Enter Dr. Jane Baxter and her book, Manage Your Depression Through Exercise.  It is a five-week plan to assist depression sufferers in starting an exercise routine and battling through their depression.  She is a cheerleader and friend through the book, motivating and encouraging the reader in their journey.  With her career in psychotherapy and as a personal trainer, Dr. Baxter tackles depression head-on in her book, incorporating the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of living a healthy lifestyle. 

So how is her book any different from other exercise books?  Many exercise books and programs can make beginners feel like they are being thrown into the deep end of a pool to learn to swim.  Dr. Baxter takes a slower approach; she holds your hand and guides you into the pool using the steps in the shallow end.  Do not misconstrue this as coddling or babying.  In her first chapter, she clearly states, “excuses are not welcome.”  She explains that everyone must take responsibility for his or her own life and actions.  Enough blaming and finger pointing; she lays it out and tells readers that if they want a change, it is up to them. 

The program begins light in the first week; workouts are only five to 15 minutes a day.  She even provides pictures of the exercises.  Each week the exercises progress in intensity.  Dr. Baxter also includes other forms of exercise other than the ones that she specifically refers to in her book. 

What exercise book would be complete without nutrition advice?  Rather than go to an extreme, Dr. Baxter advises to “find a diet and exercise plan that works for you.”  She encourages readers to “eat like a pig.” What she means is to stop counting calories, worrying about what other people are eating, or feeling ashamed on the scale. Balance is key.  Balancing proteins and carbohydrates will help maintain energy at a constant level, rather than riding a rollercoaster of sugar highs and crashes.  She addresses the issues of food addiction but there is not a sense of pity in her words.  Rather, she is matter-of-fact, explaining the process of food addiction as it relates to the various areas of the brain:

Motivation is a junction of brain signals and those signals depend on reliable messengers and intact nerve pathways.  When we look at addiction as a neurological malfunction rather than as a moral failure, it suddenly takes on the form of something that can be fixed.

She encourages readers to look at the role that food plays in their lives.  Do you eat when you are bored?  Sad?  Lonely?  Stressed?  How do you feel after you eat?  Gross?  Unhappy?  Delirious?  There is a chart to fill out when you are hungry, how hungry you are, and how you are feeling emotionally before, during and after you eat.

The most important aspect of Manage Your Depression Through Exercise is the constant attention to readers’ emotions. There are charts for the reader to track their emotional state before, during, and after each workout.  Dr. Baxter includes areas to write any distracting thoughts and emotions that may be getting in the way of the workout.  There are personal exercises that provoke readers to look at what they want out of their lives and how they express their emotions.  Do you want to get out of your depression?  Do you vocalize your anger in a healthy manner?  Alternatively, do you explode and throw objects? 

Each chapter has at least two or three sections to remind readers to pay attention to what they are feeling.  Although this sounds redundant, Dr. Baxter addresses various emotions in each section in order to cover the full spectrum by the end of the book.  Therefore, regardless if the real issue is loneliness, food addiction, or anger, Dr. Baxter provides questions and suggestions for working through emotional blocks.

I found Dr. Baxter’s book truly motivating.  Although I personally do not suffer from depression, I can say that I understand being emotionally wrapped up and unable to motivate myself to move.  Within the first few pages of her book, I felt like going for a jog.  During my workouts, I remembered many of the things that she discussed. For example, she comments on working through any emotions that come up during a workout because, physiologically, I have turned up a notch by going for a run. 

I feel that Manage Your Depression Through Exercise is an excellent book for anyone who has struggled with being overwhelmed emotionally. I have already put my copy in the mail to a friend.

Manage Your Depression Through Exercise: The Motivation You Need to Start and Maintain an Exercise Program
By Jane Baxter, PhD
Sunrise River Press: August 15, 2011
Paperback, 192 pages
$14.95

“Triggered: A Memoir of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder” is for anyone who is or knows someone who is suffering from mental illness of any type.  While Wortmann wrestles with OCD, he is more than sympathetic regarding all types of mental illness. In addition to making us understand the problems and loss of so much of his life due to his problems, it’s important to him that mental health professionals try to understand things that they may not have personally experienced. If they can’t feel what the patient feels, it is important that they are careful when trying to help and not make light of things. (His well-meaning social worker decided to call his deepest depression “crumping” because she felt it would be easier for him to call it this when he had too much trouble asking for help.  This did not end well.)

Even as a boy, Wortmann tended to use irony in order to survive his disorder.  While it may seem better than complaining and constantly feeling unhappy with the help provided, to the reader it is obvious that this is exactly what kept Wortmann from really asking for help when needed most. 

His fixations — whether they be the perfection seemingly demanded by Jesus in his religion; his obsession with perfection in school and at home; or his very normal embarrassment by a parent picking him up from school — are not unfamiliar to the average person. But the OCD causes Wortmann to have an extreme, painful and almost fatal reaction to such things. 

It is difficult to judge this book because it is well-written by a man who could be writing fiction and making you laugh or cry depending on the moment.  He admits to trying to kill himself more than once. He can’t be sure that he won’t do so at some point in his life, because no matter how much help he gets, no one can take away what he’s been given — which seems to be an overabundance of guilt and worry. Think of the adolescent fear of dating. Then imagine the impossibility of setting this fear aside long enough to understand that a “no” isn’t the end of the world and asking is the only way to get a “yes.”  This is just a small portion of his life.

I think this book will bring many people to a new understanding of OCD because it is filled with interesting anecdotes and compelling sadness along with hopeful events.

To write anything negative about this book would be difficult since I have suffered my own type of mental illness.  I have suffered physical pain, as have most people at one time or another, but mental pain far surpasses this. Wortmann’s pain hurts me as he says “Does it sound embarrassing, trite, if I claim that I feel a kinship between us?”  This, I am sure, means everyone with mental pain.  It feels as though Wortmann “feels” too much, which is probably due to a lifetime of pain that is difficult to pinpoint and difficult for others to comprehend. It doesn’t sound embarrassing or trite to me, because feeling the pain I felt — and knowing there are people like Wortmann who will live with this pain forever and have never known real peace — is painful to me.

Triggered: A Memoir of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
By Fletcher Wortmann
Thomas Dunne Books: March 27, 2012
Hardcover, 272 pages
$24.99

In her book, The 11 Laws of Likability: Relationship Networking . . . Because People Do Business with People They Like, she proves her method simply by the way she writes.  She is realistic about her advice, constantly explaining her thought processes and personal situations, and she understands everyday struggles.  She doesn’t pretend that she is in a constant state of perfect happiness and she doesn’t try to convince her readers that they need to be either.  She simply offers her readers a way to strengthen and maintain relationships, both personally and professionally, as she is a businesswoman and a professor of business at NYU’S Stern School of Business.

I instantly found myself connecting with her as a narrator and I was engaged by her advice and her stories.  I was worried this book wouldn’t tell me anything new, but Lederman finds a way of repurposing natural advice, like “you have to like you first.”  She breaks it down into how to realistically achieve this feeling, pointing out the places where you can easily get tripped up. In this example, she explains that when you assume that you cannot do something or do not deserve something, it helps to ask yourself “Do I want to be right about this?” She goes on to say, “if your answer is “No,” then you need to change your reality.” So, even the advice that you thought you knew becomes fresh and more tangible.

