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Summary: The Lord sent me this book, It saved my Husbands life!!!
Review: I have read 48 of DS's books and love them all. I am a 33 year old office manager with one child. My husband is 39 and has been a journeyman mechanic for 20 yrs. Manic depression runs in his family. He is a big strong handsom man who also hides his pain with a beautiful smile. He fell 20 feet from a latter Nov.4,98. (I received the book Nov.2,98 from a co-worker and dear friend) broke both arms and tore 3 of 4 muscles from his rotator cuff in his left arm. He had been on morphine for a previous back injury and torn rotator cuff in the right arm for the last 24 months. I didn't know the signs of manic depression (he hid it well) until I started reading Nick's book. As I was reading the book on my lunch break my husband calls to tell me he was having bad thoughts. I asked if he would be ok until I got off work and he said he would be. I couldn't stop thinking of Nicky and how he felt and something told me to go home. I locked up my place of employment and ran home. He was going to leave me a note as to why he wanted to die. If I had not been reading this book I don't believe I would have gone home and in turn would have lost the love of my life. I cryed, laughed, felt pain and joy reading this book. I wish I could take away the pain you are feeling. I hope it comforts you in some way to know that this book has saved a life and has given me so much knowledge. Your an Inspiration to me. THANK YOU for sharing your story, it saved my husbands life. He is doing better and we are all happier today then we have ever been. I read the reviews and liked all but a few. It's like the old saying "You don't know what it's like unless you have been there". I also think Julie is a Godsend. May God be with you and your family. Thanks Again, PatriciaP.S. I know your a busy woman but would love to hear from you.
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Summary: A compelling story, but poorly written...
Review: The Nick Traina story illustrates an important point - that people with mental disorders often have wonderful talents and are as worthy of love and respect as so-called "normal" people. Unfortunately, the writing style in this book is very sloppy. Every other sentance starts with "and" or "but" - my high school English teacher would have croaked! Whole paragraphs start with "and" or "but" for no good reason. She's a grieving parent, ok, but doesn't she have an editor? Aside from that gripe, though- the story of Steel's son will strike a chord with any one who has ever loved a "different" or mentally ill person. Parents of "difficult" children in particular will find a sister in Steel. (Most people don't have the wherewithall, however, to borrow some of Steel's solutions, such as hiring round-the-clock body guards to protect Nick from himself.) This book sheds some light on what bipolar disorder is like- another very good first-person account of this illness is An Unquiet Mind.
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Summary: One of my many favorites!
Review: This is on eof those books that you never want to put down! It is one of my many favorites. I think anybody that knows somebody or themselves are manic-depressive should read this book. Danielle Steele talks about the highs and lows of Nick Traina's life. I only wish the ending was different, but thats life!
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Summary: Touching and Tragic
Review: This book was the best I've read. And being that I haven't followed through with a good book in a long time, this is a major accomplishment. The book made me cry and exposed me to a disease that I've scarcely heard of before. I was truly touched and felt the loss at the end as if I had known Nick myself. I couldn't put the book down for a minute, and even read it twice! ! ! I recommend this book to any and everyone. I'm anxious to read another book as good as this one, so all suggestions are welcome.
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Summary: A Bravely Told Story of One Mother's Unconditional Love
Review: I had never read anything by Danielle Steele before this book about her son Nick. I picked this book up the New Arrivals section of the bookstore and started to thumb through it. Perhaps it was the shiny foil cover or the beautiful smile of the young man on the cover that attracted me to it. In reading the first few pages,I was quickly caught up in a story written by a mother who had lost her son due to suicide, induced by a morphine overdose -- directly attributable to non-compliance with needed medication to balance manic-depressive disorder. Steele's story of her son Nick is a mother's compassionate retelling of her child's life from birth to his death at age of 19. Clearly a mother's assessment of her son cannot be objective -- especially after the tragedy of his death. In light of this reality, Steele's writing here it is in understandably skewed.While Nick demanded a great deal of his mother from his early childhood onward because of the many early behavioral problems he presented, Mom misread the signs. It is apparent that Nick was his mother's favorite child. While not casting blame in the way other reviewers so easily have because there is no foolproof treatment and guarantee of success in treating manic depression, in Danielle Steele's retelling of her son1s story, she inadvertently indicates, how in so many ways, she overlooked a great deal of behavior symptomatic of this disorder as "cute" or "singular" of her Nick1s intelligence and giftedness.Only in reading his mom1s retrospective as a more distant observer can I share my observation that she misread and excused too much of Nick1s early behavior because of the intensity of her love for him and the fact that for quite a long time, she was a single mom raising a challenging son, with only the support of her young daughter who loved Nick as much as his Mom did. Looking at the story of Nick1s life now, I believe Steele could have done more earlier in Nick's life to find out what was wrong. In the 1940's, Lithium - a natural salt element, was accidentally discovered to be of help to those who suffered from the extremes of mood we have come to call manic depressive disorder. In the age of institutionalization as the primary manner in which disturbed behavior was dealt with in the United States, it was only used experimentally until finally being formally approved in 1970 as a drug