing this topic.

This is a very valuable book for families of depressed children, and I highly recommend it. It contains essential information, thoroughly and clearly covered. One section I particularly liked discussed the effect a depressed child has on family members and family dynamics.

"Help Me, I'm Sad" first addresses diagnosing depression in a child, including what I had never seen before: symptom lists specific to children at different stages of childhood, infants to teenagers. Companion illnesses that might indicate depression are also discussed as part of the diagnosis section.

The treatment section covers how to find effective treatment, whether therapy, medication or both, including questions to ask a potential therapist. The last section, on preventing depression, contains suggestions on how to raise an emotionally resilient child. All in all, a complete, compassionate resource for parents and others who have a depressed child in their lives.

Dr. Fassler and Miss Dumas do an amazing job at organizing this book in the most efficient manner. The doctor with utmost clarity lists the symptoms of depression for each age group up to and including young adulthood. He does justice to new research revealing that symptoms may be dependant upon the patient's age. Moreover, he highlights the long-avoided fact that even toddlers can suffer from clinical depression. He also briefly examines the various related affective disorders common among young people and how they can be detected also. The chapter on suicide and suicide recognition and prevention is well-written in that it provides all the vital information without going into graphic details. In addition to discussing all forms of treatment types, schools of thought, and classes of mental healthcare professionals in an easily understandable manner, the doctor offers pragmatic advice on seeking help for the child and the child's family. All too often the devastating effects of depression on other family members are ignored with tragic consequences. Dr. Fassler makes sure that this point is stressed. He also helps the reader choose a good therapist and treatment plan for his/her child. Finally, he discusses ways in which depression can be prevented, and how good parenting can affect the child's chance of growing up to become a healthy adult. The only thing I found disappointing was Dr. Fassler's bias towards the physiological nature of affective disorders. Understanding the biochemical aspects of depression is crucial in effectively treating the illness for much of the symptoms are linked to somatic disorders in the brain.

If you're the parent of a depressed child -- or think you might be -- this is a must-read. It's a reassuring, gentle but completely informative guide to all aspects of childhood depression. The part I liked best? How to get help for your child. It includes the best discussion of medications and other treatments I've ever read. This book makes an extremely sensitive, scary and complex subject easy to understand.

I have been looking everywhere for books to help me explain to my 8 yr old daughter about my clinical depression (I suffer from Bipolar disorder). This book was awesome, and was able to give my daughter and I points to begin discussion about my depression. I've recently become a single parent and have felt that it is even more important now than ever before to educate my daughter about this illness that is such a large part of my life. Through this book we've been able to discuss how this affects her and how we can work together to get through the difficult times caused by my illness.

I was looking for a way to talk to my little girl about depression. This book was wonderful. It shows a little girl who has to deal with depression in her home. And it answered questions that I had no way of answering. It has helped my daughter understand that she is not the problem when things are not good at home. And that there are good and bad days. She is not to blame. And that was very important, as a parent with depression, to get across to my children. The only part that I didn't care for was about the cereal. I wish that there had been a different way to see what kind of morning it was. My kids have cold cereal most of the time, even on good days. That is the only reason that I rated it 4 instead of 5. It did make all the important points in a way that a child can understand.

This story tells about the feelings of Amanda, an elementary school-aged girl as she experiences her mother's unpredictable episodes of recurrent depression. The mother also clearly experiences anguish when she sometimes cannot respond to her child's needs. Her mother and father both help Amanda understand that her mother loves her and that the mother's depressive episodes are not Amanda's fault. Amanda conceptualizes her mother's moods as colors. The illustrations sensitively follow this metaphor to catch the moods and experiences of the mother and the household. Amanda and her mother learn that despite recurrent depression, the mother can still find ways to give of herself to Amanda.

Children often feel confused and upset when a parent is depressed. They may blame themselves or the depressed parent. I liked the fact that this book is encouraging without sugar-coating a very difficult situation. I often use this book as a springboard for further discussion.

I bought this and another children's book about depression to help explain depression to my kids. I thought this book did a much better job than the other one I bought. Amanda Martha's mother suffers from depression, and the daughters asks the usual questions: Is it my fault? Can I make you feel better? And the mother gives the right answers: It's not your fault. It's not your job to make you feel better.

The mother's depression was protrayed very realistically, I thought. Some days she's very down and can't even get out of her bathrobe. Other days, she can get dressed, but she's not happy. Some days, she is happy. There are no quick fixes here. However, there is a sense of hope, that when the family pulls together, the necessary work will get done and love will be shared in abundance. This book should be available for all parents who have been diagnosed with depression and who have young children.

This book is a wonderful resource to share with children. Told simply, from the point of view of a child whose mother is severely depressed, this book is affirming for parents and children. As the child tells us, "some days are sad days, some are glad days and but most are in between days."

Through a simple plot, Amanda shares her feelings about her mother's 'sad days' and 'glad days'. When Amanda first asks for a kitten she is told no, because her mother's sad days might make it difficult to care for the kitten. At the end, Amanda, knowing that most days are in between days, agrees to care for the kitten on her mother's sad days; and her mother can help her on her glad days.'

The book is very uplifting and satisfying with an honest portrayal of living with depression.