This book thrives on logical, straightforward advice and the setup follows the same format.  Lederman divides her book into eleven chapters, not including the short introduction and conclusion, and each chapter explains one of the “laws.”  Each chapter is introduced with an inspirational quote, establishing a root for where the law came from, and then she expands to include personal stories of either herself or of someone she knows and how this particular law has affected them.  Sporadically throughout the book she includes “live the law” sections that give you a quick way to self-assess and stay active in the process.  She divvies up each chapter with large section headings to guide you and finishes with a memory refreshing section to review her key points.  There is no set formula to each chapter, but they all include these features, which help you to make notable connections that you will remember in the future.

In addition to her sections being divided by “law,” Lederman divides the eleven laws into three sections.  The sections revolve around the center of relationships and connections, which she calls the conversation. The first section is “before the conversation,” which helps you look at yourself through the laws of authenticity, self-image, perception and energy.  The next section is the conversation itself, and she guides you through it with the laws of curiosity, listening, similarity and mood memory (becoming aware of the moods we carry with us and how that might affect the conversation).  Finally, her last section is a guide to what to do after the conversation, explaining this through the laws of familiarity, giving, and patience.  I found this to be the most helpful, as it focuses on how to maintain long-term relationships, with acquaintances and business associates alike, in sensible ways.

The introduction gives you a nice taste of who she seems to be as a person.  She explains the personal situation that turned her on to studying likability.  Most importantly, she admits that this book is very much the opposite of how she used to think about things, and that it is different than how many people still think about things.  By explaining the context surrounding the book, Lederman makes it easier to become immersed in it and helps you to trust her as your narrator.  Her ideas are easier to understand, absorb and practice when you know how she arrived at them.

Lederman’s personal stories are engaging. She often intertwines them along with her key points, so it is easy to get caught up in a few different stories.  It certainly helped to keep my attention and it also proved that she designed her “laws” to work in everyday experiences.  This book is the result of practice, not theory.  The stories are not simply about Lederman herself, but also about people in her life: students, coworkers, old friends, etc.  She explains both her connection to them and her ability to assess and understand them in the particular situation they are in.  She guides you through her thought process, e.g., how she tried to find the good in a coworker with whom she simply did not enjoy working. If she had just trashed him, neither would have benefited; instead; she tried to discover some of his positive attributes.  This resulted in a positive talk where they mutually decided to find him a job elsewhere in the company.  He thrived in his new spot and she felt better about herself as a supervisor. 

Lederman does not suggest her methods are an end to all your sleepless nights. Nor does it mean you’ll never frown again. But it is a realistic way to find and establish something positive in your life, rather than trying to endure the negative.

At the end, Lederman explains that this book is not meant to be linear, nor is it meant to be your only resource—it is a part of a network. She encourages you to absorb the parts of the books that you gravitate toward or to look to specific sections if you have a particular problem.  Because she makes the book so accessible and malleable, I liked it more than I thought I would.  Mostly, I found it helpful for how to govern relationships in the professional world, as they don’t always develop as naturally. The workplace can be a place of tension and Lederman’s book gives you a way to start finding relief.

The 11 Laws of Likability: Relationship Networking … Because People Do Business with People They Like
By Michelle Tillis Lederman
AMACOM, September 15, 2011
Paperback, 240 pages
$16.95

Paranormality: Why We See What Isn’t There does not discuss if the phenomena are real (and Wiseman is very firm in stating that they are not), but rather why we and our brains have evolved to experience them.  This fascinating perspective, which the author presents clearly and entertainingly, is applied to many different aspects of the paranormal, coming to a similar conclusion each time: that our senses and our minds are incredible in what they perceive, and that investigation into the supernatural leads directly back to the very grounded realm of scientific discovery.

Paranormality’s chapters are organized according to various mystical realms. For example, Chapter 1’s focus is fortune telling.  Psychics mainly use “cold readings,” in which the psychic has not previously met the person seeking a reading.  While many people are very impressed with what these practitioners can “see,” Wiseman explains that six empirically proven psychological techniques are the basis of a psychic’s power.  These include flattery, selective memory, the illusion of uniqueness, etc.   To further drive home the point that anyone can learn to be a psychic, the author provides a set of exercises so the reader can amaze and astound her friends with her new “powers.”

Out-of-body and near-death experiences (OBEs) are the most common encounter people have with the paranormal.  Rather than having touched heaven or the astral plane, however, Wiseman notes that after examination:

“…people who experience OBEs are much better than others at naturally generating the type of imagery associated with the experience, and struggle to tell the difference between reality and imagination.  Put these people in a situation where their bodies receive only a small amount of unchanging information about where they actually are and […] they can end up believing that they are no longer located inside their bodies.” (p. 88)

In fact, according to the end of Chapter 2, with training, anyone can learn to fly around the world while lying in bed!

Chapter 3 delves deeper into psychic deception, which is what makes the majority of all paranormal phenomena possible to experience.

“The first four principles of psychic deception […] ensure that people do not figure out the solution to the tricks that are happening right in front of their eyes.  The fifth principle […] ensures that they are unable to accurately remember what happened.” (p. 126)

This chapter also presents the first of the many scientific conclusions that investigation into these principles has drawn:  among other real-life effects, selective memory undermines the reliability of eyewitness testimony (p. 130).

The following sections on talking with the dead and ghost hunting expand upon this premise, with Wiseman detailing how reports of these occurrences have led directly to discoveries of the unconscious, ideomotor actions (actions performed without conscious intention), the power of suggestion, and sleep psychology. Even cult brainwashing has provided a lens into hazing and the power of self-justification.  In probably the most direct cause and effect example, the famous case of Clever Hans (the mathematical horse) made abundantly clear the need for double-blind experimentation.

The final phenomenon that Wiseman explains is prophecy.  He specifically asks why we have evolved to believe in the impossible, namely that one can predict the future through dreams or other divination.  His answer is that this tendency to attribute other-worldly revelations dates back to primitive pattern-finding skills.  Humanity has developed a “…built-in tendency to find connections between completely unrelated events.  In doing so, you can easily convince yourself that you have experienced the impossible (p. 306).”

With its clear, step-by-step explanations and scientific rationales, even the most intense believer will have second thoughts after reading Paranormality.  And if you’re already fairly skeptical, Wiseman provides a fascinating look at how it all ties together.  Not only is the author obviously very knowledgeable and experienced, he also is able to present his research in a humorous, tongue-in-cheek manner.

Paranormality is also a practical work, with real-world applications and lessons included in every chapter (as well as an “Instant Superhero Kit” in the appendix to tie it all together).  In this way, it’s not only a psychological tome, but a ‘how-to’ on learning mind reading, making objects float, talking to the dead, having an out-of-body experience, etc.  Smartphone tags are scattered throughout for related video and audio content, which are especially interesting when used to expand upon anecdotes presented in the text, and suggestions for further reading are included in the Notes.  Not on the list, but a related work that readers who enjoy this book will love, is Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals About Our Everyday Deceptions (see review here).

Wiseman isn’t only about ruining the magic of the supernatural with his insistent disproving of any otherworldly phenomena, though.  His view is that knowing how these instances are experienced doesn’t decrease the wonder of phenomena, but rather that “seen in this way, rotating pencils and bending spoons are not proof of the impossible, but are instead vivid reminders of how sophisticated your eyes and brain really are (p. 132).” 

