Tagebücher & Memoiren

Sobering Thoughts, a memoir about the humor and horror of living with alcoholics.The effects of alcoholism in the family last more than a lifetime. They are passed down to your children even if you, yourself, did not become an alcoholic. Family alcoholism can deeply affect your development, personality, and expectations for life. More than any other wish I could wish, I wish and hope that my experiences and realizations will make you more aware of the beliefs and conclusions you have made about life, about your life, that have their origins in the disease of alcoholism. And, by opening to greater awareness you, too, will move toward healing and freedom.In Sobering Thoughts, through illustrative stories from my family life, from recovering alcoholics, and from people traumatized by alcoholic behavior, I explore a path toward wholeness. Along the way, I found a funny-awful list of words related to drinking and drunkenness; smart people helped me explore U.S. alcoholism by the numbers; I collected quotes from writers and recovering addicts; and offered Al-Anon essays and other tales of redemption. ¿

This true story is a roller coaster ride through the triumphs and tragedies of an undiagnosed autistic woman as she tries to navigate through a world that isn't designed for her. After getting diagnosed at age 57, the author went through her memories with a new lens, finally understanding all her life struggles. This book spans two continents, love, war, abuse, homelessness, and so much more. Throughout the book the author explains many of the key concepts needed to understand autism. If you have an autistic person in your life, have spent your life wondering why you are not like other people, want to gain a better understanding of autism, or just want a riveting story, this book is for you.

VULTURE'S BEST MEMOIR OF THE YEAR A NEW STATESMAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Shane McCrae was born to a white mother and a Black father. At eighteen months old, he was kidnapped from his parents' house. His maternal grandparents transported him to suburban Texas, wishing to hide his Blackness from him. In the years that followed, they manipulated and controlled him, believing they were doing what was best for Shane. While in their house, Blackness would always be the worst thing about him.Pulling the Chariot of the Sun is a revelatory account of what it means to be Black in America, written with virtuosity and heart by one of the finest poets writing today. It illuminates how we all might be made whole again, through a tireless search for the truth and the joyful pursuit of what we love.

Mein Leben gleicht einem Wunder. Es stand anscheinend unter einem besonderen Schutz. Trotz fürchterlicher Erlebnisse konnte ich durch außergewöhnliche Fügungen psychisch überleben und zu einer guten Entwicklung finden. Ohne Gott wäre ich an den schrecklichen Ereignissen zerbrochen. Um die Größe dieses wundersamen Geschehens sichtbar zu machen, reicht es nicht aus, die heilenden Vorgänge darzustellen. Nur wenn ich auch die verstörenden Sachverhalte aufzeige, ist es möglich, das Ausmaß der besonderen Fügungen zu begreifen, das meinem Leben eine unerwartete Wendung gab.

Der Vater kommt nach Notabitur, Reichsarbeitsdienst und vier Jahren Krieg Ende Mai 1945 heil von der russischen Front nach Hause zurück. Die britische Militärverwaltung bescheinigt ihm "Fit for Labour". Da der vorgesehene Hoferbe sowie der nächst ältere Bruder gefallen sind, tritt er in die Erbfolge ein. Er heiratet eine Bäuerin. Zusammen bauen sie den "PEETERSHOF" in Aldekerk wieder auf, der einige Jahrzehnte "geruht" hatte. Fünf Kinder, vier Söhne und eine Tochter, werden dort groß. Die Tage sind lang. Drei Söhne studieren, einer wird Meisterlandwirt, die Tochter Meisterfloristin. Doch 1981 verlässt der vorgesehene Hoferbe "den PEETERSHOF für immer. Was soll nun geschehen? Bei der Beerdigung der Mutter 2015 spricht die Nachbarin den vierten Sohn an, Joachim, und bekundet ihr Interesse an Kauf und Sanierung des PEETERSHOFs. In einer dramatischen Abfolge von Gesprächen und Ereignissen gelingt der Verkauf, die Sanierung beginnt. Joachim hatte Volkswirtschaftslehre in Bonn studiert, 1981 folgt das Diplom. Er arbeitet in mehreren Firmen und macht mit 61 Jahren den "Master of Arts" als Sinologe. Er verfolgt seine politische Linie des konkreten Handelns für das Volk. Eine Autobiographie vom Niederrhein. Joachim Vockel, Diplom-Volkswirt 1981. 2018 Master of Arts (M.A.) der Asienwissenschaften mit den Schwerpunkten asiatische Kunst und Chinesisch.

