Product Description
Survivors of Suicide is a helping guide for those family and friends left behind when a loved one commits suicide. This newly revised edition goes into more detail about teen suicide and the help that is available. Survivors of Suicide also dispels the myths surrounding suicide, based on the latest research and interviews with leading medical experts, as well as with family and friends who have survived the suicide deaths of loved ones, and who offer support, knowledge, and comfort to other survivors.

Survivors of Suicide includes:

-Words of comfort from survivors.

-How you can help someone who loses a loved one to suicide.

-The latest medical research on depression and suicide.

-What groups are most at risk for suicide.

-Debates on the differences between euthanasia and suicide.

-Why every suicide threat should be taken seriously.

-Directory of resources for help, including on-line resources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Expertly Written
An exceptional book written with great sensitivity.This is an informative, helpful, extremely well written book.The author has researched the subject extensively and her excellent writing is down to earth and friendly.I would highly highly recommend this book to one and all.

Title is Misleading
The title of this book, survivors of suicide, is extremely misleading.Having recently lost a sister to suicide, I bought this book to try to find some answers and/or support.Instead, reading this book made me feel more guilty and horrible then ever.A couple chapters are devoted to stories and stuff about survivors, but the majority of the book is about who is prone to suicide, how to prevent it, myths (i.e. don't ignore suicide threats)...I finished the book feeling that I was at fault for my sister's suicide.I would recommend that NO suicide survivors read this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a clergy must-have
Quickly now, name five Biblical characters who contemplated or actually committed suicide. What does the Bible say about their actions?When did the church first denounce suicide and what was the basis of the denunciation? What are the churches' current positions on suicide?Are all suicides the same? What about persons who accept martyrdom rather than denying their faith? What about the person who commits suicide in order to spare his family the anguish and expense of lengthy terminal care?

Every pastor can expect to be asked to conduct the funeral of a suicide victim. Will she or he be ready? Unprepared pastors will be tempted to dance around the question on everyone's mind: "Why?" Although there's never a perfect answer to that question, a well informed pastor can help mourners understand the wideness of God's mercy. By collecting thirteen insightful sermons on suicide, James T. Clemons has provided a book that ought to be in every clergy person's personal library.

First published in 1989, the book is still in print and available at an affordable price. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Suicide rates continue to rise.Assisted suicides continue to grab headlines.Why shouldn't we call it quits when the world is a painful place and the future seems non-existent? Direct, practical, accepting, at times humorous--this book offers support for those facing the blind alleys, bottomless pits, and concrete barriers of life. Arising from the author's struggle with suicidal thoughts, these 45 short essays range in diversity from Marilyn Monroe to William Styron,from guilt to vitamins, and from bad manners to bad genes. While acknowledging the depth of pain that brings people to consider suicide, this book asks them to wait.The format is easy to read wherever opened, intelligent, yet fitting to a short attentionspan. When someone can't imagine one reason, this book offers 45.Additionally,the rare glimpse into this other world has helped physicians, counselors, police,teachers, chaplains, family, and friends further understand the suicidal psyche. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

This book is a Gem
This book is a gem.These are not arguments about why you should stay alive, they are mundane reasons that may keep you from ending your life.Unless you have been suicidal, you can not understand how something so unimportant, so absurd to someone else, maybe the lifeline you need to get through another day.
This book gave me 45 lifelines when things got bad, 45 snippets into someone else's life that kept her going and in turn kept me going as well.I still pick up this book and will page through and read one of the chapters sometimes to reinforce that it is a good day.I agree with the author that yes this is a reason not to commit suicide, each a stand alone reason.

Narrow-minded
The "arguments" against suicide were so absurd, I had to search through the book to see if it was actually a parody or satire. The author lists reasons such as "My husband could never find everything he needs to file the income taxes," "Commiting suicide is like dropping in on God without an invitation," and "Day care for my children is more expensive than therapy is for me." Not at all recommended.

Great subject headings
This book has potential for being a great book.By that I mean that the introduction described depression and suicidal thinking better than I've ever heard anyone else do so.It was like she was inside my head.

The chapter titles (each one is a reason to *not* commit suicide) are great.But the actual chapters leave much to be desired.In essence, she could have just written the intro. and the chapter titles, and it would have been better.