Between this observation and the numerous advances in science resulting from the paranormal, Paranormality leaves the reader with an appreciation of what ghosts and psychics can teach us about ourselves—but through neuroscience, not mystical means.

Paranormality: Why We See What Isn’t There
By Richard Wiseman
Spin Solutions Ltd: August 17, 2011
Paperback, 198 pages
$15.00

Through its holistic, compassionate approach, this valuable guide empowers with knowledge, instills with confidence and gives women a direction for finding doctors who are truly knowledgeable about their disorders and able to treat their pain.  As is read in its introduction, “This book is the product of our passionate belief that all women with sexual pain need both physical and emotional support.” 

Deborah Coady and Nancy Fish provide a detailed, empathic guide that that offers a wealth of physical and emotional suppport. I highly recommend Healing Painful Sex: A Woman’s Guide to Confronting, Diagnosing, and Treating Sexual Pain.

Millions of women suffer from sexual and pelvic pain in America today, yet it is frequently misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.  Because of the multidisciplinary nature of sexual pain, which falls between the disciplines of experts, women have often been told that pain is “all in your head”  or that nothing can be done to help them.  As Coady and Fish point out, “We’re here to tell you that none of that is true.  Sexual pain is almost always caused by an identifiable, verifiable medical condition; it can be treated and is not in your head.” 

Nancy Fish had suffered from severe pelvic pain and had seen seven specialists before visiting Deborah Coady.  Coady, while having years of experience with women suffering from sexual pain, nonetheless took some time to uncover all of Fish’s difficulties.  Fish, like most women suffering from sexual pain, through inadequate treatment had several conditions that had compounded and spread.  A licensed certified social worker specializing in chronic illness, Fish found great hope in Coady’s insistence that she never give up on herself. She was inspired to form a partnership with Coady to help those with the chronic illness of sexual pain. 

Deborah Coady, through her personally developed teams of colleagues in neurology, dermatology, orthopedics, pain management, gastroenterology, urology, peripheral nerve surgery, physical therapy and psychotherapists, demonstrates in Healing Painful Sex how fruitful their holistic approach can be. As they write, “Even in your most difficult situations, you can experience a significant reduction in your pain and can find help for reintroducing sex as a joyous and nourishing part of your life.  We promise:  Things can get better.”

The book is organized into three parts. Part 1: Naming the Problem begins with the difficult situation of talking about sexual pain.  It helps the reader learn how to share her situation with one or two other people who can then help make medical decisions.  The book then discusses the often arrogant, uninformed or downright abusive physicians who exist.  As stated in the book, “The degree of incompetence, insensitivity, and indifference among gynecologists, other specialists, and general practitioners is hard to overstate.”  Hoping to aid their emotional healing along the way to ending their sexual pain, Coady and Fish outline the ways in which the reader can understand what to do when the doctors get it wrong. 

The first section of the book ends with a chapter dedicated to finding a doctor who will offer effective treatment and provides a detailed holistic guide on beginning one’s healing by following guidelines on pain, sleep hygiene, diet and supplements, exercise and relaxation techniques and learning of how to be gentle with oneself.

Part 2: Understanding the Problem, provides the reader nine chapters of detailed information covering the symptoms and conditions of pelvic floor dysfunction, vulvodynia, pudendal nerve pain, clitorodynia, pelvic organ problems, endometriosis, painful bladder, and irritable bowel syndrome, skin disorders, such as lichen sclerosis, and hormonal, surgical, and post-cancer causes of pain.  Interwoven with detailed explanations of the causes of sexual pain, the book contains full-page anatomical illustrations, checklists for particular disorders, and details on the types of tests needed as well as lists of the common misdiagnoses given for a disorder and ways to rule it out.  It contains details on how the various conditions can co-occur and affect one another.  It tells the potential patient of what to expect during an examination and offers guidance based on the doctor’s performance and recommendations.

Part 3: Overcoming the Problem presents valuable information and guidance devoted to fulfilling one’s life with the joys often taken away in sexual pain.  Coady and Fish hope to return libido, desire, partner intimacy, healthy relationships with friends and families to women undergoing sexual pain.  Their many personal case studies validate and underscore the valuable guidance they provide.  The book closes with excellent resources, including recommended books, helpful websites, psychotherapists, as well as relevant organizations and associations.

Healing Painful Sex: A Woman’s Guide to Confronting, Diagnosing, and Treating Sexual Pain
By Deborah Coady, MD & Nancy Fish, MSW, MPH
Seal Press: November 1, 2011
Paperback, 400 pages
$18

Drawing on her own experiences and her observations of others, Schoen explains exactly what a “gentle self” is.  This type of narcissist puts others ahead of themselves because the narcissist feels that he or she is unworthy of love or respect.  I can definitely relate to the gentle self.  Schoen spends half the book comparing and contrasting the two types of narcissist.  You may be thinking, “How can someone who puts others first be a narcissist?  Isn’t that the exact opposite of what a narcissist is?”  Schoen addresses this very question.  She explains that a narcissist is anyone who is self-absorbed.  The gentle self is self-absorbed in the sense that they are constantly thinking about how they don’t feel like they belong, how they aren’t worthy of love, etc.

The second half of The Gentle Self is about how to overcome depression, anxiety, shyness, and low self-esteem.  Schoen offers such advice as, “If you feel strong anxiety or pain or even a nervous breakdown approaching, the first rule to remember is: leave yourself alone.”  She goes on to say, “We often tend to put more pressure on ourselves in the form of ‘I can’t possibly burst into tears right now,’ ‘what’s wrong with me,’ or ‘I hate myself,’” and suggests trying to “be your own friend” when others are being negative toward you.

In romantic relationships, Schoen recommends bringing the spontaneity that we crave into the relationship instead of waiting for our partners to do so.  If we sit around waiting for our partners to read our minds and do what we want them to do, our relationships will end in failure.  Affairs are a not uncommon problem in relationships with gentle narcissists.  In friendships, Schoen says that gentle narcissists should get out and meet people.  Since it’s human nature to crave connection, meeting strangers on the street can feel refreshing and give the gentle self the confidence he or she needs to feel good the rest of the day.

Some other practical methods that Schoen provides for dealing with personal issues are the typical options: psychotherapy, meditation, and growing up.  The phrase “growing up” means something different to everyone.  In the context of The Gentle Self, growing up can be explained with three ideas:

• Leave yourself alone.
• Stay involved with other people.
• Take care of somebody else such as a child, grandparent, or pet.

If you, or any other gentle self, can get your mind off of how you feel about yourself, you get out with friends or meet new people regularly, and you have someone you can pour your affection into, your life might just start to look a little bit brighter.

All in all, I’m not too sure how effective Schoen’s methods are.  I’ve tried meditation before with little success.  Though I do feel a little better when I’m interacting with people, when that interaction has ended, I’m back to feeling how I did before—worthless and unimportant.  There are a lot of things that I agree with in The Gentle Self.  As I read, I could see so many parallels with my life.  Everything from distant parents trying to live through me to my fear of intimacy in romantic relationships—Gerti Schoen covered it all.  I have yet to try psychotherapy, but it is something I’ve been looking into.  As for taking care of someone else, I don’t know what I would do without my pets.  The only way I can explain how I feel about my pets is how a parent feels for a child.  They mean everything to me and I would be lost without them.

