In reading Singing Mother Home, it quickly becomes evident that Donna Davenport has poured herself into writing this book as she shares sadness, frustration, humor, and heartwarming memories concerning her mother and the process of her mother's death. It reads very easily and is divided into subchapters so that I was able to pick it up and put it down as time allowed. I found however, that I read much more at each setting than I had originally planned. I was able to resonate with many of her memories of her mother, the feelings of the anticipatory period, and desire to keep elements of my own loved ones alive in my present life.

This book provides a very well-written account that left me feeling as though I had lived a bit of both Donna's and her mother's lives. There is a fullness to their lives and their relationship that comes across very clearly, and I believe that anyone would connect with this account and feel a sense of commonality and renewed hope.

This book was a wonderful purchase and I would recommend it for anyone who has experienced or is experiencing grief. I plan on buying one for a family member who lost her husband a few years back. I believe that readers will surely feel the sense of connection to it that I did.

In "Singing Mother Home" we have the unusual privilege of a watching a highly qualified practitioner of two of the "helping professions," teaching and counselling, come to very personal terms with the kind of situation she teaches and counsels about. Dr Davenport's gentle telling of the story of her mother's death, and the openness with which she shares her inward struggle, serve both to humanize "the experts" and to validate the anguish of the rest of us, "non-experts" all, whose guilts and fears can be considerable as we face the necessity to allow beloved parents to take their leave.
A couple of chapters at the end of the book allow Dr Davenport to offer her professional insight into the dynamics of grief. Considered with her remarkable self-revelation in the narrative of her story, the reader's sense of her is that she is not merely a highly skilled professional but, under the circumstances, a companion of uncommon humanness along an inevitable and inexorable road, one we all must travel.
Those of us who have attended parents during their last years, months, days and hours know that there are a myriad details both of heart and body, to deal with. Dr Davenport shares with us many such in the thought and behavior of the pricipals of her story, but it is quite a tribute to her literary skill that the tale never becomes merely a chronology preoccupied with "events," whether physical and psychological, but uses them only as tools to enhance the real issue of relationship with oneself and others as death intrudes on well-ordered lives with its threat to make a mockery of human devotion.

There are lots of books about grief on the market, but most of them don't discuss what it's like to go through the "normal" process of losing a parent during adulthood. If you've experienced it, you know it can be very difficult to lose someone who has always been there. Davenport, a licensed psychologist who was an undergraduate Phi Beta Kappa English major, uses both her literary and psychological talents to provide a fascinating memoir. You'll find the basic chronological narrative of her mother's deterioration, Davenport's own poetry, and plenty of humor, pathos, and insight. Her approach is very different from the current pop psych viewpoint that one becomes an orphan when parents die. Instead, she focuses on the relationship and legacy that remain after death. Don't miss this lovely, heart-wrenching memoir!

The first book was an amazing journey for me, and to read the second book was just as wonderful as the first. It left me wondering if there was a third book. A must read!

Have you read her first book? You'll be happy to read this one too, and share her experience. Learn more about autism, conquering it, and dealing with it.

Donna Williams book 'Somebody Somewhere' is one of those books that opens your mind - and makes you want to stand up and applaud human courage. My personal interests include psychology, child development, communication, extra sensory perception psychic ability, and Metaphysics. Donna Williams sharing of her 'world' inadvertently embraced all these subjects, and made me highly aware - not of 'differences' but of 'similarities'. Our human need to be understood, to be treated with dignity, and to be accepted in our individuality.

Donna Williams is truly an Expert on the world of Autism, way beyond the usual sets of clinical observations, and range of treatments designed to 'normalise'. We 'normals' do have to rethink the term 'dis-abled'!

Having appreciated the teaching nature of "A Stranger in the Park", my wife and I purchased the book for friends and family with children a variety of ages. All of the feedback we've received has been very positive. The book has provided a forum for their families to discuss safety and the relevant rules. We highly recommend this book to any parent interested in engaging their children in a discussion about safety.