That said, this is still the BEST book I've seen to actually HELP someone who is feeling suicidal.

I wish the title and cover weren't so....obvious, though.Not something you'd want to leave lying around.I actually cut out the pages of another book I wasn't really needing so much, and replaced this book...so the cover says something totally different.Even put the dust jacket of other book on.I mean, who wants to have, in bold print "45 REASONS TO SAY NO TO SUICIDE" lying around where people will see it?What can you say?"ummmm....it's for a friend?"

A kindred spirit
From the preface I could feel the author's emotion and pain.I felt I finally found someone who could understand.Not the usual flowery "life is wonderful, don't do it" suicide prevention book.This is down to earth, real reasons for living despite the depression.

Inspired, Powerful, Life-saving
I have dealt with depression and suicidal feelings for years and have tried several medications and several psychiatrists.I found it immensely comforting to see my feelings expressed so articulately alongside useful, inspired suggestions concerning those feelings.Jillayne Arena's advice is so valuable because not only has she "been there," she has performed extensive introspection and has thereby earned wisdom and philosophy from which the reader may benefit.This book doesn't "wear out": after several readings it hasn't lost its power to renew my strength.I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone with mild to severe depression.I also recommend it to those who are close to someone depressed: this book will show you how to support them. ... Read more

Product Description
The beautiful granite of Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks in southern California is well known to climbers the world over, and many of the greatest innovators in rock climbing cut their teeth here.

Rock Climbing Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks explains the development of technical climbing in the United States and shares the secrets of more than two hundred routes on Tahquitz Rock and three hundred on Suicide Rock. In this completely updated and revised guide, you'll find information on camping in the area, approach routes, and emergency contacts. You'll also discover: more than one hundred new routes, climbing history, route ratings, pitch-by-pitch written descriptions, detailed topos and clear overview photos, protection information and gear recommendations.

Rock Climbing Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks is the indispensable guidebook to this classic climbing destination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A considerable upgrade over the 2nd edition.
The photos and topos have been upgraded in the 3rd edition and they make it easier to find your way around.Many of the new photos are aerial shots and give excellent perspective.Much of the rest of the book is better too, with more background and better photos of climbers on the routes. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

A great resource for dealing with suicide
This book deals in depth with the many aspects of suicide.It dives into the tide of emotions which engulfs those who attempt and/or commit suicide as well as the emotions of those friends and loved ones involved in that persons life.The book contains twelve chapters that take you along the journey of understanding suicide to healing and living life freely once again.

As I read this book, I couldn't help but be drawn into it because the authors use stories of persons who committed suicide and the stories of their loved ones living in the wake of such a great and tragic blow to their life.It captivated me as my heart ached for each person as they told their story.The book brings excellent understanding on how to minister to those who are dealing with the loss of a loved one by suicide--highlighting those things we often say that do more harm than good.Just as importantly, it explains how we move on and neglect to continue ministering even when they are still grieving and hurting.By far though, my favorite aspect of this book was the little sections titles "Words from Jeenie."In these sections, Jeenie gives tidbits about possible motivations for suicide, stages of grief, and realities of life for those experiencing the loss.Even if someone didn't want to read the entire book, much could be gained simply by thumbing through and reading these sections alone.

As great as this book is, I must warn you that it deals with a very depressing topic and you will most likely find yourself experiencing a lot of different emotions--from depression to sorrow to astonishment and down the line.If you are someone who has personally dealt with suicide or the loss of a loved one by suicide, this book will most certainly bring out all of those emotions you experienced when you first began dealing with your grief.For those who are not strong in their emotional stability, I would recommend that you plan to have something happy and uplifting planned for the times following your reading of this book.

All in all, this was a very well written book discussing a subject that has become taboo in American culture.However, it is a subject in desperate need of attention as this is something which affects such a large portion of our population.

I received this book free from New Hope Publishers as part of their New Hope Book Review Blogger program. Visit them on the web at [...] for more information.I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Help for the Hurting
The pager began buzzing. The fog in my head tried to clear quickly. I checked the number as I stumbled to the phone. 2.35 AM on Sunday. Man, why does it always have to be this time of the morning... and a Sunday no less. I dialed the number. "Pastor Sorensen here; I'm on call and received the page." "The police have requested your presence at..." and she proceeded to give me the address. As I drove to the northwest part of town I had no idea what to expect. I'd only been a volunteer chaplain for a few weeks. This was my second call.