On the whole, The Gentle Self was a slow read.  There are a few grammatical and spelling errors, but nothing that the average mind would notice unless it was looking for them.  Schoen offers sound advice.  Her methods work more often than not.  Ultimately, I would have to say that The Gentle Self is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who suffers from major depression or bipolar disorder.  You may see yourself in the pages.

The Gentle Self: How to Overcome Your Difficulties with Depression, Anxiety, Shyness, and Low Self-Esteem
By Gerti Schoen
CreateSpace: August 25, 2011
Paperback, 136 pages
$7.20

David Stringer has a well-written account  of how a family member can feel about their mentally ill, substance-abusing sibling and son.  In his first-person memoir the reader can’t help but empathize with David and his family but also feel strong emotions for David’s brother John who is riddled with problems. We can all see that John has made some very poor choices that affect everyone around him but David lets us know that he is a genuinely good-hearted person.  John’s affliction with schizophrenia and his substance abuse are similar, as far as I can tell, to the “chicken and egg” question.  Which came first, his schizophreni — leaving him wide open for self-medication — or drugs as a “party favor” and then his schizophrenia giving him an excuse?

On page 81 the author puts it well when he speaks of “disengagement-through the use of drugs…drug use was common, and drug abuse is sometimes a mask for schizophrenia.”  That makes me wonder how often this happens, and for how long, in other families.  It’s made clear to the reader that John had always been a gregarious, fun-loving guy, perhaps to the point of being a “party guy.”  I have to wonder whether his personality led to his drug abuse or if it was the mental illness that led him to have this type of personality.  Either way this was a tough road for John but then it also brought his family into this “hell” with him. 

On pg. 112 the author succinctly states how their mother, who feared losing John forever, would send him money even though she knew where it would probably go. But her fear overcame common sense and she felt she did what she had to in order to help him stay alive.

I found this book to be what I would consider an account of how James Frey’s family must have felt like in “A Million Little Pieces.” It made me realize that while this man was obviously hurting that there was a whole family going through this with him.  I believe this book will bring a lot of insight to other families who are going through this same sort of hell and feel alone and as if they’ve done something wrong.  The book doesn’t pull any punches and goes straight to the situation as it is.  Where John’s friend, Reingold, says “life is fragile, puny and temporary” on page 69 I believe he sums up the reasons why we should “know” the ones we love while we still can.

The concept of not “knowing” a loved one until after something terrible happens is one that I believe goes on too often. Really getting to know someone, especially someone with obvious problems, is very difficult and we all have our own problems to deal with but as the author pointed out, it can be well worth the effort it takes!

I found it interesting that the author states that “John reminded me of Dean in Kerouac’s “On the Road” because that’s one of my favorite books and I had already been making the same comparison.  There are definite parallels, one of which is that John wanted to see and do all that he could in the time given to him.  Though this can be a good trait, it can also be a curse, especially for a man already battling his own demons.  I’ve dealt with this feeling of unrest and the wonder of what I’m missing “out there” to the point of having lived in four different states and at least seven different cities in the past twenty years, never settling down and meeting several “John Stringers” during this time.  Though I don’t think that these people had the same problems as John, they were clearly fighting their own demons, both internally and externally, and that also brings one back to the “knowing” people.

I think this book would be very helpful to anyone dealing with similar circumstances, whether in their own family or the family of friends and loved ones.  People in this line of work, helping the mentally ill or the addicted, would get a great deal of insight as to the impact the people they are trying to help have on their families.

The author also does a good job of explaining and trying to remove the stigma put on homeless people who are probably just not equipped or don’t have the family who’s equipped to help them realize and fight the problems that have forced them into this lifestyle.  Too often these people are treated as sub-human, animals or invisible rather than normal human beings with afflictions we are lucky enough to have escaped.

I found the book to be entertaining, easy to read and well-written.  If the author’s plan was to help the general public understand at least a little of the life of the “John Stringers” in our lives he did a great job, But as far as I’m concerned he also wrote something that would help the caretakers of such afflicted people to really understand the impact of these poor souls on their families and loved ones. This, I believe, is a great learning tool.  I’m left thinking of what the author states on page 298, “John has helped me see more people as my brothers.”  That can’t be a bad thing!

According to the author, the rise of information technology was important in creating a “new economy.”  It is no longer business as usual for “we will not get far trying to solve twenty-first-century problems with twentieth-century (and older) thinking.”  Critical to success are the recognition of four key elements in this new economy:  a complex global playing field, new consumers, unpredictability, and sustainability.  Rather than a hierarchical business model you are likely accustomed to, “relationships are intertwined and all parts are interdependent” in Cholle’s model and the focus is on using intuition and instinct to facilitate those connections.

Like a directional compass used to navigate your way in the outdoors, the Intuitive Compass can help businesses navigate their way successfully in the new economy.  Unlike a directional compass, however, the Intuitive Compass assigns a “fundamental dynamic of human performance” to each principal point on the compass:

• Reason resides in the north
• Instinct in the south
• Results in the east
• Play in the west.

When further divided into quadrants (NW, NE, SW, SE), “a personality or approach to life or business” is defined.  A short questionnaire in the book’s introduction assesses your place on the Intuitive Compass and primes the pump, so to speak, for the rest of the book.

“Intuition empowers us to operate in the zone of ambiguity and change, the exact place where imagination and genius occur.”  A set of skills that invites you to think holistically, think paradoxically, notice the unusual, and lead by influence serves to create synergy between the four quadrants.  This skill set is termed Intuitive Intelligence and it supports the creation of new and better business innovations necessary to remain competitive in our new economy.  Cholle relates examples of each of these by using stories about business operating decisions made by companies including Hermès Paris, Google, and Virgin America.  Even President Obama’s election campaign is analyzed as an example of leading by influence, which Cholle says is probably the most essential aspect of Intuitive Intelligence.

Stories about other big names in business are peppered throughout the book to provide additional examples of decisions that were made, reasons why they came to their conclusions, and the outcomes.  As the author states: “You have to show people that change will be beneficial to them; you have to make it both nonthreatening and inspiring.”  From Cirque du Soleil to Evian and from Maytag to Ralph Lauren and many others, these stories about a specific point in time for their businesses make for fascinating reading all on their own. 

Something I found to be successful in getting my attention further were the five ways Cholle offered up to tap into your intuition.  Now if you are like many people, you are of the opinion that intuition is something you just know, not something you can learn.  However, when reading the “ideas to ponder and exercises to do” I was left with the idea that, yes, these tools can help to increase your capacity for intuition.  The author invites you to revisit your perspective and perceptions; get comfortable with the part of life that is not logical; accept that you are not in control; relax and practice noticing; and sharpen your ability to notice through careful listening.  I was struck with the thought that approaching any decision by utilizing these five ideas might seem either foolish or well worth the effort to someone, depending on their willingness to think outside the box.  Whether it is a business decision or a personal decision, your ability to recognize how well your current method of problem-solving and decision-making has served you in the past may be just the motivation you need to put these ideas into practice.

