If possible I would give this book a 10+ rating. This book makes me very proud to be a Mexican-American. Sr. Villasenor writes with so much passion that I often felt that I was in the story myself. It may be hard for some to believe that this is a work of non-fiction. I recommend this book to everyone. I hope it helps ALL people to understand the love our ancestors must have felt and sacrifices they made to give future generations a "better life". Victor Villasenor describes each member of his family with such detail that you can actually picture in your mind what each one looks like. I will continue to read "Rain of Gold" and pass in on to each child in my family.

When I was an English Literature major in college in the early 1990s, I wrote my senior thesis on the significance of Chicano literature. "Rain of Gold" was included in my study. It is a beautifully written book and a tremendously valuable contribution to American literature.

In Victor Villasenor's "Rain of Gold," the dominant theme or metaphor is the struggle for survival. The mythic structure provides a rich and meaningful context for the characters and their inner struggle for identity and survival. "Rain of Gold" is the story of two parallel lives -- those of Juan Salvador and Lupe Gomez, characters delineated from Villasenor's real-life mother and father, who grow up with their respective families in two distant towns in Mexico and meet as young adults in California.

The novel can be divided into three parts: the families trying to survive in Mexico, but opting to find a better life in the U.S.; their harsh and harrowing journeys through the rough terrain of the Mexican deserts; and finally, their miraculous arrival and struggle in the U.S. The novel challenges the reader to experience the harsh realities of the characters' hardships and triumphs. Their struggle is internal and personal. Villasenor's adherence to myth, religion and a little of the magical paints a vivid image of a people -- survivors not only of physical challenges, but spiritual ones as well. His story is well detailed and well developed. It is truly an epic in every sense of the word.

Rain of Gold is a book written by Victor Villaseñor an author of Mexican Heritage. Villaseñor wrote this book when he felt the urge to pas down to his children the history behind their name. Villaseñor traveled to Mexico and after years of hard work and several conflicts he published "Rain of Gold", the biography of his family. In "Rain of Gold" Villaseñor describes with full detail the lives of his ancestors in Mexico and later in the United States. More than just a story, Villaseñor gives a vivid image of life during the Mexican Revolution {the times of Pancho Villa}. He explains how his family was forced as well as other families to abandon their beloved country because of the violence and danger the Mexican Revolution brought to its citizens. Villaseñor also explains the hardships his family had to got through to adapt and survive prejudice, hunger and unfair work in the states. Not only does Villaseñor capture the struggles of his family but also the exciting and glorious moments his ancestors lived. This book has a vivid message to everybody of Mexican background. Especially to teenagers who usually don't get the chance to be taught their history with out somebody making fun or putting down their culture. This is the first book that I have truly related to, because of my Mexican background and hardships I've faced in this country. This is a book you just can't stop reading because you get so close to the characters. By the end of the book I assure you that not only will you know all of the people in the book but you will also respect and consider them part of your family! More importantly, I recommend this book to everybody who has parents or somebody who has immigrated to this country in search of opportunities and better life.

Chicken Soup for the Kids Soul is a fantastic, well-written book. This book includes many stories about kids going through life. The stories are about love, sorrow, family, achieving dreams and many more. The stories will make kids think of times they went through. It's an inspiring book that will make kids believe in themselves. I would give this book five stars.

The series of Chicken Soup books has held my attention since their first publication. Perhaps this is one of the most important books in the series. The stories will also help everyone realize that life is a journey. The words will inspire you to dream, to be more positive, and to realize you are not alone.

When you purchase this book, think of it as a life enriching tool. The topics of love, friendship, family, attitude, perspective, death, dreams, obstacles, choices, tough stuff and eclectic wisdom are discussed in stories, poems and passages.

The stories are short enough so you could read one a day. There are also funny cartoons, poems and plenty of "kid" wisdom. I give this book my highest recommendation. I think even adults should read some of the stories in this book. The poem a child wrote about her father is something every parent should read.

I was also impressed with the health advice and section on making the right choices. The positive lessons you can learn from this book will last a lifetime. My favorite poem was on page 293, it truly holds the wisdom of a child. We have so much to learn from children, if we will take the time to listen.

Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul, I believe, was one of the most amazing books written of all time for kids. It shares the experiences others have endured and overcome, loyal friendships that have been lived, and many other heartwarming stories. I was introduced to this book by a great teacher of mine, who lent it to me for a week, and that was when I fell in love with it!

It showed me words of wisdom: to strengthen my self-confidence, self-belief, how to dream my dreams of life and how to live a greater life.

The Chicken Soup Series is absolutely amazing, and as I am moving onto my teenage years, I cannot wait to get my hands on the Teenage Soul Series!

I recommend this book to each and every reader of the world, because this is the definite Chicken Soup to heal to anyone and everyone's soul for life!

I am in the middle of Chicken Soup for the Pet-Lover's Soul, and I am loving it. I try not to read too many stories at once, because I want the book to last! I am emotional anyway, but this is a real tear-jerker. If you love hearing stories about people who love their pets, and go out of their way for animals, I highly recommend this book!

Many stories to touch the heart--and the soul. Our pets become part of us; their unconditional love is something we treasure. When we are faced with losing them the pain and sorrow go beyond words to express!

After you read this book and smile-- and cry-- I would like to recommend two other wonderful books: one is FOR EVERY DOG AN ANGEL, an absolutely marvelous little book, that even though written for children, adults will love even more! The angel stays with pup throughout its life; "forever dog" and its "forever person" will eventually reunite; sometimes the dog will cross back over its "angel bridge" to visit in the interim. The author has had several experiences with her "forever dog", "Martha"; I have had a few with my little ones as well.

The next recommendation is for adults: THE SOUL OF YOUR PET. Stunning, solid evidence of animal afterlife; will startle the most hardened of skeptics. In addition, it is biblically-sound regarding pet afterlife.

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul is a fantastic book for anyone who has a special place in his or her heart for animals. The book was made up of many different stories describing the special qualities that make our pets and furry friends unique. I rated this book a 5 because I found myself crying one minute and laughing the next. There are stories that will make you giggle, one in particular describes buffalo playing a game on ice. It made me realize that there are many things about animals that we don't understand- and never will. Who would have guessed that buffalo play games? The book also included stories that sent tears down my cheek. The story that stands out the most in my mind is a story about how far a mother cats goes to save her kittens. The love of the mother cat can relate to human mothers as well, they will do anything to protect their children. I believe that animals are fantastic teachers. One story in the book talks about how a gorilla helped to rescue an injured (human) boy after he fell into her area in the zoo. The author of that story explained that what is truly amazing about the gorilla is that she helped the boy without caring about recognition. She helped the boy because she wanted to, she didn't know that recognition was even a part of the act. That is exactly what us humans can learn from these animals. We need to help somebody because it's the thing to do, not because we want to be remembered as a hero.
I would recommend Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul for anyone who enjoys animals or just wants to read a book that make you warm and fuzzy inside. The stories in the book will show you exactly why pets are teachers, healers, heroes and friends. You will realize how special they really are.
Also check out Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul for stories about teenagers that will inspire you.