When I arrived, the office on scene told me a young man, age 19, had placed a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. The family was upstairs, gathered around the kitchen table. Fortunately, they wouldn't allow me in the boy's room. I went to meet with the family. "What can I say at this point that will make sense and bring any comfort?" I asked myself.

Having read this very helpful book by Osborn, Kosman and Gordon, I don't know if I would have had any magic words for that moment. I do know this: I would have been more well-equipped to help them, especially after the fact, to deal with grief, anger, denial and the many other stages those who remain following a suicide. This is a well-written book by women who have dealt with suicide - either from their own family's experience or through the many hours of counseling others. Filled with heart-breaking and moving personal anecdotes, real-life reflections, questions to ask in order to help and draw out, insights from Jeenie Gordon, the professional counselor "onboard," and even some uplifting poetry, this book belongs on the shelves of pastors' libraries, youth pastors' libraries and church libraries. Its resourcefulness will prove itself over and over again.

I highly recommend this book.

Encouragement in a Troubling Time
In my most recent group of books from New Hope Publishers for review I found this rare gem. While I have several books dedicated to dealing with suicide, especially detecting signs of intended suicide and preventing it from happening, I have not before seen a volume as good as this one in dealing with the aftermath of suicide and attempted suicide.

The three authors collaborating to produce this book all have a vested interest in helping survivors of this tragic event--they have all been touched by suicide in one way or another, at one time or another. Gordon is an exceptional source for suicide survivors because of her years as a counselor dealing with people on both sides of the suicide spectrum.

My best description of the book would be to call it a group therapy session on paper. The book should not be a substitute for therapy for those who have either lost loved ones to suicide or have survived personal attempts on their own lives; however, it is an excellent resource that points a light on the necessity of getting help to move beyond the grief.

Reading the book takes the reader through the process and stages of grieving, using testimonial stories collected from people who have overcome the difficulties left in the wake of suicide. Also helpful are the interruptions to the reading provided by Gordon as she discusses various means of therapy useful for moving on after tragedy. And finally, each chapter includes short Bible passage discussions related to that chapters topic.

I recommend this book for anyone who has faced suicidal thoughts and felt that they had lost all hope, anyone who has had to deal with the loss of a loved one, friend or family member to suicide, or any minister who might find a need to counsel someone in either of these situations. Too Soon to Say Goodbye deserves all five of our reading glasses.

--Benjamin Potter, January 25, 2010

"Become a New Hope Book Review Blogger. Visit [...] for more information."

A book of hope and healing
"Too Soon to Say Goodbye" is a book for those whose lives have been touched by suicide or who are experiencing suicidal thoughts. The book was mainly made up of stories a page or two long written by people who have lost a loved one or friend to suicide, who have considered suicide, or who have helped people who are suicidal. There was some connecting commentary, and the two counseling professionals drew out the important points made in these stories.

This was a Christian book, so Scripture was used to help people find or hold on to the hope they have in Christ. I liked the biblical points they brought out. (For those wanting to know, the authors _don't_ think that someone who commits suicide automatically goes to hell, and they gave biblical reasons to support their position.)

Chapters one through five were mainly about the various stages of grief that the loved ones and friends of someone who committed suicide go through and how to find healing when people around you don't know how to react or offer comfort. This section is also useful for those who want to know how to best help and comfort someone who has lost a loved one to suicide.

Chapters six through ten touched on the main causes of suicide (depression, divorce, bi-polar disorder, etc.). The stories were mainly by those who almost committed suicide but pulled back from the edge (and how that occurred and what their life is like today) and by those who helped save someone from suicide (either before they tried it or when they were in the middle of the act).

The last two chapters were mainly stories by those whose loved one committed suicide and covered how they've dealt with the grief long-term and how they've healed.

If you're looking for a clinical book of facts about suicide, then this is not the right book for you. The focus of this book was to let those who are struggling know that there are others out there who have gone through the exact same things and how they made it--that there is hope. Some of the facts about suicide come out, by they weren't the focus of the book.

