Beautiful Boy

By David Sheff
The only thing worse than seeing a child of yours suffer from an incurable disease is standing by helplessly as he suffers from one that is at least initially self-inflicted. Worse yet is wondering if you yourself may have unintentionally done something to cause it. When journalist David Sheff makes the discovery that his teenage son has gone from smoking marijuana to becoming a meth addict, he searches for answers, along the way accepting blame himself even as he sits in support groups repeating the mantra "you didn't cause it, you can't cure it, you can't control it." His son Nic, a stellar high school student in whom teachers and parents saw great potential, grew up in beautiful West Marin, California, surfing and biking and spending time with his father, stepmother, and two adoring younger siblings. While his parents divorce was a defining moment of his young life, Nic and his upbringing shatters the stereotype of the meth addict as the unfortunate offspring of uncaring, clueless parents. Beautiful Boy is not only an honest, soul-baring recounting of all the pain and anguish caused by his son's addiction, it's also a moving tribute to the good in his son, the "real" Nic that he never gives up on.

--Lisa Kelsey

 

Lost & Found: One Daughter's Story of Amazing Grace

By Kathryn Slattery
Her family looked fine on the outside, but underneath there were secrets lurking. It was, after all, the 1950s when nice people didn't talk about things like those papers in the desk that hinted her mother had been married before -- and that her beloved older sister might actually be her half-sister. And with a mom who was just a little too perfect and a dad just a little too attached to his alcohol, Kathryn Slattery grew up lonely confused and afraid. Yet she finds a way, first through the discovery of God and church, then with the love of a supportive man, to conquer her childhood's sad aftermath. As the story unfolds, this woman with her own hidden shame ultimately finds herself to be a person, mother, and daughter she can be proud of. A sweetly written, frank but dignified memoir of faith, personal renewal, and the joy of learning to forgive.

--Gay Norton Edelman

 

The Scalpel and the Soul: Encounters with Surgery, the Supernatural, and the Healing Power of Hope

By Allan J. Hamilton, MD, FAC
Funny, irreverent, earthy, big-hearted, honest, real -- just some of the adjectives that describe Allan J. Hamilton, MD, neurosurgeon and author of The Scalpel and the Soul. Dr. Hamilton has written a series of short, pithy first-person essays that tie together his childhood experiences, medical training, unusual and uplifting relationships with patients, and his own very human doubts, fears, and triumphs. As he tells the stories of special medical cases, the reader witnesses his growing understanding of human consciousness, hope, and wonder. Surprisingly for his profession, he's frank about the many mistakes he made over the years as a neurosurgeon, and how all his experiences educated his sense of what's spiritual and important.

Dr. Hamilton ends the book with 20 useful lessons for anyone dealing with doctors, hospitals, and health crises. For example, Rule No. 6 is, "Ask your doctor to pray with you. There are a lot of docs who can't bring themselves to pray for help, so ask them to sit down with you." Rule No. 12: "Develop your own healing rituals. These can be as mundane as praying and meditating each day or as creative as smearing bear grease and herbs on oneself." Rule #19 is "Assign someone to be your guardian angel. Give someone in your family the assignment of writing down everything that's done to and for you. It's their job to make inquiries of the medical staff, to review medications, and to be a general pain in the ass."

A Harvard-educated neurosurgeon who operated for as long as his own body was strong enough, Hamilton has created a second career developing and running a center to train doctors to avoid making errors. His energy, apparently, is irrepressible. Certainly he has created a memoir that gives a fresh perspective on the human condition.

--Gay Norton Edelman

 

Tween Pick: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roddick Rules

By Jeff Kinney
This cartoonlike book -- based on Kinney's Web comic and a sequel to his bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid -- may leave you groaning at first ("There are barely any words," you may think to yourself). But you'll change your tune soon enough. Especially when your kids -- boys in particular -- will be begging to please just finish up the chapter. This time Greg Heffley is dealing with middle school drama, a secret from his summer vacation, and his taunting older brother Roddick. Great fun for any child, but a can't-miss-pick for reluctant readers.

--Darcy Jacobs

 

Teen Pick: Game

By Walter Dean Myers
Best-selling and multi-award-winning author Walter Dean Myers likes to tackle the tough issues, but he also likes basketball. In Game, Myers explores the importance of team playing -- in all areas of life -- and keeping your eye on the prize. Teenage Drew Lawson is a solid basketball player, but so are a lot of the tall, talented kids in his urban neighborhood. And while his studious sister says she's shooting for Harvard, Drew's grades means any hope for college is riding on his playing skills. With more on the line than ever before, Lawson starts taking note of his life's game plan and what he needs to do to avoid fouling out on his future.

--Darcy Jacobs

Copyright © 2008. Used with permission from the March 2008 issue of Family Circle magazine.