Description

This was Chipmunka Publishing's second book release, and one of the most important books on mental illness ever written. A book that in the words of the author, "started out a suicide note and ended up a celebration of life." Dolly's outstanding memoir is the gripping tale of a woman's fight to come to terms with abuse, family pressures, prejudice and severe mental ill health. Sen describes the horrible reality of being diagnosed with both manic depression and schizophrenia and the prejudice she faced. Add to this a series of horrific experiences in her life, and it is remarkable how she has the strength to come through such events, writing with such vigour, optimism and warmness.

About the Author

Born in 1970, she had her first psychotic experience aged 14 which lead her to leave school. After years of mental illness, probably bought on by an abusive childhood, Dolly decided she should write about her experiences. She was inspired to write her own story after reading Jason Pegler's autobiography 'A Can of Madness'. She has since written five books, become a successful performance poet who has toured throughout Europe and has set up two charities.

It's spring, 1964. Beatle mania crashes the American shores. The Vietnam War and push for black civil rights divide the nation. Tommy Mack and his proud, beat-up, poverty stricken family have traded the freshness of Appalachia for a malodorous chemical plant in the suburbs of a small, east coast metropolis. Surrounded by traffic, congestion, and as much culture shock as one can imagine, they put down new roots-and pray for the best.

Living alone has become inevitable for most women; the U.S. Census Bureau reports that 73% of females will die single. With climbing divorce rates and increased female life expectancy, the reality of living without a significant other becomes more and more common for women. A Woman's Guide to Living Alone: 10 Ways to Survive Grief and Be Happy offers practical advice and personal stories to help women successfully ease into a new and full lifestyle after the termination of a marriage, the end of a relationship, or the loss of a loved one.

Clinical experts as well as individuals who have overcome their own loss impart day-to-day survival tips to show women on their own how to discover the joys of living alone. By addressing the facets of single living, this honest and informative book provides a detailed pathway for women seeking self-sufficiency. It also contains a special section on Survivors' Stories in which everyday women as well as celebrity personalities such as Joan Rivers and Ann Richards tell their own tales. Other chapters include:
-- Getting Through Grief
-- Jumping into the Job Market
-- Solo Parenting
-- Taking Charge of Personal Finances
-- Daring to Date Again

Providing common-sense techniques, A Woman's Guide to Living Alone addresses the needs, hopes, and fears of every newly-single woman. With a combination of personal and expert guidance, it allows women to overcome their fears and embrace a new life on their own.

Abuse is ugly. It is always wrong. It is never part of God's design for healthy family living. It distorts relationships and shatters dreams. It creates pain and despair. It never produces hope. You know this all too well--that's why you've picked up this book. Nancy Nason-Clark and Catherine Clark Kroeger know the pain of women who have been abused, especially the unique pain of Christian women who thought it couldn't happen to them. In this straightforward, practical book they supply the answer to the questions you face: How do I know I need help? How much of my story should I tell? Where do I find spiritual support as a victim of abuse? What help can I find in the community? How do I get started on the healing journey? What key steps will I need to take to get on with my life? How can I understand what help my abuser needs? How do I learn to trust God again? Their advice is solid, backed up by Nason-Clark's professional expertise as a sociologist and Kroeger's as a biblical scholar. Together they supply both here-and-now, step-by-step advice you need to start the healing journey and biblical insights to nourish your soul and sustain you on the path to wholeness.

“This is not a work of fiction. This is the raw reality of life, and a larger part of society. Nothing more, nothing less. Some statistics reveal that approximately 8000 children are abused in some way everyday, of which 5 will die globally. This equates to almost 3 million abuse cases a year and almost 2000 deaths a year. Whether or not the figures are lower or higher I’m obviously not sure but apparently child abuse has increased 134% since 1980 and is now classed as a worldwide epidemic. Having said that, I honestly believe that my testimony can be of some help to someone out there. This book is based on the foundation of how being sexually, mentally and physically abused has affected my life and how the desire for escaping the anguish and the reality of the situation, through drinking alcohol, has nearly killed me...numerous times to say the least. This will take you on a journey through my childhood years, my teenage nightmare, to the beginning of my adult life.” This is not just the unburdening of Nicky’s story. It is the start of something new; a sign of hope; a show of strength. Nicky refuses to take the hand that she has been dealt and become another statistic. She has hope for herself and her future and a strong focus on the new organisation she is developing.

"Both broad and deep, this thoughtful overview of a common problem" ("Library Journal") explores the context of teasing and the power relationships between children, as well as the roles of adults, schools, the media, and society at large.