Janet and Dick Crawford worked together in their small veterinary practice in Wisconsin for thirty years. They raised five children, grew tons of vegetables, marched for Civil Rights, saw a thousand movies, and traveled to more than fifty countries. The year Dick died was the fifty-sixth year of their marriage- a partnership of opposites, and a honeymoon that lasted through both the rough and smooth years.

In this memoir, author Janet Jackson Crawford narrates the devastating mental and physical experiences of becoming a widow. She describes her odyssey through the "valley of death" and her methods of recovery and rejuvenation. She tells how she learned to feel her emotions, acknowledge her pain, resolve her loss, and live again.

A personal account of the grief and loneliness of surviving the death of a mate, A Widow's Odyssey offers an idea of what to expect when your lifelong partner dies. Crawford provides insight as well as suggestions to help overcome feelings of helplessness, sadness, and loneliness. This memoir helps those left behind cope as they struggle to overcome the heartbreak.

The working life of Sir John Martin (1904-1991), which is the subject of this book, was based on the Colonial Office, serving his belief that "colonial rule was one of the best British gifts to the world". Through his eyes, readers are given a detailed picture of work at the centre of some of the most important events in modern British history, including World War II and the end of empire. Four years after entering the Colonial Office, Martin was seconded for three years' field service in Malaya, and attended the Bangkok Opium Conference, and in 1936 he was called to serve as Secretary to the Palestine Royal Commission. In 1940 he went to 10 Downing Street as Churchill's Private Secretary, where from 1941-45 he was Principal PS with management of the Private Office. After the war, in senior positions in the Colonial Office he was in Malaysia, central Africa, Palestine, Cyprus and Malta, working towards decolonization. It also fell to Martin to represent British colonial policy at the new United Nations. For his last two years before retirement he was High Commissioner for Malta. The book offers insights into the background to all these events and the personalities involved.

ONE OF THE GREATEST ENTERTAINERS OF OUR TIME CANDIDLY REVEALS HER VERY PERSONAL STRUGGLE WITH AN ISSUE SO MANY OF US FACE EVERY DAY: SELF-ESTEEM
Janet Jackson emerged from the shadows of an already famous family to become one of the most beloved, recognizable, and influential performers in the world. But at what cost?
From the age of ten, when she made her acting debut on "Good Times, "Janet was told by Hollywood that she needed to slim down. Her well-meaning brothers, especially fun-loving Michael, teased her relentlessly until she began to believe that who she was wasn't good enough. It was an idea that no amount of critical acclaim in television and film or, later, international platinum success in music could change.
Janet turned to food for comfort and escape. She developed a self-destructive pattern familiar to so many of us: fear and uncertainty led to bad feelings about herself and ultimately depression. The depression led to overeating. And her yo-yoing weight was painfully obvious in the bright lights of the entertainment world.
It has taken Janet most of her adult life to come to terms with who she is. But she has finally broken free of the attitudes that brought her down and has embraced realistic goals that help her eat better, exercise better, feel better, and ultimately be better.
This book is about meeting those challenges that face all of us. With candor and courage, Janet shares her painful journey to loving herself. She addresses the crazy rumors that have swirled around her for most of her life, shines an intimate light on her family, and pulls us behind the velvet rope into her unforgettable career. She also shares lessons she has learned through contact with friends and fans and reveals the fitness secrets she has learned from her trainer. Finally, her nutritionist, David Allen, unveils the wholesome, delicious recipes and lifestyle-changing tips that helped Janet get in shape--mind and spirit, heart and soul.
"True You "is a call to tune in to your own fundamental wisdom, to let go of the ugly comparisons, and to understand that who you are, the "true you, "is more than enough.
***
"I'm loved, I'm valued, and I'm capable of achieving balance in my life. I can learn to eat well. I can exercise. I can express gratitude for the simple act of being able to breathe in and breathe out. I can move away from darkness and depression to light and hope. I can be happy with who I am, not what I should be, or what I might have been, or what someone tells me I must be.
I am me, the true me; you are you, the true you--and that's good. That's beautiful. That's enough."

--JANET JACKSON

Janet and Dick Crawford worked together in their small veterinary practice in Wisconsin for thirty years. They raised five children, grew tons of vegetables, marched for Civil Rights, saw a thousand movies, and traveled to more than fifty countries. The year Dick died was the fifty-sixth year of their marriage- a partnership of opposites, and a honeymoon that lasted through both the rough and smooth years.

In this memoir, author Janet Jackson Crawford narrates the devastating mental and physical experiences of becoming a widow. She describes her odyssey through the "valley of death" and her methods of recovery and rejuvenation. She tells how she learned to feel her emotions, acknowledge her pain, resolve her loss, and live again.

A personal account of the grief and loneliness of surviving the death of a mate, A Widow's Odyssey offers an idea of what to expect when your lifelong partner dies. Crawford provides insight as well as suggestions to help overcome feelings of helplessness, sadness, and loneliness. This memoir helps those left behind cope as they struggle to overcome the heartbreak.