Pertti Valtonen on laulava teollisuusneuvos. Hän muistelee värikästä elämäänsä ja urakäänteitään valtion byrokratian ja teollisuusdiplomatian pyörteissä. Muistelmissa vilisee kaikkien tuntemien presidenttien, ministereiden ja yritysjohtajien nimiä. Tosikkomaisen jäykkiä virallisia tilaisuuksia teollisuusneuvos kevensi usein laulamalla. Hauskat ja paikoin tragikoomiset tilanteet seuraavat toisiaan niin työmatkoilla kuin vapaa-ajallakin.Kahden vuoden työkomennus teollisuusdiplomaattina Wienissä antaa tapahtumille oman lisämausteensa. Vapaa-ajan hurjimmat seikkailut taas koetaan Kreikan saaristossa. Sinne oli purjehdittu Manta-vene pakoon Suomen kylmiä kesiä. Hengähdystaukoja vauhdikkaalle Valtoselle suovat puutarhanhoito sekä metsien ja Lapin soiden antimien intohimoinen kerääminen.Facebookissa julkaistuja muistelmien pätkiä kaverit kommentoivat: Hyvää läppää, luovuutta parhaimmillaan, on sulla jutut, mukava lukea, on se Pertti monissa vesissä keitetty, nämä ovat hienoja muisteloita, odotamme innolla kirjaa, herkullisia tarinoita, muistelukset ovat ihan parasta antia Facebookissa, oot sä äijä, sangen opettavainen tarina ja rehellisyydessään ansiokas, upea piristys kylmään sunnuntaiaamuun, matkailukokemusten helmiä, hyvää kerrontaa, muistat ja kirjoitat hyvin¿¿Maailman paras olen varmasti yhdellä alalla, nimittäin omien tekemisteni muistelemisessa. Joku voi parhaimmillaankin muistaa vain promillen murto-osan siitä, mitä minulla on muistissa itsestäni. Joku toinen voi muistaa myös eri tavalla jonkin minuun liittyvän tapauksen, mutta se on hänen näkemyksensä, ei välttämättä minun. Jokainen on kuitenkin oman elämänsä sankari.¿

Living the Dream is the journey of a remarkably fearless, resilient, and striking woman. It is an electric portrayal of Bette, a young mother left alone to navigate circumstances unheard of in that era, to carve a beautiful direction for her young family of five. Choosing to survive against all odds, Bette's journey emblazons the meaning of motherhood and womanhood deep in the hearts of readers. Living the Dream, told without a grain of self-pity, is a memoir of redemption that leaves behind a fierce and beautiful message, not only for women but for all families.

Devastated by the sudden disconnection from the man she thought of as her father, and the rejection from her birth father that followed, a young Acamea Deadwiler finds herself on a lonesome path disturbed by the chaos of mental illness, poverty, and violence. Daddy's Little Stranger delves into the captivating journey of a girl's life, shaped by various forms of neglect. Forced to navigate both tense and tender interactions with her mother's boyfriends, Acamea mourns the idea of a father as much as she does the father figures she once knew. She arms herself with resentment and emotional distance for protection. Acamea tells her story set against the backdrop of Gary, Indiana-a city deemed "the murder capital of the nation." Here she wrestles with the complexities of human connection as she grows into a woman. This touching narrative reveals her road toward self-discovery as, feeling trapped between the worlds of love and obligation, she attempts to set herself free. Daddy's Little Stranger is a profound exploration of longing and our capacity to heal hidden wounds.

