Review: January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her

Author:  Michael Schofield

Genre:  Memoir (2012)

Descriptive Words:  Childhood schizophrenia, hallucinations, imaginary friends, hospitalization, violence

About:  Michael Schofield gives a heartbreaking and shocking glimpse into parenting a schizophrenic child. His 6-year-old daughter, January (Janni), is diagnosed with childhood onset schizophrenia after two years of misdiagnoses and inpatient stays, and being discharged despite lack of improvement. The family's journey is wrought with desperation and denial. Told first to simply provide "tough love" and stricter boundaries, the Schofields were forced to face the reality of schizophrenia when Janni indicated the constant presence of imaginary friends and demonstrated a desire to harm her newborn brother, with a clear inability to control herself.

My thoughts:  If not for life interrupting, I'd have finished this almost 300-pager in one sitting. Still, I read it in two days. Schofield's writing had me completely riveted. Having worked in Adult and Child Psychiatry for 15 years, I appreciate immensely the difficult task of loving a child with schizophrenia. I saw only from the perimeter what Schofield lived every day. Parents vacillate from wanting to help their child to wanting to institutionalize them, primarily because of the violence inflicted on themselves and others. With no cure in sight for this nightmarish illness, parents and families of loved ones afflicted should be applauded; there is no harder job in the world.

My friends and family rely on me for 5-star book recommendations so as not to waste time on less than stellar reads.  I'll be recommending this - my favorite book of the year so far - to everyone I know.

Rating:  5/5 

Thank you to Crown Publishing/Random House for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Through These Veins

Author: Anne Marie Ruff

Genre: Fiction (2011)

Descriptive Words: Drama, death, love, AIDS, cure, scientist, Ethiopia

About:An Italian scientist discovers an Ethiopian medicine man dispensing an apparent cure for AIDS. The medicine man's daughter reveals the plants behind the cure. Their lives along with U.S. government funded AIDS research and the pharmaceutical industry,become entwined.

Rating and Thoughts:Although the blurb referring to research, pharmaceutical companies, and scientific trials isn't one I would normally be drawn to, the reference to Ethiopia, as well as the people involved intrigued me. I never had the "I can't wait to pick up the book again to find out what happens" feeling - which for me earns a book a 5-star rating - but once I did pick it up, the story completely held my interest. The writing was well done, and I especially appreciated the author's thorough research, as well as the glossary of Ethiopian terms at the end of the book. Overall I enjoyed it.

4/5

* Other than the free book given to me by the publicist, I was neither compensated nor swayed in any way for my review

Eric update

E was invited to play in the Missouri All-Star game in Springfield, MO this weekend. The kids on the team are from Vianney, Marquette, Cardinal Ritter and I'm not sure where else. Cameron Biedschied was supposed to play, but he already left for Notre Dame. Eric's team will play teams from seven regions of Missouri. If his team wins on Saturday they play on Sunday at 11:30 am. The championship game is at 5:30. I have a wedding to go to on Saturday, so I'll miss that game, but I'm hoping they win and play on Sunday. I really want to go!

This pic is of Eric, Nolan and their trainer, Tracy. E weighs 210 now, up 15 or 20 pounds since the end of the season. He had lost so much weight playing b-ball.

Notice the Mizzou t-shirt :)



Next Friday is the big day! Off to college he goes. Is he ready? Yes. He's bored out of his mind. Am I ready? I love him, but absolutely yes.

We've done some shopping for his dorm room - actually I'VE done...he couldn't care less what I buy. We still need to get extra long sheets and a fan. Eric is obsessed with having a fan on in his room. He's nervous about sharing a room after having had his own room for so long. It doesn't help that Eric found out through friends that Ryan, his roommate, is a neat freak. When he finds out what a slob Eric is, Ryan is going to FREAK! I feel sorry for him. But maybe E will pick up some good habits? I hope. If Ryan doesn't kill him first...

E has to get a passport for the team trip to Holland, Belgium and France on August 8-18. What an experience. I'm excited for him.

Next time I write, my nest will be empty.