...Chicken Soups are books written by readers of real life stories about either their life or someone else's. There are many Chicken Soup books directed to certain people, mostly by ages. Some of them are Chicken Soup for anyone to read, Chicken Soup for kids, for mothers, for fathers, for parents for Christians, teenagers and many others. This particular book is the second version of the Chicken Soups for Teenagers. It has one hundred and one more stories about the life of teenagers. The writers of stories have written about the following topics: Relationships, Friendship, Love and Kindness, Tough Stuff, Family, Learning Lessons, Making a Difference and Growing Up. All these are topics, which teenagers can relate to as they all experience things connected to the topics. The authors of the topics vary, most of them are written by teenagers. Some of the stories are even written by parents who have teenagers and sometimes celebrities write in a story. In this particular book actress Jennifer Love Hewitt wrote a story about friendship. In addition not only are there stories but there are also poems.
Chicken Soup Teenage Soul II has a story written by Jennifer Love Hewitt, which is known to have attracted many people to read this edition. Her particular story is on the topic of friendship. The title of the story is "A Friend For Life." This story is about Jennifer Love Hewitt meeting a young girl named Nicole who is suffering from cancer. Jennifer Love Hewitt was asked by an organization to help young people with sickness have their dream come true. Nicole's dream was to meet the actress. The story explains the kind of personality Nicole had towards life, even though she was suffering from cancer. Jennifer Love Hewitt explains about her full-of-energy life, how she didn't want anyone to pity her, she just wanted to live a normal life, she was just so positive about everything. Jennifer Love Hewitt mentions that her experience with Nicole is a day she'll never forget and that would affect her forever. Nicole was and always will her inspiration.
This is a book, which teenagers can connect with. By reading it they can realize that they aren't alone when it comes to certain conflicts or struggles in common daily life a teenager could experience. Every story and poem all have life lessons and morals to learn from, take notice of and understand. It is classified as an inspirational book and is very uplifting.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul was a great book. It is filled with true stories (101 to be exact) and poems about teenagers, the troubles they faced, and how they got through them. It is truly an inspiration when you read it. This book speaks directly to teenagers and really makes the teenage reader feel like they are not the only one who feels certain ways. This book has stories about all different topics. It talks about relationships, friendships,love and kindness, family, tough stuff, learning lessons, making a difference and growing up. It touches on all different aspects of each of these topics. In one specific story, called Change for a Dollar, a boy who is slower than most kids his age is in line trying to get a dollar to go in the pop machine. He is having lots of trouble and soon everyone starts laughing at him. Then out of nowhere a girl from the popular table gets up and goes over to the pop machine. She tells him that they are sometimes hard to work and then gives him change for a dollar. This story was moving to me because it shows that you don't always have to do what everyone else expects you to do. That is just one example of a typical story in the book. I really like that one because it is something that happens everyday of my life. Kids are always making fun of other kids, and the book gives you inspiration to change that and do something about it. Many of the stories are not about everyday events though, some deal with people who have diseases or are close to someone who is dying. These types of stories can really help out someone who may be in the same situation. They may feel like they are the only person in the world who knows how it feels, but when the read Chicken Soup, they realize that other people have gone through the same things and gotten through it alright. This book is one that you can read over and over again. You do not have to read it front to cover and you can skip around or read only about topics you are interested in. You can go back and read your favorite ones over again. If you are ever feeling blue, you can just pick up Chicken Soup and I guarentee it will lift your spirits. The stories in it are so uplifting and just make you feel good. I found that once I started reading Chicken Soup, I could not put it down. Each story makes you feel so good that you just wanna keep reading. It lets you know that what we are all going through and feeling the same types of things. It makes you feel good to know that you are not alone. I think this book acts more as a friend than anything else. It is always there to comfort you and give you hope for a better future. I would definitely recommend this to all teenagers. Even if you aren't dying of cancer, there are stories in here that can relate to every teenager. And the greatest part is that the book is made up of stories written by teenagers themselves so it definitely relates to them. This book overall just gives you a positive feeling when you are done.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul is an excellent book for every teenager, and anyone who wants to understand what problems teenagers are facing these days. This book contains stories that range from incredibly funny to sad and serious, but yet uplifting. All teenagers facce hardships that have to do with self esteem and fitting in. It is a book that you can go to when you are having problems. I feel tha tevery teenager can relate to this book. It is a good book to uplift your spirits. I recently had some trouble with one of my friends. The book was very helpful and helped us get over our differences. However, there was one story that really touched me. it was titled "A Lesson for Life". The quote at the beginging sort fo explains it all: "The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core strength within you that survives all hutr." It is about a boy who stand up for another boy when he is being picked on. This story changed my life in a way. I started to look around, and I realized that many people around me felt that they did not fit in. I suddenly thought that I was not very confident about myself, but I wanted to help others. The less that I started to worry about myself, and getting to know others, the more and more confident I became about myself. I now have a very happy life, and when someone feels down about their self, I can relate to them and give them advice. More people in this world should be friendly and stick up for others. The book teaches life lessons that everyone should be aware of. One of my friends's parents read the teenage version of htis book when her daughter was done. They previously had a rocky relationship, and everything has changed for the better since then. Another story in this book that has helped me in the struggle as a teenager was titled "No Matter What Happens". It is about growing up and how to deal with it. This book is a great place to turn to when you are looking for inspriration or help in life. You can relate to almost everything in the book.