“The Intuitive Compass is a tool that helps us innovate, solve problems, and move forward creatively in a highly unpredictable environment where old practices no longer deliver what we need to succeed and achieve sustainable progress.”  One of the quadrants is vital to getting the most out of the Intuitive Compass and it requires “a type of management that many of us are unfamiliar with.”  Are you curious which quadrant that could be?  Read The Intuitive Compass to find out.  If you are not already operating from this quadrant – and it is my assumption that the vast majority of businesses are not – you will begin to rethink the old school “we’ve always done it this way” method of doing business.  For those who are just starting out in the business world, applying the principles from The Intuitive Compass is a golden opportunity to put your company in a prime position for success earlier rather than later.

The Intuitive Compass:  Why the Best Decisions Balance Reason and Instinct
Jossey-Bass: October 18, 2011
Hardcover, 288 pages
$27.95

What is the psychological appeal of the idea of apocalypse?  Sure, we’re all going to die, but why have humans persisted in believing what Charles Strozier and Katharine Boyd say “requires the end of the human experiment, or the death of everyone”?  In Apocalypse Not, John Michael Greer provides an overview of the idea of apocalypse in human history. Greer begins by expressing the need for monotheistic religions to explain how an omniscient and all-powerful God can allow evil in the world.  He says that with polytheism, you don’t have to explain evil–you can just blame it on another God.  With monotheism, Greer says that the explanation has to change so that our world, “in which evil and suffering exist, is a temporary, ramshackle structure, and will sometime very soon be replaced by an eternal, perfect world in which evil and suffering will have vanished forever.”

When you look at the breadth of apocalyptic prophecies included in the book, you realize how much these visions have affected humanity throughout recorded history.  Prophecies range from the return of dead warriors, such as King Arthur, to the return of missing gods, such as the Aztec belief that Quetzalcoatl would one day return.  Greer describes today’s Shiite Muslims as originating in a mystic belief that the twelfth imam would return.  Prophecies range from interpretations of Revelation to those of Nostradamus to the Harmonic Convergence and the Y2K crisis.

In discussing interest in the Mayan prophecies of end times (which invariably are accompanied today by photographs of the Aztec sun calendar), Greer says that they are based on misinterpretations by one of the first Mayan researchers, Sir Eric Thompson, “who has been proven wrong by new advances.”  Greer explains that now, when we can read “over ninety-five percent of all Mayan texts” we can find only one mention of the date December 12, 2012, which in Mayan is 4 Ahau 3 Kankin 13.0.0.0.0.  Greer describes this as “one passing reference on one stela at one minor Mayan site” (recently, Mexican experts revealed that there is another reference to the date, but interpretations vary on whether it refers to the past or future, and experts decry modern interpretations that they describe as having  “twisted the cosmovision of ancient civilizations like the Maya”).

Greer discusses both religious and secular visions of apocalypse, ranging from the Ghost Dance movement among native Americans in the United States to Karl Marx’s theory that the rise of the proletariat would lead to a worker’s utopia.

What will happen in 2012?  As Greer says “….today’s believers in a 2012 apocalypse have let themselves be drawn into buying the comforting fantasy that the world around them will suddenly and cataclysmically be replaced by a new world more to their liking…”  Of course, the earth will end, as will humanity.  Greer describes the end of the sun, billions of years from now when “the sun’s core will pass a critical threshold and start fusing helium; the resulting “helium flash” will blast a third of the Sun’s mass into deep space in a matter of minutes.  In all probability, whatever charred cinder remains of the Earth at that point will be blown to smithereens by that blast…Countless millions of years before that happens, it’s a safe bet that humanity will have gone extinct.”  As Greer says, “In the real world, everything eventually comes to an end.  Worlds perish in stellar fire, species go extinct, civilizations decline and fall…” but belief in an apocalypse is “an evasion of those facts, an attempt to pretend that they don’t apply to us.”

The author’s biography includes the statement that Greer is a “presiding officer of a contemporary Druid order, the Ancient Order of Druids in America.”  This knowledge made me initially wary about the content of his book.  However, Greer’s easy-to-read writing style, the list of resources he includes, and even the structure of the book persuaded me that his perspective on apocalypse is worth considering as an introduction to the topic.  When I fact-checked some of his interpretations, my modest efforts didn’t find any glaring errors.

As for those less-than-skeptical high school students back in 2010?  One of the apocalypse believers agreed to watch the TED Talk, Rives on 4 a.m. Afterward, he said, “I get it.”  Our minds see patterns where none exist; our desire to live beyond this life, to explain evil, and to live in utopia lead us both to believe in nonexistent conspiracies and to desire an apocalypse that will bring about a new world.  That doesn’t mean that an imminent apocalypse will really happen.

Apocalypse Not:  Everything You Know about 2012, Nostradamus, and the Rapture is Wrong 
By John Michael Greer
Viva Editions: September 6, 2011
Paperback, 194 pages
$15.95

As in the entire book, the science and the stature of the authors is only a backdrop; the focus is on the method and practice of mindfulness itself.  Kabat-Zinn only seems to mention the authors’ qualifications to show that this methodology is both practiced and proven. Additionally, Kabat-Zinn is the most appropriate man for the job of writing this foreword, as he was the inspiration for mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which the basis for this book. 

Mark Williams is a cofounder of MBCT and his coauthor for this book is Danny Penman, who is a journalist at the UK’s Daily Mail.  Together, Williams and Penman, with their varied backgrounds, created this “very practical and pragmatic guide to mindfulness and its cultivation,” as Kabat-Zinn says.  MBCT is centered around mindfulness meditation and in this book they give a detailed description of an eight-week program to help get you centered.  This method has been proven in people with diagnosed depressive disorders, but this book is written for anyone to make use of and enjoy.

After this opening, the book slides in to a further introduction of MBCT, combining both an individual’s personal story and the explanation of a meditation technique.  This meditation is the first one of the book and they are sure to begin lightly with only a one-minute meditation.  The writers fully anticipate the skeptic reader here and to counteract this, they explain and express understanding for the many obstacles of meditation. 

At the end of the first chapter, Williams and Penman explain that if you want to jump right into the eight-week program, you can, and they instruct you to skip (but hopefully return to later) the next two chapters.  They are conscious of their audience: members of a hectic society who don’t want further complication.  Because of this, the book is highly organized and straightforward. If you choose to skip, you will find a small chapter that introduces the program and explains the rhythm of it, then each week in the eight-week program has its own chapter.

While I understand the urge to skip to the meat of the book, the optional chapters are gracefully written and are realistic guides to the world of meditation.  I would suggest them, especially if you are new to meditation.  Here, Williams and Penman highlight one individual’s story to show how we doubt ourselves and fight ourselves constantly. They explain that emotions are “bundles” of things—and even use the word ‘constellation’ to explain how interconnected emotions are with our past, our bodies, and our thoughts. Also in this section, they list the proven benefits of MBCT, ranging from helping your mood to improving physical health. By far the most exciting part of this section is the Chocolate Meditation. They show you how to draw your focus to one specific thing and release your mind from its infinite daily worries.  Most of all, how can you refuse a book that instructs you to eat chocolate?

When Williams and Penman enter the breakdown of their eight-week program, they remind us again of the “countless philosophers” have traveled down this same path and offer some guidance to help readers maneuver through the steps of MBCT.  They explain that each week will have two parts to it: a meditation exercise and “Habit Breakers,” which are meant to free readers from their everyday, cyclical thinking.