Crossing Bridges: What Biking Up the East Coast Taught Me About Life After 60"One day you will wake up and there won't be any more time to do the things you've always wanted. Do it now."-Paulo CoelhoAt fifty-eight, Lisa Watts felt restless. She had built a carefully balanced life of work and play, but it all seemed to add up to a life of mediocrity. She and a dear friend headed out to bike from Key West to Canada, a trip she'd dreamed of taking for decades. Those two months on the road offered a time of transition, teaching her mostly that she doesn't have to live as an armchair traveler through life's third act.In this engaging travel memoir, Watts shares essays about friendship, marriage, self-doubt, and more. Her aim: to nudge others out the door to go do that thing they've always wanted to do.

While searching for the will, courage, and strength that she needed, she found not only all of that within herself but also her relationship with God."If I can help just ONE person sharing my story, then it was worth putting it out there. I believe God put all of these unspeakable acts in my life so that I could write this book and help someone else heal their pain." Kate BradyThis is a book for anyone who has lost their faith or confidence in themselves because of situations beyond their control. It is a story about loss, courage, struggle, and love. The story is an exploration of how we as traumatized adults have grown from our childhood and its many painful scenarios. This is about overcoming the negative ideals of others about you and turning them into positive experiences and opportunities for change and growth. This is for those searching for their true selves all while embracing the pain that we sometimes don't talk about or want to remember. This is a story based on true events and occurrences, but most of all it is a story of survival and strength through adversity. This is a love letter to a tragic childhood draped in fear, sexual abuse, physical and mental abuse, lies; and the growth that flowed through the unimaginable pain. It is one domestic violence survivor's story, the healing process of EMDR therapy and how it can help trauma and PTSD survivors feel whole again, gave her the courage to share.

Would you like to expand your ideas and experiences of creation? This book inspires with stories, messages, inspirational material, and with many higher-dimensional contacts with the light groups of higher dimensions. Those light groups display different dominant colors and frequencies of light. There were also many personal contacts with the author's original light group from the higher dimensions of another galaxy. The ancient mentor of that light group made the most contacts. He gave her experiences of portals to higher dimensions and much information from beyond this world.

A book for men and women from middle age to advanced years who have suddenly and unexpectedly become confronted with the huge effects that the male prostate can have on the body. It is a tale of what can happen to both men and women when the prostate transforms over time as the body changes, free of any of the minor or major taboos surrounding those involved.The book presents both a subjective and an objective account, from a female and a male perspective, of what the prostate is and of the physical, psychological and social effects that changes to the prostate can bring as one ages or reaches old age. The latest medical, psychotherapeutic and social measures available to help men with prostate issues and their partners are discussed. It also addresses the therapeutic taboos that have previously prevented us from attempting a systemic approach to the physical, psychological and social transformation that men and women undergo when they reach middle age and beyond.

Our book "Experiences with Hildegard" is finished! It was created through the joint work of our family and 51 people who contributed their experiences and insights.A book alone can perhaps never do justice to a person. But a book written with the spiritual guidance of Master Dean Li can convey a special energy. Then this spirit can waft between the letters, lines and their contents; a clarity that we, just like Hildegard, seek. This spirit is at the center. Thank you very much, Master Li.Hildegard was once asked about her work in an interview with the Montessori Association:"You are very interested in Chinese medicine. You have already taken part in numerous training and further education courses. What makes it so interesting for you? Were you looking for something there that you felt was missing from Montessori? Or are there connections that we don't know about?Hildegard: I can only give a provisional answer to this question. I have only been studying Original Chinese Medicine for 10 years. Yes, there are connections that we still know little about. Which lead further into areas that Montessori ... addresses in the quote: how being nobody serves as a prerequisite for recognizing the origin of things.Which leads on to the questions whose answers we must seek and find within ourselves: How do you love the universe? How do you recognize the origin of things? How do you become nobody?This is where the trail of ancient wisdom runs, which each individual must decide to follow."Hildegard chose this path and found many answers. This is what this book is about."What does it mean for us to save this winter?Hildegard shows us the path we should continue on.This time of change is very good for this, everyone can save something good.Hildegard is so clear, she shows us how we can move forward."Master Dean Li