There are so many Inspiring and touching tales that fills our hearts with emotion. One wonders 'why' things happen as they shouldn't or 'How' do miracles change the course of our lives. There are moments in everybody's life where at a point you encounter obstacles, where your self esteem gets low, attitude differences opine or whatever be, awe-inspiring stories of this book glues you to stir your heart to be more wiser. It rekindles the spirits undoubtedly when we read the emotional narrations of others and wonder - We too come across lot of experiences in life. Should we not pen it down? Easy it may seem, needs inspirations like these stories to share alike tales. This book sure is a great 'light up spirits' book for woman, self inspirations you can say. Topics on Love, Attitude & self esteem, Special moments, Dreams, Truth & wisdom n more are widely covered which makes it a special read. I cherish this book and read n re-read at times. Good pick

The stories are short but all are wonderful; the book has no beginning, no end. You can open the book to any page and read that story. The stories make you glad, sad, joyful, give you hope, make you laugh, make you mad, make you want to read them all. They uplift you, bring you down to earth, or make you think about yourself and wonder how you would have acted or reacted? What is amazing is that these women are not so different from you or your family or friends after all. We are all important, just like the patches in a patchwork quilt. It takes all kinds to make one beautiful world (quilt, too)

This Chicken soup book was delightful reading for me. I'm not very easily touched by a book, but these storied related to me in inspiring ways. They made me realize that other people relate in some of the same situations that I have experienced and the solutions were very simular. I can't wait to read more of the Chicken Soup series.

For the money you can't go wrong this is an excellent book for people just starting out in astronomy or who need a better understanding of the night sky and where to locate things. This book is packed full of info. and nice color photographs to go along with the many things you can see in a small telescope. I wouldnt really suggest this book though to those who allready know how to locate things and have a good understanding of astronomy. For the new person though theres tons of night time sky charts with details of nebulas and everything else in that part of the sky. Theres an excellent part that shows you how to measure the distances between stars & constellations to locate those harder to find subjects!! An excelent book that deserves a 5 star review. I forgot to mention that it's spiral bound so this makes it easy to lay flat and keep on a certain page. And don't forget take your time with the book to learn things the night sky isnt going anywhere!

Terence Dickinson's "Nightwatch" is a practical all-around guide to amateur astronomy. Spiralbound for outdoor and easier use, and packed with colorful pictures, charts and skymaps, the book gives the reader all the help needed to become a first class amateur astronomer. Wonderfully written with chapters on the Sun, the moon, the planets and the motions of the sky, the constellations and the stars, comets, meteors, eclipses and auroras, stargazing equipment and photographing the nightsky this revised and updated edition is expanded for use through the year 2010, and contains also a chapter on resources covering astronomy magazines, books, software, clubs, conventions and useful websites as well as information on observatories and leading manufacturers of astronomical telescopes and binoculars. An acomplished astronomer himself and the author of 14 books, with "Nightwatch" Dickinson has crafted one of the best astronomy field guides available today. A superb book!

A few months ago someone gave me a telescope for my birthday. I was eager to use it but felt I could get more out of it if I understood what I was pointing at in the night sky. In my quest for knowledge in this area I stumbled upon "NightWatch: a practical guide to the viewing the universe." It gave me a quick and thorough understanding of backyard astronomy field in a simple and easy to understand language free of all the technical jargon you may find in other sources (not that these are bad in themselves). I strongly recommend this book for the amateur astronomer, especially before going out to purchase a telescope or binoculars. The book gives some hefty and misery saving advise on equipment, its use and what to watch out for. To be honest, even wished the person who purchased the telescope had read this before doing so.