Williams and Penman are careful to explain that the program is malleable, reminding you not to feel defeated if you miss a meditation or you cannot complete the program in eight prompt weeks.  They explain how your mind may react as well, that sometimes you may feel like you’ve failed, but to continue nonetheless.  Simply be aware of what you can and cannot do, and be sure to (eventually) complete the entire program for best results.

The eight chapters that break down the weeks of the program are both creative and methodical. The program constantly asks you to try new forms of meditation, to change your habits, and to become aware of the things that you deem ordinary. They use diagrams and charts to section out each week’s specific focus, so it is easy to stay organized, but the program itself is quite creative. One week they ask that you pick one habit and simply be aware of it, such as drinking tea, walking between rooms, etc.  It is subtle, but transformative. They also begin each chapter with an individual example to remind readers that you are in good company if you find yourself struggling.

I found the writers really engaging because they explained complex, sometimes uncomfortable, ideas in a relaxed and approachable manner.  They are careful and deliberate, but without being overly assertive.  I have not yet done the program, but I am a believer.  I experimented with some parts of it and am excited to continue.  I also appreciated the ending to the book because Williams and Penman were respectful of the fact that everything continues.  Though this program can be completed in eight weeks, there is still a long journey ahead and they offer a poem by Roger Keyes about the Japanese painter Hokusai as something for you to take with you on the road.  The last line of the poem reads, “let life live through you.”

Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World
By Mark Williams, PhD and Danny Penman, PhD
Rodale Press: October 25, 2011
Hardcover, 288 pages
$24.99

The Lonely Screams, by Sean Seepersad, presents a curated collection of essays contributed to Seepersad’s website, Web of Loneliness. The stories are often wrenching and sad, and Seepersad follows each essay with his thoughts about the origin of and solution to the writer’s loneliness.  Aside from his clinical and academic interest in the subject, Seepersad has a personal interest; the final chapter is his own essay about his experiences of loneliness.

Two-thirds of the contributors to this book are women, and most describe feeling lonely for as long as they can remember. The contributors tell personal stories of loss, betrayal, childhood bullying, parental abuse and abandonment, romantic relationships gone awry, and of opportunities missed or simply not available in their lives. Most writers try to understand why they experience chronic loneliness, and they often point to events from their childhood that set the pattern in motion. Jack, for instance, writes “From my earliest memories I have always felt alone and not totally accepted. I have learned that when I was a baby, out of frustration my mother would hit me to stop me crying.” He concludes his essay hopelessly: “Loneliness kills potential. I can see no future for myself. I will give myself a few years, though. I would not ever kill myself, no matter how much of a failure I become.” In his analysis, Seepersad comments on Jack’s resignation and notes that Jack responded to his childhood loneliness by becoming a chameleon, “changing himself to fit the world around him,” and this kind of separation results in the loss of the hurt child within. Seepersad’s solution for Jack is to “get in touch with his true self, realize his true desires, and pursue his own dreams.”

The Web of Loneliness project is not set up with a rigorous experimental design, run within the auspices of a university lab; it’s a website, and anyone who wishes to contribute his or her story is welcome to do so. Contributors frequently comment on their gratitude for being heard, for being able to give voice to the experience of loneliness. At the end of each essay in the book, a URL is provided so the reader can go online and leave comments about the essays, and read comments others have left.

Although the stories were indeed sad, and sometimes difficult to read, they were actually stories of a great many more conditions than loneliness. Many writers were clearly experiencing profound clinical depression, and some experienced suicidality. Of course, depression and loneliness make sorrowful bedfellows, and each contributes to the other in a dynamic way. I wanted Seepersad to focus the book more closely on loneliness. With a public website inviting contributions, I wondered why he chose the particular essays he selected for this book.

My greatest disappointment with this book was in Seepersad’s commentary after each essay. He structured his response in two directions: what he saw as the origin of the individual’s loneliness, and his advice to the writer. Without exception, both halves were shallower than I expected. Seepersad is a clinical psychologist, and I’d anticipated reading more insightful commentary about the origins, and less glib advice.

Additionally, his thoughts about the origins are often contradictory. For one writer, who sought close relationships despite expressing a concern about intimacy, Seepersad wondered why she sought relationships, if she was afraid of intimacy? To a later essay, he commented that the need for belonging is a basic human need, like hunger.  As a psychologist with access to (if not familiarity with) the literature, he could have presented a more in-depth examination of the conflict between a basic human need, like belonging, and the anxiety associated with fear of intimacy. Such an explanation needn’t be heavily academic — given the book’s audience, which is probably people who feel lonely, he could have presented more complex information in an accessible way.

With a stated goal of offering each writer advice about what they might do to change their circumstances, Seepersad takes on a big job, especially for a slim book of this type. The answers are certainly complex, given the lifelong patterns these lonely people describe, but Seepersad resorts to an essentially light, hand-waving response, as he offered at the end of Pat’s story: “If you are suffering from this inner loneliness as well, it may well mean you need to undergo your own deep, transformational process as well.” With such a shallow answer (pointing to an enormous and difficult task), he would have been better off formulating a different structure for his responses to the essays. Had he organized his responses with a tighter focus on illuminating the source of each writer’s loneliness, he could have gone into greater depth and made his contribution more valuable.

In the end, reading this book felt like reading a public website, and I did not come away with a greater understanding of “the complex world of the lonely,” as the book’s subtitle promised. Seepersad has access to such rich material, I hope his next effort takes the questions a little more seriously.

The Lonely Screams: Understanding the Complex World of the Lonely
By Sean S. Seepersad
CreateSpace: May 18, 2011
Paperback, 186 pages
$8.99

We children of schizophrenics are the great secret-keepers, the ones who don’t want you to think anything is wrong (p. 5).

Author Mira Bartok has encapsulated in this statement her life as the daughter of mentally ill musical prodigy Norma Herr.  The Memory Palace describes Ms. Bartok’s journey from scared child to haunted college student to free adult and finally back again to scared child, sitting at her mother’s bedside as she succumbs to the effects of a lifetime of poor (mostly homeless) living.  It is a moving, evocative story, relating Norma’s schizophrenic mind to Mira’s later experience with traumatic brain injury, and how this helped them to reconcile after 30 years of estrangement.  A difficult read at times due to the subject matter, The Memory Palace is nonetheless a valuable addition to the narrative of mental illness in our society and in our families.

The book begins at the end, so to speak, as Ms. Bartok’s mother is fading away in a Cleveland hospital.  She happens to find some keys among her possessions, one of which is to a storage unit containing vast stacks of old photos, diaries, and mementos that serve to open the floodgates of the author’s memory.  She then decides to create a “memory palace” to sort and categorize these intense experiences based on a method created by Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest with incredible mnemonic abilities.  Each subsequent chapter is opened with a painting that Ms. Bartok has created to symbolize a specific room in her palace, accompanied by selections from her mother’s letters and diaries that allow the reader to experience her descent firsthand.

From here, we return to the author’s childhood years.  She and her sister suffered at the hands of her steadily declining mother after her father essentially disappeared.  The family lived with her grandparents, who weren’t much better in terms of providing any sort of parental support.  There are many vivid and graphic examples of the type of abuse Ms. Bartok endured, among them the following excerpt of a bedtime conversation with her mother:

“‘I have to tell you something important,’ she says.