I'd recommend this book to anyone dealing with a suicide of a loved one or wanting to comfort those who have lost a loved one to suicide. While this book would be beneficial for those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts, this book alone probably isn't enough. (If you're looking for other books, "What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do" by Drs. Cloud & Townsend is a quick, practical book that has a good section on depression.)

I received this book as a free review copy from the publisher.

Reviewed by Debbie from Different Time, Different Place
(differenttimedifferentplace. blogspot. com)

They've Been There
All three authors of Too Soon To Say Goodbye have either had a loved one commit suicide, contemplate it, or have worked professionally with those individuals on both sides of the horrific aftermath. Sensitively written, this writing team offers substantive hope and practical helps for all individuals who are trying to untangle the complicated heartache that follows any suicide. Read this text for yourself and for everyone you love.

Michele Howe, author of Burdens Do a Body Good: Meeting Life's Challenges with Strength (and Soul) ... Read more

Product Description
The Introduction includes how this book is organized, howto read this book, who should read this book, and a note to theprofessianl and parent.But I Didn't Say Goodbye is for the helpingprofessional or parent as you try to help children in the afermath ofsuicide. Part One presents Alex, a ten-year-old whose father has justdied by suicide.Alex asks questions and tries to find meaning in theloss.At the end of the eight brief chapters in Part One, there arepages with STOP signs.The purpose of the eight Stop to process pagesis to help the grieving child process his or her own story.Part Twooffers information on setting up a memorial fund, and will help inyour search for prevention and survivor support.To keep suicidesurvivor support group information updated, a toll-free number isgiven for groups in your area, Bereavemnet referrals include deatheducation and grief counseling.The last part of this book includesrecommended resources, bereavement magazines, newsletters, reports,journals, books and articles.Find videos, tapes, and a reading listthat will help you continue your exploration of suicide awareness,prevention and bereavement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Book for Everyone Touched by Suicide
But I Didn't Say Goodbye is an innovative approach and tool for parents, teachers, and professionals to help children cope with the trauma of losing a loved one to suicide. By reading the story of Alex, a ten-year-old boy whose father died by suicide, adults can learn the perception of a child suicide survivor and children can relate to Alex and therefore open up about their own grieving process. Everyone can learn from this book.Crossing 13

a must-read!
This is a really, really great book to go through with any child, even if you're not a therapist.The book has REALLY short chapters.You're supposed to read the chapter with the child, and then there're questions at the end of the chapter.An example would be, Chapter 1 talks about where the child in the story was when his dad killed himself.Then the questions ask things like, where were you when your special person died, etc.

It doesn't have to be suicide survivors, it can be for any child dealing with death.

Parents, teachers, social workers, siblings, everyone should have this book, for when they have to talk to a child about death.

Great Book!
But I Didn't Say Goodbye was easy to read and very helpful.The story of this child survivor and the adults in his life will empower any child survivor. I know this book will help parents find the answers they are looking for.

But, I Didn't Say Goodbye
This book is an invaluable tool and resource! As a Therapist, I highly recommend its straight forward approach to helping child suicide survivors. Ms. Rubel has included at the end of each chapter easy to read worksheets and exercises. No Counselor and/or Therapist should be without it. ... Read more

Product Description

Kurt Cobain, Anne Sexton, Mark Rothko, Ernest Hemingway, Adolf Hitler . . . all famous, some rich and powerful, some beloved, some abhorred. But when life and circumstance got to be too much, each headed for the exit door. Sigmund Freud overdosed on morphine. Dorothy Dandridge stripped naked and swallowed a handful of antidepressants. Hunter S. Thompson shot himself while talking to his wife on the phone.

Customer Reviews (15)

I finished reading this book only out of morbid curiosity.
I read any book I can find on death and dying.I found this book at a local Bodies exhibition and snapped it right up.It was on display next to one of my favorite books, Mary Roach's Stiff; the Curious Life of Human Cadavers (I heartily recommend any book she has written or writes in the future!)

As other reviewers have noted, this book has many inaccurate details.This may have something to do with Alix Strauss' first source listed as Wikipedia!?!?!Uhhhhhhh...My biggest gripe however was Strauss' writing style.Her commentary on the subject matter was dull and many times left me scratching my head.Her metaphors fell flat and frequently I was re-reading passages to see if I read things as she intended.Her symbolism was off the mark and often times reminded me of a teenage fan cult.She just doesn't do it for me.