As a Jewish American born after World War 2 with no knowledge of any family members who lived in Europe during the holocaust I have nonetheless always been fascinated with those times. As a college student I worked in a resort hotel where I met German Jewish survivors. To this day what struck me most was what one such survivor told me when I asked him what he remembered of his childhood in Germany. He told me it was just like being in America. German cities were modernized. Jewish people participated in civic life with small attention paid to their heritage unless they wished otherwise. Victor Klemperer's book "I Will Bear Witness," underscores what I had been told by that survivor. Life in Germany before January, 1933 was not, for Jews, particularly distinguishable from life for non-Jews. In fact, one might argue that the kinds of insidious prejudice rampant in the United States in the first half of this century were more virulent than that experienced in pre-Nazi Germany. The beauty of this book is how Professor Klemperer bears witness to the slow but relentless descent into hell by people who did not perceive themselves different from their countrymen. His descriptions of the day to day activities of paying taxes, arguing with the bureacracy over one's pension, and seeking out rationed foods bring to life the experience of those times. I must admit that I, like most Jewish Americans of my generation, view a Jewish person professing Protestantism somewhat uncharitably. And yet, the professor's consistent adherance to a world view in which one's ethnic background does not determine one's fate is quite palatable. Yet the fatal attraction of German culture, in this case, becomes the downfall of many German Jewish citizen. Perhaps we learn through this book and others like it that powerful forces of demagoguery once unleased may render even the most apparently "enlightened" society into a middle ages horror.

Klemperer's diary provides an immediate, close-focus view of (in this volume) pre-war and (in the second) wartime Nazi Germany. He was a steady diarist, an intelligent, thinking man, and his dedication in maintaining his diary through months and years of deprivation and abuse was a profound gift to us all. After reading the facts concering Hitler's rise to power and its outcome, it is fascinating to see how these events were viewed by a German citizen and a Jew. Klemperer makes it clear that those with open eyes knew the evil of the Nazis from the first, so that claiming ignorance after the war is a poor excuse. On the other hand, he also shows how the Nazis consilidated their grip on power and played on the fears of the German people. I found it particularly interesting how successful the Nazis were at playing up the communist menace; how many times in Klemperer's diaries does someone state that the Nazis are tolerable because they are keeping out the communists, as though only those two choices were possible? It is the little tidbits such as this, the thoughts of the Germans, gentile and Jew, as they marched toward their doom, that makes Klemperer's diary so fascinating.

I was terrified by the world that Victor Klemperer brings to life in " I Will Bear Witness ". The diary is a day by day account of a slow descent into the bowels of Hell. In the beginning the reader is pulled into Klemperers mostly mundane day to day life. Klemperer was a well respected and much published professor of Romance Languages at the University of Dresden. As well he was a decorated veteran of World War I. Slowly, starting with Hitlers rise to power in 1933, his entire world is turned inside out. Day by day the situation becomes more strained. Year by year the situation becomes more dangerous. But the brave hearted Klemperers stay on in Germany because they are German and can imagine no other life. I was greatly moved by the scenes that were brought to life by Klemperer. The description of the first household search they were subjected to caused goose bumps to run up my spine. In addition, the narrative of his 8 day imprisonment ( cell 89 ) is in my opinion a classic that will belongs to the ages. His ability to to draw a picture and capture the mood of a situation was truly amazing. I cannot say enough about the courage of the Klemperers as they fought everyday to hold onto their dignity, pride and finally their lives. Thanks to the skill and courage of Professor Klemperer I now have, in some small way, an idea of what the day to day horror of Nazi Germany was like for the persecuted.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul is a wonderful set of stories about the good times and the hard times of being a teenager. It has stories on relationships, family, tough stuff like the thought of suicide or the loss of a loved one, and many other things that any teenage person may have to deal with in his or her life. It is a definite book to read for any teenager. It really related to me because I to am still a teeneger and have many responsibilties and times of hard ships. That point where you don't think it could get any worse. And after reading this book I have learned that I'm not the only one having these experiences in life. The stories and poems in this book touch me very much and I have learned a lot of things about just how to handle certain situations and even if bad things do happen, there will be a brighter day and it's not the end of the world. Many emotions came over me while reading this book also; laughter and joy from reading some of the happy stories about family and friends, and also sadness and sorrow for those stories about the tough times and bad things. The point of this book is to just give not only teenagers but anyone who reads it that you can and are a strong person and it's how you deal with the situations that are given to you that makes you stronger. Just reading these stories have made me a stronger person.
This is a wonderful book and I give it two thumbs up. I would recommend it to any teenager who deals with problems and stress in their life which pretty includes every teenager in the world. After reading this book, I believe that you will have a better understanding of life in general and once again that your not the only person out there with problems. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but most of all, you'll feel better about yourself and if your like me, feel much stronger in accomplishing your goals in life and not giving up. So pick it up today and go on a journey that other teenagers have went on before. Maybe one cn actually feel good that some of those tough times have not happened to them personally and may find a way of keeping those tough times out of your life.