What is home? It's a question that has troubled Marchelle Farrell for her entire life. Years ago she left Trinidad and now, uprooted once again, she heads to the peaceful English countryside - the only Black woman in her village.Drawn to her new garden, Marchelle begins to examine the complex and emotional question of home in the context of colonialism. As her relationship with the garden deepens, she discovers that her two conflicting identities are far more intertwined than she had realised. Full of hope and healing, Uprooting is a book about finding home where we least expect it, and which invites us to reconnect to the land - and ourselves.

From the international bestselling author of Black, White, and Jewish comes a "wonderfully insightful" (Associated Press) book that's destined to become a motherhood classic. Now in trade. Like many women her age, thirty-four-year-old Rebecca Walker was brought up to be skeptical of motherhood. As an adult she longed for a baby but feared losing her independence. In this very smart memoir, Walker explores some of the larger sociological trends of her generation while delivering her own story about the emotional and intellectual transformation that led her to motherhood.

Author and historian, Elizabeth (Bessie) Webb, traces her family roots growing up in Tallawudjah Creek near Glenreagh, on the Mid North Coast of NSW, between WWI and II. A prolific contributor to the history of the Glenreagh area, evidenced by eight other historical works she has researched and authored, Bessie shares her childhood memories. Her collection of photographs adds authenticity to her stories. Now 101 years of age, her childhood is of a bygone era, characterised by pioneering timber cutters, bullock wagons and a culture of mateship in the community. Those relationships shine through the pages and many photos, a camaraderia which tackled adversity and the hardship of life head on. But the march of progress is also evident as rough cut, bark lined shelters gave way to dressed timber and corrugated iron; horse back communication with the outside world replaced by a single phone line; and educational opportunities blossomed in the small school. Yet in all of the changes of life, Tallawudjah Creek, flowing just outside the family property, whether in flood or drought, became the constant in her life. Bessie tells her story with heart, giving the reader an insight into not only life at the time, but what it was like to be a young girl growing up in the bush. It's a real Australian story told by a real Australian hero. Bessie was honoured to receive the Centenary Medal in 2003 for "service to the community", and the Order of Australia Medal in 2013 for her "service to the community of Glenreagh".

"As an account of growing up female, it is a fit companion piece to Mary McCarthy's classic Memoirs of a Catholic Girlhood."-Le Anne Schreiber, The New York Times.

"A moving account of six former alcoholics and Betty Ford graduates-among them a teacher, a housewife and a gang member-with commentary from Ford herself."-Self"There was a lot of drinking and codependence in my extended family. Sitting in my jail cell, I thought about how many funerals I had attended over the years of family members whose lives had ended in violence or suicide. I never once heard of them getting help. There was never any mention of AA. The only way out of their terrible lives was just to die...It was one hell of a legacy."-LauretteLaurette's story is remarkable, but she's not alone. She is one of six women in Healing and Hope who experienced the pain and devastation of addiction-and managed to break free. Originally brought together by the Betty Ford Center's twentieth-anniversary reunion, these women share their poignant stories in this book. Their combined voices create a groundbreaking and ultimately triumphant memoir that lays bare the destructive power of addiction.