Celebrity Suicides Unveiled
Looking for a grisly, gruesome, yet morbidly fascinating read?By its very nature dark and disturbing, Alix Strauss's //Death Becomes Them// won't appeal to everybody, but for those willing to come along for the ride, it's a compelling and original book that explores the suicides of the rich, famous, and notorious.

Strauss, a journalist and short-story author, has written the ultimate celebrity tell-all book: one which delves into the final days of famous troubled and tortured souls ranging from Sylvia Plath to Vincent Van Gogh to Kurt Cobain and Hunter S. Thompson.Not only does she recount the methods of their suicides, she looks at the factors leading up to those fateful decisions, as well.

Troubling yet fascinating, Strauss weaves a compelling batch of vignettes, devoting no more than a handful of pages to each suicide, but they resonate with depth. Sigmund Freud, for instance, had a severe cigar habit that led to mouth cancer, with holes in his jaw making his final days sheer agony.Facts like these help us to answer the biggest question of all, why?

Eerie, yet a genuine page-turner, //Death Becomes Them// is a must-read for anybody curious about death and able to handle the often dirty details that go along with it.

Reviewed by Mark Petruska

not so good
It's a fascinating subject, but one which veers a little close to voyeurism.In the right hands, it might make a fascinating read, with an opportunity for some real insights.In the wrong hands, though, something like this is going to end up as trash.

I'm afraid this one comes a lot closer to the latter than the former.There are no great insights, though the details of how some of the different victims died is valuable and interesting.A couple of reviewers pointed out some of the factual errors, so I won't go into any more of that.Overall, I didn't see much more here than what could be stitched together after an afternoon trolling the Internet.

What really bugged me, though, was the writing.It seemed very much liked it was dashed off in an afternoon too.Here are some of my faves:

-The pill-popping Polly Prozacs of the 1970s gave us the birth of "anti-psychosis" drugs such as Thorazine. [Man, that's a lot of P's.And what does an anti-psychotic from the 50s have to do with an anti-depressant from the 70s?]
-We want to comfort ourselves against the coldness of loneliness, and suicide is a surrender to that method of controlling one's own fate. [huh?]
-INXS was conceived at Australia's Davidson High School.[What, they only have one?]
-Artists, especially visual ones, have been perceived as struggling, tortured souls as far back as 1584, when Daswanth, an Indian miniaturist painter, stabbed himself with a dagger. [Ah, yes, who could forget the immortal Daswanth?]
-The "broken heart" category easily slips into the "guilt over an affair" category.[Really?Maybe only when you're desperate to make a transition to your next paragraph.]
-Artists, most of whose artistic endeavors aren't discovered or commercialized until they're deceased.[Hmm, tell that to Andy Warhol.]
-She [Diane Arbus] was like the Pied Piper, but rather than toting a flute, she flashed a camera.[Okay, so the flute is the camera, and Hamelin is New York, and the rats are ...]
-Diane's work grew darker as her interest in those left of center became more intense. [Didn't you know?All dwarves and transvestites are Socialists.]
-Chain smoking and heavy drinking had attributed to his high blood pressure, hypertension, and emphysema.[I'm not a doctor, but aren't those first two the same thing?]
-He took lots of pills; amphetamines, black beauties, and Dexedrine were some of his favorites.[Once again, I'm not a doctor, but I think all *three* of these things are the same thing.]
-Uberinfluential singer songwriter Jimi Hendrix could noodle a guitar like nobody's business.[Oh, so, that's how you get uberinfluential - noodling.]
-A brawl with toxic shock syndrome in 1985 left him with brain damage[I know he was a wrestler, but how about a "bout" instead?]
-For some, death signifies a political statement or defines a particular period in history.[The Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Gilded Age, the Belle Epoque, the Roaring 20s - all of them, death-initiated.]
-Tatum O'Neill: actress; 1970s ("adolescence," before car accident in 1978 - twice) [what?]

Is English not her first language?Did no one else take a look at this?Is she really a 7th grader?I see, from the back cover, she is a "lifestyle trend writer for national talk shows" (and is available for "speaking engagements").Maybe that explains it all.