I am 11 years old,a young adolesence boy,My mother (a.k.a Santa Claus) bought me Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul for CHristmas. I immediately put my other presents away and started reading.It was sad,heart warming,and happy at certain times.I realized how special I really am. It was amazing how other people around and over my age felt.Also very nice to see how girls feel and want in a man. Also,how no matter how hard times get,suicide is never the answer. There was two stories in particular I loved Sparky (in the section "On Learning)you will never believe the ending. Another on of my favorites is about suicide and how everybody deserves a friend it is Always Return Your Phone Calls (in the section "Tough Stuff") It is sad,beatiful,and very inspirational. I suggest this book to every kid my age this book is so good I am going to read it over and over again. Thank-you.

I have had the worst year at home and school. My brother almost died in a car accident, the guy that I liked turned out to be an egotistical jerk, and my best friend who had never had a boyfriend up until a couple weeks ago, fell in love and things are working good. I feel lost without her around all the time and now I have to share her with her new love. I picked this book up in a store just yesterday and have not been able to put it down. It has helped me feel like a new person. The stories are true of teenage life and help me to understand that I am not the only one that is dealing with such situations. I am only on chapter 5, but I do not need to read any further to say that this book is the best book ever written for teens. Thank you so much!

An American doctor once asked Viktor Frankl to explain the difference between conventional psychoanalysis and logotherapy. Before answering, Frankl asked the doctor for his definition of psychoanalysis. The man said, "During psychoanalysis, the patient must lie down on a couch and tell you things which sometimes are very disagreeable to tell." Frankl immediately replied by saying: "Now, in logotherapy the patient may remain sitting erect but he must hear things which sometimes are very disagreeable to hear." By this he meant that in logotherapy the patient is actually confronted with and reoriented toward the MEANING of his life. The role of the therapist, then, is to help the patient discover a purposefulness in his life. Frankl's theory is that man's search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life and not a "secondary rationalization" of instinctual drives. Whereas Freudian psychoanalysis focuses on the "will to pleasure" and Adlerian psychology focuses on the "will to power" it can be said that Frankl's logotherapy focuses on the "will to meaning." Does man give in to to conditions or stand up to them? According to Frankl, the strength of a person's sense of meaning, responsibility, and purpose is the greatest determining factor in how that question will be answered. He believed that "man is ultimately self-determining" and as such, "does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become in the next moment."

The first (and largest) section of this book is the searing autobiographical account of the author's experience as a longtime prisoner in a concentration camp. These camps claimed the lives of his father, mother, brother, and wife. Frankl's survival and the subsequent miracle of this book are a testimony to man's capacity to rise above his outward fate. As Gordon W. Allport states in the preface, "A psychiatrist who personally has faced such extremity is a psychiatrist worth listening to."

I agree, and highly reccommend this book. As the sub-title says, it is an "introduction" to logotherapy, and anyone who wants to go deeper into the principles and practical application of Frankl's existential psychiatry should go to his excellent "The Doctor And The Soul".

Frankl was fond of quoting Nietzsche's dictum..."He who has a WHY to live can bear with almost any HOW."