I wasn't looking for a book about stranger danger, but I am glad I found this. There is a great lesson to be learned here. The story is well told and well drawn. I was able to read this to my girls ages 4 and 9 and they both understood the message and lesson. I was particularly attracted to the fact that this story can be read to kids without creating fear or tension about regular activities around strangers. The author was right about the book not scaring parents or children. I think it is a worthy book and hope the next one is as good. T.H. Tulsa, OK.

This book is an excellent tool for educating children about personal safety. Younger children can easily follow along as the story is read to them, and the crime prevention message is very solid. The material is presented in a way that empowers the child, as opposed to frightening them, and it has a universal quality that tends to make it interesting and appealing to children from a variety of cultures. As a certified Crime Prevention Specialist and a member of the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners, I am very selective in the resources I recommend. However, I was so impressed with this book that I recommend it without reservation to parents, teachers, or crime prevention personnel working with young children.

This book is way over the top. The funniest book I've ever read, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting a great read. Without spoiling it for anyone, this Rocky character should have her own television show. She comes up with comments that just blew me out of the water. Methane Madness was my favorite chapter. Right after that is the Attack of The Renegade Gophers. Man, I hope she does a follow up for this book.

I have the e-book of this and enjoyed it very much. It is both funny and I found it hard to stop reading it. I hope others will also feel the same way about this book as I do. A good buy and a great read. This is from a new author and in my opinion is one of the best and deserves the proper reconigtion that goes along with any successfull book. Again I hope all that buy this enjoys it as much as I have.

I found this book to be funny and hard to but down. I hope all those that read enjoy it as much as I did.

Its role reversal in this work where two sisters get their exhausted mother into bed, telling her a bedtime story and undressing her. This story is adorable and children will love the girl's take-charge attitude. The colorful illustrations are superb, conveying a realistic and human quality. An amazing amount of detail went into the illustrations. The scenes of the various rooms in the house portray the way in which a house would look with two children and a very tired mommy. Books thrown around, shoes scattered about, clothes hanging out of a dresser drawer etc. This book would be an outstanding bedtime story.

My son loves this book. It ecame a favourite for a while, and is requested from time to time. It's a gentle story about two kids with very ordinary home life - nothing fancy, and 2 parents who are leading busy lives - Dad comes in with a lunch box, wearing overalls, looking tired himself, and lovingly tucks in his daughters after they tenderly tuck in their exhausted mum.

This is a lovely book to share, and with which to encourage the beginning reader.

My daughter, aged 2, just loved this book. It is the only book at the library that she demands again and again. Thus, I am buying it for her. (Overdue library fines are a drag.) This book has real, life-like characters: Mom has an occasional fat roll showing; Daddy works late; Mommy is exhausted. The kids in the book make the unselfish decision to put mom to bed and take care of themselves. This book is also the right word length to read little kids and the pictures are excellent.

Donna Drozda's book is filled with inspiring and uplifting words that fill your heart with joy. Every page brings a smile to my face. The titles of each poem catch my eye, the quotes from A Course In Miracles intrique me, the poetry is heartfelt and her paintings tie everything together. It is an easy read that touches your heart to the divine. This is a book I will read over and over. Its a great gift for anyone.