officially approved for the treatment of this disorder. Basically, it has been commonly and successfully used since the early Œ701s to treat manic depressive disorders -- years prior to Nick's birth and very commonly by the time Nick was diagnosed, late in his childhood. Specialists, the very best, probably could have interceded early to appropriately diagnose Nick Traina1s disease. Treatment, education and therapy toward helping manic depressives cope with their conditions were not uncommon psychiatric sub-specialties by the time Nick was born and began to act out. Even when Danielle Steele finally reaches the point of acknowledging that Nick1s behavior was in need of outside attention -- even after he was finally diagnosed correctly, it appears that only minimal efforts were made at learning what the very best methods would have been which might have increased Nick's chances of understanding and surviving -- perhaps even thriving in spite of his disease. This is might be explained by the fact that Steele faced a psychiatric disease in a loved one in a time -- which continues to exist today -- where the thorough engagement in psychological treatment for a loved one bears a great stigma. For a famous celebrity to have this known may have even further contributed to Steele1s hesitancy to intensively involve her son in extended inpatient psychiatric treatment.While Steel correctly informs the reader that some 30% or more Manic Depressives die tragically -- generally related to non-compliance with medication, particularly when feeling well, she doesn't explain how near 70% live, function and often excel. As a society, we have tremendous lengths to go through in order to come to a better acceptance of and to take the social stigma away from psychological disorders. We have made tremendous strides in every other condition on the medical horizon, yet, we continue to attach shame, embarrassment and a code of silence to that which may be construed as the fault of upbringing or family values. There are those who continue to believe in the fallacy of fault associated with psychological disorders -- usually laid at the doorstep of parents.We have learned incredible things about the brain in the last 30 years and have developed medications that formerly kept individuals in mental institutions for their entire lives. Each year, new research and new drugs come about telling with far more certainty that almost every psychological disorder has origins in the chemistry of the brain. Research physicians and members of the professional psychological community working on brain research have begun to isolate neurotransmitters and individual gene flaws which are almost certainly responsible for various challenges which have traditionally been stigmatized as caused by faulty upbringing, lack of self discipline or by moral disorders. With many of the medications and treatment strategies which have been developed, especially in the last ten years, enormous strides have been made at virtually ameliorating the challenges individuals with brain chemistry anomalies cost people in their ability to function. Even further advances are soon expected as experimentation with gene repair and even more advanced medications and medication implants are expected on the horizon.Danielle Steele1s story is indeed a tragic loss to her; one that I can never completely comprehend having never stood in her shoes. Her loss was enormous. Her courage in telling Nick1s and her own story is absolutely commendable. It is my hope that her willingness to so forthrightly tell this story, rife with the flaws of her own imperfect humanity, will be of help to another mother, another family, or any individual who may be afflicted by this disease. Thank you Danielle!
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Summary: Engrossing and Heartbreaking
Review: This book was not written with ink but with blood. Danielle has opened her heart and her life to tell the tragic story of her child Nick. They both fought long and well but in the end his illness killed him. I learned a lot about his illness and a lot about the Traina family. Good job, Danielle. Be at peace. Nick is.
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Summary: Truly haunting
Review: As a HUGE fan of Link 80, i had to buy the book. Not only was it Haunting but also very sad at the end. i was moved to tears. i've seen Link 80 perform a number of times and now that i read his lyrics in the liner notes of the cd's, it all makes sense and puts everything in perspective. after reading it, my mom read it and later told me she was in tears. even the toughest guy in so cal could be moved with this book. it seems i know Nick like he was a close friend....a huge loss and a seemingly great human being with a horrible disease and tragic outcome.
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Summary: HE WAS A 5 STAR KID!!!!!
Review: I OWNED A CAFE IN ANTIOCH CA WHERE NICK AND HIS BAND PLAYED. HAVING HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET SOMEONE SO WONDERFUL WILL CHANGE MY LIFE FOREVER. HE WAS TRULY A GIFTED PERSON IN SPEECH AS MUCH AS IN THE MUSICAL SENSE. I AM STILL READING THIS BOOK BUT I AM FINDING THAT THERE WAS TRULY MORE COMPLEX ISSUES TO THIS YOUNG MAN THAN WHAT HE LET OUT IN OUR CONVERSATION. DANIELLE, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD BECAUSE HE WAS TRULY A WONDERFUL WONDERFUL PERSON.
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Summary: EXCELLENT BOOK
Review: I HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT FOR DANIELLE STEEL AFTER READING THIS BOOK. I CRY WITH HER WHEN I WAS READING IT. THIS BOOK IS ABOUT THE LOVE, DEVOTION AND PAIN THAT SHE WHEN THROUTH WHEN HE WAS ALIVE AND AFTER HE WAS DEAD. I ADMIRE HER A LOT BECAUSE SHE DECIDED TO SHARE HIS STORY AND LIFE WITH ALL OF US. THANK YOU DANIELLE.
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Summary: It never should have been published.
Review: And it wouldn't have been if Steel hadn't of been famous. I haven't read anything else by Steel, but it has to be better than this. I understand that this is a very personal book for her, and was probably very painful to write, but that is no excuse for repeating the same things over and over and over again, and really giving no insight into anything (i.e. just plain bad writing.) I wouldn't recommend reading this book unless you knew Nick personaly, and certinly not if you expect to get any kind of "help" from it.
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