RIP?
Whether or not you're fascinated with celebrity suicides, the stories Alix Strauss puts together are interesting, if morbid.From Adolph Hitler to Ernest Hemmingway, if you were famous and you offed yourself, you won't be resting in peace quite yet.This is a comprehensive perspective on celebrity suicide, although Strauss paints with very broad brush strokes; some of the stories are a bit inaccurate, though the essence of these tales remains compelling, nonetheless.

It should be noted that while many of these suicides came as a big surprise to the vast majority of the population, glamorizing Adolph Hitler's suicide seems misguided.His was an act of cowardice; others were terminally ill and in constant pain.

This is certainly an engaging and very interesting piece of work; it won't change the world, but it may help explain some of the insanity that goes on in people's minds a little better; or it may help explain their logic.

Fascinating nonsense.
The author writes with compassion about the reasons for suicide, the ways, and the results.

And in a self-absorbed, disorganized style that would have caused me to fail seventh grade English. Nouns and verbs don't agree, tense changes from present to past and back within the same story, metaphors mixed beyond comprehension.

"Each death is as diverse as the person who killed himself." OK, she does not know how to use the word diverse.

"It's the puzzle not yet finished, the questions that still need answers." IS it the questions?

"...at a certain point, someone will kill themselves in order to prove her seriousness."

This was by page nine. This couldn't be a professional writer, I thought, and checked the bio. The bio said she had been a travel writer for the New York Times. I wonder now if she told the editors to buzz off, "I wrote for the TIMES, don't you dare correct me!" --or did the Times ask her to leave.

In case you think I'm just grammer police, there's the historical inaccuracy.She thanks five researchers, none of which seemed able to find out that Ted Hughes never married Assia.

Could have been a good book. ... Read more

Product Description

Because I chose to create change in my mind, I now live an amazing, full life. Yes, I get sad and angry, overwhelmed and depressed, but I no longer wish to die. . . . Read on, and know you can stay alive when your brain is trying to kill you. I’m with you every word of the way.

Customer Reviews (24)

Brave Author With Information to Offer
On the jacket of the hardcover, Susan Rose Blauner writes, "I searched for a book like this, but found none, so I wrote one." The first edition was printed in 2002, when there were few books about suicide. What was available lacked a story of recovery, and Ms. Blauner filled that void. Making oneself vulnerable by writing about one's own suicidal thinking takes courage.

It's brave for an author to state that she has borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depression. It's difficult to continue the cycle of life under these conditions. Blauner says that she was a victim of sexual abuse. (Rape victims are 13 times more likely to have attempted suicide than their non-assaulted counterparts.) Blauner shares her personal journey from suicidal thinking to hope and healing.

The premise of the book is that most people who think about suicide don't want to die; they want relief from emotional pain. Blauner was responsible to the readers by doing her homework. Included in her book are notations from specialists who study suicide, thereby offering research as a foundation for her statements. (Those who experience the suicidal thoughts are also experts on the topic.)

In the "Tricks of the Trade" section, Susan shares sources of help, as well as skills developed in therapy. Blauner explains the difference between statements such as "I am depressed" versus "I feel depressed." She uses analogies to illustrate the "Neuron Superhighway," simplifying a complex neurological pattern. She offers numerous suggestions for the reader to explore. Sometimes, when one is suicidal, there are no other options. She encourages the reader to explore an activity, such as journal writing. It's not the answer, but each bit of information is a step toward life.

If you are looking for a book that will help you help someone with suicidal thoughts, How I Stayed Alive has specific instructions, including how to listen well and respond appropriately.

Blauner put an enormous amount of work into this book. Part Seven includes hotlines, websites, and resources. There is a sectioned bibliography, references to citations, permissions, and an index. It takes effort to convey this helpful information to readers.