FARE THEE WELL by Sara Linda Wasserman A review of Twenty Two Prayer Poems for Care Givers by Donna Iona Drozda The original function of these prayer poems was as a listening ear, the receptacle of the inexorable feelings of doubt, fear, inadequacy, wonder, grief, helplessness, chaos, grace that unyieldingly seeped into Donna Iona Drozda's experience as a Hospice Volunteer assigned to a deteriorating, impoverished, ninety year old woman named Nanny. Twenty-Two Prayer Poems was inspired by teachings from A Course in Miracles and other sacred texts. From it's beginning, the reader is offered gentle guidance through candidly stated and reflective verses. The primary focus is to share similarities of giving care to those in the process of dying. This is, undeniably, a universal role. In one-way or another, we are all care givers. The aspiration to live an abundant life, a life free from "attachment and aversion" in the face of challenges is affirmed and supported. It is explicitly stated that this undertaking is no small accomplishment. It only happens through conscious unity with Holy Spirit. I suggest initially reading the book from beginning to end. The introductory writings and the epilogue are integral parts to gaining the totality of acumen expressed. Each prayer poem is a signpost to transformation and revelation: The Call, Authentic Power, Waiting, To Choose, Dancing on Top of the World, etc. In Being Free, we are introduced to the concept of non-attachment. In Letting Go, the fear of unclenching our fists of control is described. We are given the option to allow Spirit to "lift me above the battlefields." In True Wealth, the phrase "I dance and sing and play..." makes leaping into faith and trust joyfully three-dimensional. All Is Well, can be a mantra of reassuring love. The original artwork is a montage of paintings created by Donna over the last 10 years. The power of the images is subtle. Take time to sit with them. They too speak to us. The majority of them have shadows or darkness as part of the composition. This beautiful visual dance of light and dark may be a metaphor of the movement of life. It is an honor to re-view this precious and steadfast book birthed by my soul friend Donna Drozda. She has deftly and generously woven her ardor for creativity, art, compassion, Tibetan Buddhism, and A Course in Miracles, into a spiritual handbook for all pilgrims on the planet. I was fortunate to be Donna's assistant at her much-loved "Creativity Salons." I recall the grace it was to hear the wisdom now crystallized in these prayer poems. Her mission to make us each "portable units" is greatly facilitated by the plentiful "tool box" she presents us in this literary gift. "Can you imagine what it means to have no cares, no worries, no anxieties, but merely to be perfectly calm and quiet all the time? This is what time is for to learn just this and nothing more." ACIM

I received this book as a gift. It is great. The pictures are elegant - the thoughts profound. Very moving, touching, stirring, comforting, inspirational and just beautiful. Heartfelt.

Can you guess how much I like it?!!!

Upon reading UNDYING WILL, I became engulfed in Donna's vibrant use of language as she revealed to her reader, the tumultuous accounts of her experiences during and after her horrific rape. As her truly remarkable struggle to gain back her innocence, while fighting for justice, begins to unravel; I became absorbed in her accounts and it became even more riveting to me, and I was unable to put the book down until I had finished it. Being a rape survivor myself, I could not help the trigged emotions I was feeling, and was overwhelmed by the sudden rush of my own memories. Ms. Ferres was so articulate in her writing that I actually felt that I was right there with her, able to feel her every emotion. For someone who has never experienced such a treacherous event in their life they are soon able to feel what the experience was like for her, as she journeys through the accounts of that dreaded day, all the way through to the prosecution of the perpetrator. Like most victims Donna felt scared, hurt, lonely, bitter, and (Sadly enough) guilty, unfortunately these are the feelings that most survivors experience. These accounts truly bring survivors feelings to the forefront, letting others know that it is not only normal, but most of all that it is O.K. to feel this way. It should be mentioned that for any survivor of a sexual crime this book will trigger emotions that are not felt in their every day life and therefore should be in a "safe" place.
Marlena (mrs88888)

Actually I could not put the book down. Donna's details of her experience just kept me reading on and on. Hence I read the book in one evening. Every woman who is trusting of others should read this. I had my daughter read it just so she will be aware of crazy people out there that appear to be harmless. A must reading for all women.

This is the first book I have read actually written by the victim. Ms. Ferres is an excellent story teller with the book unfolding with her inner feelings and strife. Coming to within and inch of her life at the hands of a maniac she manages to get through the physical part of the trauma, being stabbed and beaten only to have the emotional beating nearly cause her demise later. Her accounts of the interaction with family, friends and people she doesn't even know brings to light our tremendous lack of understanding of the full impact of violence on our lives. While she relates that it just never goes away, the book is wonderfully written as it tells of the life she goes on to create for herself despite the obstacles she faces. I have never read a story like this. The messages in this book need to get out to the public. It will serve to create a better understanding and possibly stop the violence and misunderstanding of victims once and for all. This book is one that I read cover to cover on an emotional roller-coaster but ending on a high note of vindication and validation for all women and crime victims. It was a great experience and increased my understanding of victims tremendously. It is well written and packed full. All other books I have read on this line were written after the fact. This is different. This needs to be on Oprah.

