Jan Goldstein (1)

Wow this book is terrible. The main character is a sleazy, a-moral politician who is forced, in the midst of his campaign for the Senate to go visit his mother who is dying of Alzheimer's. To make matters worse, his horrible teenage daughter has to go with him! Teddy (I hate that a grown man goes by this name throughout the book, btw), is a chronically unlikable character. He is hateful to his mother, oblivious to his daughter, and objectifies every woman he meets. His daughter is not much show more better. A caricature of the nightmare teenager, she hates her father, and screams at him in public places.

The plot is trite, maudlin, and extremely predictable. Nearly every line of dialogue is nauseatingly cliched. Seriously, from beginning to end this book is cringe-inducing and awful. Skip it and save yourself a lot of pain. show less

A lot more to this chick lit book. Liked that there was a mystery, she learns some interesting secrets that help understand her parents, true friends willing to risk careers to help. Worried Colin was going to be just a handsome face but he really was so much more. Fast enough pace for a story of things happening in one week.

There is no coming to consciousness without pain. –Carl Jung

A lovely and powerful little book. We are all wounded and the essential work of our lives is to turn that wound, to use a phrase from Goldstein, from the profane to the sacred; to turn that wound from the root of our neurotic and destructive patterns into the constructive and enlivening. I'm not a fan of his formulaic style (i.e., there are nine steps each with a story, a ritual, a meditation) but then I never liked following show more instructions.

I think Goldstein is at his best when he shares his insights and observations:

"We are transformed from victim to victor in the crucible of the Sacred Wound. The triumph blazes forth in the empowerment and optimism to be found in our daily approach to living. It is found in the success we can now create with the fullness of our worth."

Still, a wonderful book for processing, healing, and getting on. show less

I've been reading this book off and on for a week now. It has beautiful prose that I fall in love with, but the story is just not one I'm currently jonesin for at the moment. I'm sure I will continue to enjoy it though.The first 3/4 of the book I was really into. The poetry of the authors voice was awesome. The fact that this was written by a male author left me feeling like a miracle had happened, a guy traipsing through a woman's psyche, like he knew what he was talking about? priceless. show more Jessica is a twenty something woman who fails in her attempt at suicide. Her Grandmother, Gabby, comes to rescue her, to instill a will to live, and the wisdom to see each day as a gift. Like I said, the book was poetry 3/4 of the way in, the author nailed the angst, but petered out to Hallmark ideology in the last part of the book "the realization" part. I just don't think the voice stayed as true to the characters in their time of angst as in their time of healing and acceptance...still worth a read.favorite quote"To my greatest gift, my granddaughter-Listen for me in your heart,that is where I choose now to live...for that is my heaven.Love Nana" show less