Book Reviews

I finally felt "emotionally secure" enough to read some "addiction" books I had purchased months ago. I would recommend all four of them. Here are my OPINIONS:

The Lost Years: Surviving A Mother and Daughter's Worst Nightmare
by Kristina Wandzilak (of TLC's show "Addicted") and Constance Curry
• This book alternates between the daughter's and mother's story. As the events unfold it provides their respective points of view. Writing in this manner may provide a parent with answers to what was she thinking??? It also gives an idea of what may or may not occur/transpire with your child's addiction and your own state of mind if -as a parent- you do not enable.

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction
by David Sheff
• The title is self-explanatory. However, in reading this I noticed some similar things I did myself as a parent through my divorce/raising my daughter that I wish I had done differently... though at the time you are doing the best you can/know how.

Tweak
by Nic Sheff
• As a parent, this was like watching a train wreck. You can't put it down, but at the same time really wish you weren't reading it. Some things a parent just shouldn't know. But it does help if as a parent you are wondering, does my kid know I love them? Also, Nic Sheff is an extremely talented writer. He should write more, fiction maybe next time :)

Worth Every Tear - Forever and Always
by Cheri Hardaway
• This book is written by one of our fellow bloggers (Glass House Ministries at http://blog.cherihardaway.com/). I recommend this book for everyone - even if there is no addiction in their family. I loved it! Yes, there was addiction in the book; however, it was nice to "read about what is going on in the house next door" so to speak. It covered so many aspects of relationships: marriage, parenting, step-parenting, friends, family. And so many aspects of life: jobs, school, moving, birth. With regards to addiction, the raw emotion, honesty, denial and roller-coaster ride made me know I was not alone.

Two other books I read over a year ago:

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: Our Children and Drugs REVISED
by Bob Meehan
• Awesome book that I recommend for all parents *new* to having a child with an addiction. This book gave me so much strength, knowledge, information, comfort. Over a year later and I still think to some of the things I read in it. This poignant book is very blunt in it's presentation. Highly recommended by me :)

How to Change Someone You Love: Four Steps to Help you Help them
by Brad Lamm
• I don't know, I thought this book was going to give some new information. But in reading it I felt it was a different spin on the same things I learned from our interventionist. Just came at it from a different angle. I have heard other people who really liked this book.

Al-Anon books:
ALL of these are EXCELLENT. I would highly recommend any of them.
• In All Our Affairs: Making Crises Work for You
• Al-Anon's Twelve Steps & Traditions (Revised)
• From Survival to Recovery (for Adult Children)
• How Al-Anon Works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics (Awesome book!!!)
• Paths to Recovery: Al-Anon's Steps, Traditions & Concepts