Lynne

Books Read in February, March and April

 

Mom Energy: A Simple Plan to Live Fully Charged  ~ Ashley Koff, RD and Kathy Kaehler

3 Stars - Most of the recommendations for increasing energy are the same as those I've found in other books, but there were a few things I picked up. From now on I will try to: 1) Put limits on media time wasters such as Facebook and emails in order to get more accomplished, 2) Eat a protein+carbohydrate+healthy fat for each meal, 3) Step up my workouts a notch.



Biblioholism: The Literary Addiction ~ Tom Raabe

5 Stars  - Every book lover should read this book. I loved it and I promise you will too. It made me feel normal and validated for loving books as much as I do! I'll re-read this for sure. It includes a test to find out if you're a true biblioholic (if you have a book blog, I guarantee you are), as well as confessions, anatomy of addiction, the difference between bibliomaniacs and bibliophiles, and variants of the "disease." If you're brave, read the final chapter called "The Cure," which of course is all in fun.

Out of Harm's Way: The Extraordinary True Story of One Woman's Lifelong Devotion to Animal Rescue ~ Terri Crisp

4 Stars  - Animal lovers will enjoy this. Crisp relates her stories of rescues during specific disasters:  Hurricane Andrew, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, Midwest Flood, Alviso Flood and Lexington Fire. Each story is thorough, but not boring, and obviously heartbreaking at times.  Her devotion to animals is admirable and touched me so much that I signed up to receive information on becoming an emergency animal rescue volunteer through Red Rover (formerly EARS), which is basically Red Cross for animals.


I Thought You Were Dead ~ Pete Nelson (AUDIO)

5 Stars - I'm not sure if I gave this 5 stars because the story was that good or because it was my first audiobook and I just really enjoyed the whole experience. I listened to this book when I walked on the stair climber at the gym or walked around our neighborhood and looked forward to it each time. I'm sure a lot also had to do with the fact that the dog's name in the book is Stella and I too have a Stella.  Stella's wit and humor in the book was adorable, and I imagined my Stella acting the same way. At first I wasn't sure about another talking dog story, but knowing how much I love dogs, I'll probably never tire of them. Very cute.




Spare Change ~ Bette Lee Crosby (KINDLE)

4 Stars - I enjoyed this story about Olivia, a woman who does not want or expect to have children, but meets and marries a man named Charlie who has a son and grandson he's supposedly never met. Charlie later dies.  His grandson, Ethan Allen, is being sought for questioning after the murder of his parents and goes in search of next of kin. Easy to read. This would be a good one for sitting by the pool or on a beach.

Don't Put Me In, Coach ~ Mark Titus

2 Stars - As a 47-year-old woman, I was not the target audience for this book, so it's no surprise I rated it low.  I was hoping to get a glimpse into the life of a college  walk on basketball player since my son will be one in the fall, but this guy's arrogance was obnoxious. Ick. His writing was quite good, and I give him props for that. It's the only thing that kept me reading.

Sin and Syntax:  How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose ~ Constance Hale

3.5 Stars - When someone figures out why I like reading books about writing but don't especially enjoy writing, will you please tell me?! I have no idea what that's about.

I'm Still Standing:  How One Woman's Brushes With Death Taught Her How to Live ~ Kelly Standing

4 Stars - Once I got used to the format, which is written as if reading from a teleprompter, I liked this. Throughout her life, Standing had several near death experiences including being hit by lightning, hit by a car, surviving a serious illness with organ removal, surviving a mass murder, and being hanged from a tree. Some of the distances aren't has dramatic as they sound, but still she's been through a lot. I saw her speak in person about her book and she was hilarious. I read that this will be available in audio and I absolutely recommend that version.


Behind the Beautiful Forevers:  Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity ~ Katherine Boo

3 Stars - I thought this book was boring. Not enough happened to draw me in and I wasn't connected to the characters at all. I gave it 3 stars because it was well written, but I won't be recommending it to anyone I know.






Currently Reading:

Kasher in the Rye:  The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient and Then Turned 16 ~ Moshe Kasher

My Last Few Books...