I was so pleased and thrilled to have read this book. The author covers more topics than I have ever seen in a book on this topic. It is well-written, easy to read and simple to follow. The tips are so practical and there is more than one solution provided for each issue. This is so helpful because the readers now have choices about which solution will fit them best.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to supplement their organizing knowlege, get started getting organized, or improve their current level of organization.

This book is written for real people - those of us on the go who want to organize using the (usually limited) space and accessories readily available in our homes. Donna Smallin offers practical solutions for corraling clutter and organizing everything from decor, gadgets, clothes, linens, papers and toys on a room-by-room basis. No need to purchase expensive closet organizers or remodel your home for the sake of storage - this book offers tips on making room for everyday items in places that already exist. The author is a big proponent - as am I - of getting rid of useless junk, so packrats beware! The book is written clearly and concisely, with well-organized (of course!) paragraphs, sidebars and chapters that make it easy to find the information you're looking for quickly. A perfect book for anyone wishing they were more organized but don't know where to start.

Sometimes the problem with clutter and disorganization isn't simply to buy storage and other items at an office supplies store. You could do that endlessly, and end up with lots of RUBBERMAID and STERILITE containers piled up in your garage or closet, and still not make any progress on stopping bad habits that lead to clutter. Smallin touches upon various areas of one's life that all lead to disorganization. In my case, and one that a friend related to for herself, Smallin hit the mark by stating that perfectionists can be the messiest because they keep waiting for the perfect organization plan; it's not that they like the mess, but they don't get started because they haven't come up with the ultimate strategy.

The book is laid out like a magazine and has lots of side-bars to keep you interested. Unlike many self-help books, Smallin isn't selling herself and claiming to make up her own new science. She quotes various other organizing experts in those sidebars, and provides a pretty extensive set of references and links that the reader can follow up with to continue their newly organized ways.

This book seemed like a godsend when I found it just after my most recent breakup -- Williams exactly described the feelings I was having. Working through the book has been a roller coaster ride for me, making me face painful truths about myself and my relationship history but bringing me welcome clarity on some points. I especially appreciate the truth that Williams tells about what it does to a woman's soul to have sex with a man who's not committed to her. I was fuzzy on this concept and lied to myself to keep ahold of exciting sex but never again will I have sex without insisting on a safe context.

Wow, is this timely! I'm cute enough, but sometimes male attention comes in huge doses. Now is one of those times. Though I very much enjoy the attention, it is a major distraction! I appreciate the concepts in this book because they help me keep it all in perspective.

I want to be married one day, and it's clear all these guys can't be the one. While I am deciding, I am making major advances with my life and being goo-goo-eyed all day is silly. Sensual Celibacy's guidance helps me keep a clear head while I am enjoying this season of courtship and chosing. I love it. Thanks, Donna Marie.

I just finished re-reading the book for the umpteenth time and have recommended it to a Celibacy discussion board I belong to. Celibacy as the author discusses does not mean "dead" to life and all it's riches. Ms Williams actually shows that celibacy can bring a person to a greater level of love and understanding and self respect. And I think she is a hero for having the guts to discuss in an open and honest fashion how sex in today's society often leaves a void and a hunger for true intimacy that can only be found when we know love and respect ourselves. This is not an anti sex book. It isn't a book that points fingers. But if you feel like an odd ball because you have chosen to be celibate for any reason you will find a friend in the author. I am going to give copies of the book to women friends, who are celibate due to a spouse being disabled or because they simple want to know themselves better before succumbing to the next guy that comes along. And each time I re-read the book I get more from it. Many of those I know who are celibate have come to realize that they want more from sex. Some have bigger life goals and have no desire to get involved with someone and thus become intimate. Some believe they simply need to concentrate on their college work or profession and that later on when they are emotionally and otherwise ready to get involved that they will. I admit most of these friends are female but I do know some males as well who are celibate and all are very attractive men and successful so it isn't as if they are losers who couldn't get a date anyway. And celibacy is a topic that more and more friends of our with spouse with Alzheimer's are talking openly about.