Viktor E. Frankl, as you've read in other reviews, is a holocaust survivor. In Man's Search for Meaning Frankl takes his experiences in concentration camps and translates them into a theory for therapy. His personally developed therapy, logotherapy, strives to help mankind overcome nuerosis by applying meaning to one's life experience, including (if not especially) a person's suffering. It is stated over and over again in Frankl's book that if a man can be shown a why, he can endure almost any how. This isn't really a new idea. However, Frankl goes one step further by helping people to see meaning and dignity in their suffering. Indeed, the preface of the book starts out with the line ' Dr. Frankl, author-psychiatrist, sometimes asks his patients who suffer from a multitude of torments great and small, "Why do you not commit suicide?".' What an opening line! What a question! Why does a suffering person not commit suicide? Are they living for a minor child, to finish a project, because their religion forbids suicide? Whatever the reason is, Frankl suggests that while that reason does not necessarily eliminate the suffering, a person's recognition of the dignity of their suffering can give them the will to go on.

While this book is not light reading, and does occasionally get a tad repetitive, it has such a wonderful message and packs so much into such a short space, that I highly recommend that everyone get a copy and read it. I was lent a copy by a friend and now I plan to get a copy for several people who I know. It's just wonderful.

This book is great for two reasons.
1. Everybody knows of the horrors of the holocaust. We all know of the physical trauma and fear felt by all of the prisoners. We can't truly know all of the hurt done. This book doesn't go into the horrible details, but into the mind of a prisoner. There had to have been absolute trauma knowing one was a moment away from death. In this book, however, Viktor E. Frankl tells how the prisoners mentally survived. It was through a collective will to get through each passing day. One story tells how one person lost the will to live it was obvious that they weren't going to live. The going into of an individuals mind through the holocaust and the different perspective of horrors make this a great book.
2. It offers principles and help to find meaning in life. Frankl's logo therapy is one way he identifies to help people examine his/her life. One doesn't need to have his logo therapy but identify principles in the book to help find meaning. The principle taught that one must make the best of whatever situation is present in life. He was in the holocaust and managed to survive. There is always a choice and only you can decide how you will react. It would have been easy to give up and lose character but Frankl never did. Frankl gives principles to live by regardless of situation.

Just like all of the other amazing Chicken Soup books, this one is full of "feel-good" stories that will make your feel all warm inside, as if you were eating a hot bowl of chicken soup. The stories in this book are focused on the tough stuff that teenages go through, and I'm sure any teenager can relate to this book in one way or another. It gives young adults inspiration, and is a wonderful collection of stories that will touch your heart and warm your soul.

This book is really an extension of "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul" except this one deals with "the really tough stuff." As a counsellor, this will be one book on my list that will be highly recommended to teens, particularly girls. It is not that the "tough stuff" mentioned here does not happen to boys but teenaged boys, generally speaking, are often more hesitant to put their thoughts in writing the way most teenaged girls will do.

Three topics are found in this book which are truly a sign of our modern times. The first is abuse, that thankfully is no longer a subject to be hidden in the closet. The second is teen depression and suicide, and the third deals with violence in schools. As a counsellor, I have seen first hand the havoc these problems can create. If you are a teen, you will realize that much of this "tough stuff" is univeral and you are not alone. It also helps if you are troubled by these issues, to discuss the topic(s) with a parent or trusted, responsible adult with whom you feel comfortable. Teens will be surprised that this is not a book which comes across as a voice of authority but, rather, one that speaks of compassionate understanding. It is highly recommended and, in my own opinion and based on feedback I have received from teens, the book is most deserving of a five-star rating.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff was a book I feel all teenagers and for that matter adults should read. It really touched me. At times I cried, and at times I laughed. This book really touched home. It reminded me that no matter how bad my day was, there is someone that has gone through the same thing and maybe worse things that same day. I have all the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul books and this is my favorite.

I hope others can recieve that same joy I recieved from it. This book like the others will serve as a devotional for me. Each story has some meaning or lesson that will touch home.