The last few books I've read:

Eat That Frog:  21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time ~ Brian Tracy - Some common sense tips I already know, but other new ones were helpful as well. I'd like to read this one again as a refresher. 4/5

Working it Out:  A Journey of Love, Loss and Hope ~ Abby Rike - I couldn't put this one down, especially when reading about the accident that killed Abby Rike's husband, 3-year-old daughter and two-week-old son. She was one of those people who worried more about others' grief and comforting them than allowing herself to grieve.  Her story about applying for and being on the Biggest Loser was just as interesting. Not a diet book so much as it is an inspiration to show that anyone can survive tragedy and grief and be happy once again. 5/5

To the Rescue:  Found Dogs With a Mission ~ Elise Lufkin - Many short stories (with pictures...my favorite!) about rescued shelter dogs who are given a new "leash" on life and a purposeful one at that...visiting hospital patients, lying quietly next to children learning to read, detecting seizures, companions to former military personnel with PTSD.  Lots of wonderful stories and heartwarming photos. 4/5

The Latchkey Dog: How the Way You Live Shapes the Behavior of the Dog You Love ~ Jodi Anderson. Another library book I had to return before I finished, but I liked what I read. What I'll always remember from this book is the importance and benefits of crating dogs and WHY!  When dogs are not crated (hence the bigger the space provided to them, i.e., the whole house) the more they feel the need to protect that space and the more anxiety it creates.  Makes total sense. I'd like to read this book again...and finish it. 

Molokai ~ Alan Brenert - Beautifully written fictional story about the real life leper colony, Kalaupapa, on the island of Molokai in Hawaii in the late 1800s, early 1900s.  The main character, Rachel, was so lovable and sweet that when I wasn't reading I wanted to hurry back to the book so I could "be with her" again. 


There are several books about leper colonies that I want to read now.  One is called The Leper Colony by Philip Edwards. Another is In the Shadow of the Pali: A Story of the Hawaiian Leper Colony. It's hard to believe these settlements existed and that children were taken from their families and sent to live there at the first sign of the disease, which started as a small red sore. The families of lepers were outcast by neighbors and other family members, moving and changing their names to start a new life.  4.5/5


Right now I'm reading The Legacy Letters: Messages of Life and Hope From 9/11 Family Members. It's a compilation of letters written by families to their deceased loved ones. It's very touching and a quick read.

I've also started this one: The Kitchen Counter Cooking School:  How a Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks ~ Kathleen Finn.  It reads like a novel and is very good. I keep thinking it's boring but somehow can't put it down. Maybe I'll learn a few things. I hope. My husband does too.

The Circus Fire ~ Stewart O'Nan

Stewart O'Nan
Non-Fiction (2001)

5/5  My Rating

True story of the Ringling Brothers circus tent fire in Hartford, Connecticut, on July 6, 1944, that killed 167 people, most of them women and children.

I didn't like Circus Fire at first.  I felt dragged down by all the details that I didn't think mattered, but as I got sucked into the story, realized they did and wished I'd paid closer attention.  There were so many, and the book was so long, that I had to renew it through the library twice.  Normally if I take that long to read a book I give up and return it, but I couldn't let go of this one and didn't want it to end.  Pictures of the fire itself as well as the aftermath had me going back to match them up with the parts of the story I was reading. I couldn't stop staring at the picture of Little Miss 1565 in the morgue, a blond little girl who for years was never properly identified despite tireless work by detectives.

I read O'Nan's book A Prayer for the Dying, a dark story that I thought was well written - odd but intriguing - so his name was familiar to me when I picked this up.  I'd like to read more of his work.  This and the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks are two of the most well-researched books I've ever read.

I May be MIA but I've Still Been Reading

I may be MIA but I've still been reading!

Here's an update:

FICTION

Things We Didn't Say by Kristina Riggle

Casey, a young adult, is engaged to a Michael, who has three children.  His teenage daughter is a brat and his teenage son runs away.  The kids' mom is around the house more than Casey would like, and this threatens to ruin the relationship between her and Michael.

BORING  2/5

I finished it but felt I wasted my time.  The writing wasn't bad but the storyline was dull.



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NON-FICTION

This Common Secret:  My Journey as an Abortion Doctor by Dr. Susan Wickland

Dr. Susan Wickland endured a painful abortion while growing up in rural Wisconsin. Later, after becoming a doctor, she saw how many women shared her ordeal of unwanted pregnancy and subsequent hidden abortion, and felt called to become an abortion provider.  She tells of her experiences, including having to wear a bulletproof vest and carry a gun.