‘What?’

‘Don’t drink milk before going to bed.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because rats like milk.’

‘What?’

‘A rat will eat your face off if it smells milk. And Myra?’

‘What?’

‘You girls are my most precious possessions.’” (p. 54)

In order to cope with the instability and tension, Ms. Bartok escaped into the worlds of writing and art, activities that later became her career.  Her mother, in the meantime, became increasingly uncontrollable and even violent.  After Ms. Bartok and her sister left for college, Ms. Herr would call them incessantly, show up unannounced, and threaten them and their friends.  Once she attacked them for suggesting that she needed treatment, they jointly decided to break off all contact with her and change their names.  Myra Herr is now Mira Bartok.

Over the next seventeen years, during which time the only contact mother and daughter had was through a P.O. box, the author achieved a level of professional and personal success, albeit not without some difficulty.  She spent time travelling abroad in Europe, the Middle East, and Scandinavia, exhibiting at art shows and publishing articles and books under her new name.  In what she eventually recognizes as a repetition of living with her mother, Ms. Bartok marries William, who we gradually learn is seriously mentally ill as well.  It takes her some time to realize she can, and indeed needs, to break free, but she does and goes on to meet and marry Doug.  They are still married, and he allows her to have a healthy and stable life.

Back in America, Ms. Bartok was in a horrible car accident at age 40, which resulted in a traumatic brain injury.  She lost much of her ability and memory, and while she was able to improve, everyday life remains difficult.  Through the process of experiencing the world shifting in and out of focus, needing to expend a lot of energy to simply make it through the day, along with a need to reconnect to her now-unreliable memories, the author makes the decision to reach out to her mother:

I’ve already lost her once, and have, at least for a time, lost myself.  I don’t want to lose her again. But I decide I can only see her if she is in some kind of supervised setting.  Otherwise, she’ll try to come home with me.  I contact the social worker and we begin the long process of finding my mother a permanent home.  Which, in the end, turns out to be a quiet dark room in a hospice ward. (p. 267)

She discovers that her mother is terminally ill and flies to see her.  Eventually, her sister joins them, and they begin the process of understanding and ultimately reconciliation.

The first reaction inspired by The Memory Palace is to the effects of the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill, instigated by President Kennedy.  In 1974, the plan was to “…replace our backward state hospital system with newer and better narcoleptic drugs and free comprehensive community care (p. 107).”  The only real effect on Ms. Bartok, however, was that each time she and her sister were forced to commit their mother to the hospital, she was released after a shorter and shorter stay. 

“The miracle drugs… don’t help at all.  As for the comprehensive community care, we’re still waiting for it to arrive,” writes the author.  Her family received no social assistance, and even during the violent episodes when police were called, they just sent Ms. Herr to the emergency room, had her drugged up, and released her to start the cycle over again.  Ms. Bartok writes compellingly on why this should not have been allowed to happen—and is clearly very angry at lack of effort from society and public policy to successfully treat schizophrenics.

It would have been nice to see this level of detail when reading about the author’s brain injury and the results thereof.  She does provide a medical explanation, but this reader wanted to learn more about its specific effects, which are detailed in the author’s Q and A at the back of the book (but not within the text, other than a broad overview).  It would have helped tie Ms. Bartok’s mental decline with that of her mother’s, although even as is, this connection is movingly presented:

…although my condition has improved it’s clear that there are many problems that will never go away.  Weeks blur into months and years.  I’ve lost the order of things.  To the outside world, however, I show a different face that the one I show with Doug at home.  Children of the mentally ill learn early on how not to be a bother, especially if they grew up with neglect. (p. 266)

The original paintings that begin each chapter are beautiful and evocative, and the journal entries provide first-person view of the perspective of a schizophrenic mind.  There are some timeline jumps within chapters that can be jarring, but overall the book is organized and laid out well, in such a way as to evoke the most understanding of the main narrative.

It is difficult to say whether Ms. Bartok and her sister did enough with the situation and acted correctly in their relationship with their mother, but that’s not the point of the book.  The Memory Palace serves as a window of understanding into the complicated, judgmental, and often misunderstood world of mental illness, allowing those of us who have been lucky enough to not grow up under the thumb of schizophrenia the opportunity to expand our view.  Well-written and emotionally wrenching, this book is testament to the achievement of Ms. Bartok in overcoming her childhood, the tragedy of her mother, and finally her traumatic brain injury.

The Memory Palace: A Memoir
By Mira Bartok
Free Press: January 11, 2011
Hardcover, 320 pages
$16.50

“Helping the family face their grief and work through the accompanying emotions of sadness, anxiety, anger, guilt, and — finally — acceptance may be the most important single task of the clinician working with a member of the Alzheimer’s family.”  This quote succinctly describes what author Robert B. Santulli, M.D., addresses in The Alzheimer’s Family:  Helping Caregivers Cope. While the physician’s focus is on caring for the person with Alzheimer’s, the focus of a clinician is on caring for the “Alzheimer’s family.”  Reading this book will help to ensure a clinician is well versed in the disease’s impact on the family.

Beginning with identifying the primary caregiver, a process in which family dynamics plays a large role, the author then identifies and elaborates on four areas of providing care for the person with Alzheimer’s (passive, active, cognitive, and behavioral).  A discussion of the basics of memory loss and dementia follows, along with the impairments in activities, behavior, and cognition that typically occur with Alzheimer’s. 

A listing of common medications that can lead to an impairment of short-term memory is also included, running the gamut from antidepressants to muscle relaxants to those for Parkinson’s and cardiovascular disease.  Current medications illustrate one more factor a physician must take into consideration when trying to determine if the memory loss is due to a form of dementia or one of the medications the person may be taking.

One chapter deals specifically with mood and behavioral issues of the person with Alzheimer’s and includes aggressiveness, apathy, agitation, and depression, along with several others.  The last line in each of the subchapters refers to a discussion in the appendix on medications for that particular challenge. 

Santulli states that the purpose of the book is to “prepare clinicians to become skilled counselors for the Alzheimer’s family.”  In that regard, much information is indeed presented that will help a clinician support the family in the many areas of caring for their loved one.  Given the book’s subtitle, Helping Caregivers Cope, I was surprised that the shortest chapter in the book is titled “Caregiver Stress.”  I suppose that one can define the entire family as the caregiver rather than a single person, and caregiving as the family’s handling of the myriad tasks and emotions involved in the journey upon which they embark after diagnosis.  As presented in an earlier chapter, to minimize any resentment and anger that may surface in an individual caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease – which one would assume is responsible for a great deal of stress – the author advises “Blame the disease, not the person.”

One particularly helpful section in a chapter on maintaining a connection with the family member who has Alzheimer’s disease is a list of “do’s” and “don’ts” when communicating with them.  In fact, it seems each item on the list aims to preserve any remaining cognition they may have of themselves by working with their deficits instead of calling attention to them.  As such, these lists may be the most valuable references family members can have regardless of whether a clinician is involved.  Although it is certain clinicians will find The Alzheimer’s Family valuable, it can be a beneficial resource for the family as well.