The perceptive and beguiling tale of a young girl's development as only her father can see itChosen as one of the 50 Best Nonfiction Books of the Past 25 Years by Slate Like most biographies, Brian Hall's charming account of his daughter Madeleine begins at her birth. But unlike most biographies, it concludes with her third birthday. Along the way, it describes Madeleine's intriguing transition from infant solipsism through toddler self-absorption to a small person's sociability. Drawing on the same subtle humor and eye for detail that imbued I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company, his acclaimed novel of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Hall gives us a look at Madeleine's milestones: her first laugh, first words, first tantrum, and brings it all to life from the inside out. By speculating on his daughter's perceptions and experience as she grows, Hall gives us candid and informed insights into the evolution of language, attachments and separations, and a youngster's curiosity and fear. What emerges is a portrait of growing consciousness in action, a universal voyage whose every revelation and frustration is captured with stunning detail and intimacy.

"Writing is a second chance at life," writes Jane McDonnell. "I think all writing constitutes an effort to establish our own meaningfulness, even in the midst of sadness and disappointment." In Living to Tell the Tale, McDonnell draws on this impulse, as well as on her own experiences as a writer and teacher of memoir, to give us what should become the definitive book on writing "crisis memoirs" and other kinds of personal narrative. She provides specific techniques and advice to help the writer discover his or her inner voice, recognize-and then silence-the inner censor, begin a narrative, and develop it with such aids as photographs and documents. Citing many landmark works such as Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior and Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, as well as unpublished writings, McDonnell shows how writers can recreate past experiences through memories, and imaginatively reshape material into the story that needs to be told. Each chapter concludes with exercises to help the writer grapple with particular problems, such as trying to write about experiences that are only partly recalled. McDonnell also offers a list of recommended reading. . Memoirs, such as Mary Karr's The Liars' Club (Penguin) have hit bestseller lists nationwide during the past year, and are of great interest to aspiring writers.

Dieses Buch widmet sich der Analyse der bisher veröffentlichten Lagerkorrespondenz, sowohl der offiziellen als auch der inoffiziellen, die in Form von Sammelausgaben oder einzelnen Briefen vorliegt. Die Autorin betont dabei die hauptsächlich dokumentarische Bedeutung dieser Korrespondenz, die sich auf den Zeitraum von 1939¿1945 erstreckt. Die untersuchten Briefe wurden von polnischen Gefangenen in verschiedenen europäischen Konzentrationslagern verfasst und fungieren primär als wertvolle soziologische Quelle. Mit besonderem Augenmerk auf hermeneutische Methoden hat die Autorin diese Briefe vor allem für Philologen aufbereitet. Das zentrale Anliegen dieser Publikation besteht darin, den Lagergefangenenbrief in seinen theoretischen und praktischen Facetten zu durchleuchten und systematisch zu erfassen. Es scheint, dass der ethische Stellenwert dieser Briefe, der in den Studien zum Erbe des Zweiten Weltkriegs häufig noch unterschätzt wird, von besonderer Bedeutung ist.

With a startling emotional honesty that pulls no punches, Dani Forrest tells the story of a life shaped largely in avoidance.For many people life happens when they're determinedly making other plans. For Marty May, the plans seem to happen despite her efforts to evade them. After fifty-two years, she finds herself standing in the shower wondering how exactly it was that it all went down, and whose plans she was actually living.Each year of Marty's resolutely unplanned existence is presented via a vignette highlighting some aspect of the outside circumstances that just seem to sweep her along. The ongoing dramas of parents, stepparents, siblings, and half-siblings - and then those of husbands and step kids. Education that provides knowledge but not necessarily wisdom. Rollicking serial monogamy that isn't always monogamous or especially rollicking. Jobs that try to turn into careers but never quite make it. All of them stories that seem to be hers but that she doesn't quite manage to fully occupy. Years become decades, culminating with a heartbreak that forces Marty to make peace with the reality that life indeed just...happens.Meditative and honest, 52 Pick Up: Life in Perfect Disorder is one woman's hard look at a life that seems to have chosen her. It's a story that plainly states the costs of not choosing, yet one that also allows for the possibility that there can be a beautiful rightness to being carried along by circumstance. And that perhaps, in the end, it doesn't really matter.