LOVED   5/5

Very controversial, obviously, but I loved how caring and compassionate she was with her patients.  The threats to her and her family were absolutely astonishing.  She was afraid for their lives on a daily basis.  I'm embarrassed for the people who treated them like that and sickened by their behavior. Honestly. 



Say Her Name by Francisco Goldman

In 2005, Novelist Francisco Goldman married a young writer named Aura Estrada.  The month before their second anniversary, during a long-awaited holiday, Aura broke her neck while body surfing. Her family blamed him for her death for some ridiculous reason...he wouldn't go in the water with her when she invited him in.

OKAY   3.5/5

I hate to say it, but I loved the part where he discussed the details of the accident and aftermath (hospital and funeral), but in the rest of the book, when he talked about her childhood and college years, as well as their short marriage, he kind of lost me. The writing was beautiful, but I couldn't help but think he was just trying to capitalize on her death.  Awful, I know, but that's what I felt.

The Little Book of Forensics:  Fifty of the World's Infamous Criminal Cases Solved by Science by David Owen 
 
OKAY   3.5/5
 
"To take a crime from scene to court may involve several specialized branches of forensic science. Criminalistics specialists look at statistics, splash patterns, fingerprints and distribution of material at the scene; forensic chemistry deals with fires, explosives, glass, paint and soil analysis; toxicology looks at poisons and drug abuse; serology is the science of body fluids including blood, saliva and semen; the documents unit look at fakes and forgeries; and the computer branch investigate hacking and electronically detectable crimes."  That pretty much says it all. Some of the cases were interesting; others, not so much.

. 

Dog Sense:  How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet by John Bradshaw

Bradshaw shows how humans can live in harmony with - not just dominion over - their four-legged friends.  He explains why positive reinforcement is a more effective and less damaging way to control dogs' behavior than punishment.  He also discusses why it's important to weigh a dog's unique personality against stereotypes about its breed.  (Three cheers for pit bulls!!!)

ENJOYED   4/5

A little too scientific for me at first, but then I got into it.


 

The Lust for Blood:  Why We are Fascinated by Death, Murder, Horror and Violence by Jeffrey Kottler

Do you slow down at accident scenes hoping to catch a glimpse of something...anything?  Enjoy the gory details at murder trials?  Have an interest in serial killers and why they kill?  I do, I admit it, and that's why I picked this up at the library.

ENJOYED   4/5

Kottler, a psychologist and author of a best-selling book about serial killers, interviewed perpetrators, victims and "consumers" of violence to find out why this subject draws such a wide audience (nice to know I'm not the only one).


 

Rawhide Down:  The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan by Del Quentin Wilber

The inside scoop about the day Reagan was nearly killed on March 30, 1981.

ENJOYED   4/5

I enjoyed reading all the details about the day Reagan was shot.  And I mean, details.  Wilber interviewed the Secret Service agent who pushed Reagan into the limo and ultimately saved his life, as well as the surgeon who operated on him and the White House officials who were trying to determine what exactly happened.

A Grace Disguised:  How a Soul Goes Through Loss by Jerry Sittser

Jerry Sittser lost his mother, wife, and 2-year-old daughter in a car accident.

LOVED   5/5

I know one isn't supposed to "love" books about tragedy, but the way this man describes how a soul goes through loss and the steps to healing is extraordinary.  I recommend this book to anyone who has suffered any kind of loss of a loved one, including divorce.

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COULDN'T FINISH

Nothing Daunted:  The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West by Dorothy Wickenden

I only read about 20 pages (I usually don't give up until 50), but I couldn't get into it.

UP NEXT

Dogs Never Lie About Love:  Reflections on the Emotional World of Dogs by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson (He wrote When Elephants Weep, which I LOVED)

I've never read Harlan Coben, so I'm excited about these...

I miss the camerarderie of the blogging world, but my days are so crazy with my son right now.  He's a senior in high school, plays basketball and is being recruited by D1 colleges. We're doing lots of traveling for school visits.  It's all good, and I'm very proud :)  I WILL be back to "hang out" with my cyberspace friends one day.  For now I can only give book "thoughts"; they can hardly be called reviews.  I need to change the name of my blog:  Lynne's Book Thoughts or Lynne's Mini Reviews.