Throughout this book, it is no stretch of the imagination to feel as though you are the person who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and are reading about your own future and that of your immediate family and close friends.  Rather than being frightening – which the disease is, no doubt – it is more of a play-by-play book from diagnosis to treatment to the end of life.  If you have personal experience with a family member who has Alzheimer’s, or has died from the disease, you may well find yourself grieving for their loss and yours in the last chapter, “The End of the Journey.”

“…it is important to remember that the kindest, fairest way to treat someone with Alzheimer’s disease is usually to do what will cause them the least distress.”  If a clinician gleans nothing else from reading The Alzheimer’s Family but this simple prescription for care, they will provide a great service to a family by using it as a preface to each step along the way in caring for the family as a whole.

The Alzheimer’s Family: Helping Caregivers Cope
W. W. Norton & Company: October 31, 2011
Hardcover, 256 pages
$29.95

The book is divided into an introduction and four chapters, but there is no table of contents—likely, in my opinion, because Butler wants his reader to follow him through his story, step by step.  The introduction sets the stage for how the book operates overall: weaving seamlessly between intimate experience and observations of the larger human network. He gives us the encyclopedic definition of sleep as well as some insight into his own issues with sleep, beginning as a child suffering from sleep terrors.  Perhaps the most creative section of the book, though Butler’s creativity shines throughout, he mimics the way the mind falls asleep to end his introduction.  He meticulously takes us through a list of outside influences (lights and noises) as well as inside processes that loop through our mind as we begin to sleep.  He beautifully captures and intertwines both his large philosophical thoughts and trivial matter.

Butler then leads the reader on a path of the history, science and culture (if you will) of sleeplessness that only a true sufferer could shed light on. In the first chapter (his title chapter), he maintains his balance of personal, reflective thought and scientific fact. He explains the types of insomnia and most notably points out primary and secondary insomnia.  (Primary insomnia is caused by mental disorders or a medical condition and secondary insomnia is related to more extrinsic factors.)  He balances these facts with a personal twist and writes his own discovery that sleeplessness “seems a hypersensitivity to the condition of being alive.” This shows his acute attention to detail and his intimate knowledge of the life of an insomniac.

The second half of this chapter echoes and explains the way the brain “clings” to ideas as tiredness sets in—he calls this section “Uncontrollable Reflection” and comically includes footnotes throughout that allude to different tangents his mind took while writing the section. 

The second chapter gives a deep history of insomnia and theories on sleep in general.  He includes quotes and ideas from a range of people across history; almost everyone from Aristotle to Edison and beyond.  Again, he draws a parallel between history and his own personal experience,  explaining a recurring ‘dream’ he would have when he was awake for multiple nights and struggling with his insomnia.

Chapter three begins to get more desperate—similar to how a person may become more desperate for sleep as they watch the hours of the night pass by.  He explains here that he began eating large amounts of food in order to help himself fall asleep.  Unfortunately, he began gaining weight and realized that there was a large amount of scientific data to support the fact that as you increase your BMI, the quality of your sleep declines.  He describes his dreams again here and the pain and anger begin to surface in them. 

Then, in the last chapter, he falls into the inevitable feeling of acceptance, tinged with defeat and resignation.  He delves into both the scientific issues as well as his personal issues he has had with sleeping pills.  To conclude the book, he writes a type of dialogue with himself and seems to find that the solution (for him) is writing.  While he is not the type to preach, I believe this is a message he is sending to his fellow insomniacs.  Certainly, it is not a cure, but perhaps it can be a comfort and a way of coping.

I enjoyed the book overall, but was especially drawn to Butler’s writing. This book is covered with praise for another book of his, There Is No Year, and I plan on reading that soon because of how much I liked his voice.  Butler has an extremely creative mind and his descriptions are gorgeous.  He is also able to condense and explain research and historical fact in a way that is approachable and intriguing.  I do not suffer from insomnia, but do have a particular interest in sleep and dreams and so I found this book very satisfying.  I would encourage you to read the book entirely, as it will make his experimental and creative sections more approachable.  He often likes to lead his readers down a dream-like path, so don’t get startled if things begin to feel unreal; that is, I believe, his intention.  He seems to be playing with the state of insomnia itself, still very much awake, but constantly on the verge of dreams.

Nothing: A Portrait of Insomnia
By Blake Butler
Harper Perennial: October 11, 2011
Paperback, 336 pages
$14.99

In my current position as a rehabilitation counselor at a psychiatric center (as well as in my previous employment), I have worked with numerous people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. I have witnessed how devastating the illness can be not only for those who are diagnosed, but for their family members as well. Schizophrenia is a commonly misunderstood diagnosis. The term “schizophrenic” is used all too often in horror movies and news stories alike with the intent of scaring people. In reality, the scary thing is not people who suffer from this illness, but how many people never get the help they need because of the stigma associated with the diagnosis. With this book, Margaret Hawkins helps to shed some light on this reality.

In After Schizophrenia, Margaret Hawkins tells us the story of her sister, Barbara, who suffered from schizophrenia for years without receiving any type of treatment. Hawkins begins by giving the reader some background about her sister. According to the author, Barbara was a “stunning and self-aware young woman” through high school and college. She was very successful both socially and academically. There were subtle signs that something might be wrong while Barbara was in college; however, she was able to complete her degree. She met a man with whom she fell in love and soon after completing college, Barbara got married and moved with her husband to Iraq. For the most part, it seemed as if all was going well.

However, as Barbara’s letters home began to change, the author realized that something did not seem right. Her sister slowly began to sound like a different person, and it was not clear what was happening. Eventually, Barbara’s marriage fell apart and she moved back with her parents. Like so many people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, Barbara’s symptoms started to take shape in her early adulthood and escalated rather quickly. Unfortunately, as is also too often the case, neither Barbara nor her family really understood the types of treatment that were available at the time or how to go about getting help.

As the title suggests, After Schizophrenia’s second half focuses on how Barbara was able to get treatment and become “reawakened” after about 30 years of experiencing symptoms. For anyone who has either suffered from schizophrenia or knows someone who has, this part of the book may be especially moving. While reading about the author’s first coherent conversations with her sister after years of attempts, I was reminded of many of my own interactions with clients after they had begun to participate in their own treatment. I imagine anyone with similar experiences will also have similar feelings reading about Margaret Hawkins and her sister’s journey.

One thing that should be pointed out is that the title of this book might be misleading to some people. The author does not suggest within the book that her sister is somehow completely “cured” of schizophrenia by the book’s end. Rather, the title is meant to convey that through obtaining treatment, Barbara was able to overcome some of the more debilitating symptoms that came along with her diagnosis. In the final chapters, the reader sees the slow return of the “stunning,” “self-aware” woman we are introduced to in the beginning of the book.

As someone who works with people diagnosed with schizophrenia on a daily basis, I know that the saga of Barbara and her mental illness is one that is very similar to that of many others. I hope that through books such as this, Margaret Hawkins and other authors will help bring schizophrenia out of the shadows of misunderstanding. I am a supporter of any work that helps bring to light the fact that with the proper treatment, people with schizophrenia and other similar diagnoses can live fulfilling, meaningful lives. This book certainly manages that feat in addition to being an emotionally powerful family chronicle. If you or someone you know is currently suffering from schizophrenia, After Schizophrenia will definitely be an inspiration.

After Schizophrenia
By Margaret Hawkins
Conari Press: October 1, 2011
Paperback, 256 pages
$16.95