Susan Blauner structured her intangible journey into a book that has substance for therapists, suicidal thinkers, and those around them. A portion of the proceeds of the book go to the National Hopeline Network 1-800-SUICIDE. If you are in crisis, call
1-800-273-TALK (8255) Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Helped me through a tough time :(
This book and "Choosing to Live" helped me through some really DARK days. I ordered this book, and even having it on hand helped me feel better and more reconnected to the real world. I read A LOT of reviews about these books, and this one stood out. It's written in a down to earth style and written in a way that you can identify with. I didn't read it all the way through, I was only able to get the emotional strength to read a few pages here and there. While not reading the whole book it helped me to 'see' through my immediate pain and to look forward. I'd recommend this book if you are having 'ending' thoughts or you know someone is. This book is much different than most in that it's not written in a clinical perspective. It's written from one person, to the reader.

A Compassionate Voice in a Chaotic Cruel World
1-800-SUICIDE - If you are suicidal please call this number first!

"More people take their own lives than die from homicide in the United States." ~ pg. 225

I am most grateful for Susan Rose Blauner's beautifully written book. Not only does it tell me how to talk to a person who expresses the wish to die, it also presents everything a suicidal person may be experiencing. I had never thought about it before but this book asks a very revealing question: "What is the feeling beneath the suicidal thought?" Is it fear, anger, hopelessness, loneliness, despair, frustration, sadness or confusion? When you can find out the main problem it is easier to present a good solution. Susan Rose Blauner explains some survival techniques and shows five of her own Crisis Plans. You can then make your own crisis plan when you feel suicidal feelings are appearing. You look at the lists and try various things all the way up to calling a suicide hotline if that is necessary.

"If you love someone, I suggest that you tell that person before you lose the chance. Hearing your expression of love could mean the difference between life and death." ~ pg. 245

This book is one of the best books on preventing suicide because it is written by a survivor who now has a deep sense of peace and happiness pervading her soul. I really believe that Susan had to go through her own private hell in order to help suicidal people get well. She talks a little about her own experiences but then gets right down to solving the reader's problems. Whether you are the one who is suicidal or depressed, or you are someone who has a friend or family member who is suicidal - this book will help in a matter of hours. Just learning some of the breathing techniques could lessen stress. Then you can move onto meditation and other activities listed in this book.

"Most suicidal thinkers don't want to die; they just want their feelings to change or go away." ~ pg. 3

Perhaps the most shocking thing in this book is the information on attempted suicides and their results. Bad things can happen and you may end up injured, disabled or with brain damage. What was a little surprising was how the author got her friends and family to write letters about how they felt at the time of her suicide "gestures." The author eventually matured past the point where she needed to gain attention with these gestures. She basically had to learn to outthink suicide.

While this book briefly discusses God, Susan Rose Blauner has a very open view of God. This may or may not be helpful but it is basically just a paragraph you can disregard if you wish. I would suggest that you believe in the God who is love since the whole idea of being loved can be healing in itself. By reading this book I realized the importance of telling people we love them even if it can be awkward at first. This book brought me great hope and the main message is one of compassion and caring.

I can highly recommend this book to anyone who is suicidal or knows someone who is.
This would include family members, friends, the psychologist and even psychiatrist treating the patient. It will take bravery to read this book but in the end you could save a life, maybe even your own!

~The Rebecca Review

Decent book on the topic
No doubt this book has saved many lives and will continue to do so.
Suicide is becoming a more and more serious problem in the developing world, therefore its crucial to understand it and come up with preventive measures.

The TASKS AND ACTIVITIES LIST given in this book are great.I have made a copy of it, and try to do some of the tasks every now and then.

I will go out now anddrop some moneyon the sidewalk for people to find :)

excellent, highly recommend
I am a suicidal thinker and can relate to this book. It speaks very clearly and loudly to those of us in this category. It does not make it sound simple to overcome this thought process or suggest that there will be a time when suicidal thinking is not a part of your life. But, having been there, Blauner gives you hope that times can get better but it's up to you. I still struggle with suicidal thinking, and will for some time I'm sure, because I'm not at that point yet. However, this book reassures me that I am not alone, that others understand, and I could have a future to look forward to with less (or at least manageable) suicidal thoughts. Is this book the only answer? No. Is the book realistic? Yes. Will overcoming my constant suicidal thinking be easy? Far from it. Can I overcome it by doing what the book suggests? I won't know till I try. I hope you will give yourself a chance and try some of Blauner's "tricks of the trade." We need to convince ourselves that we ARE worth it! In addition to the suicidal thinker, I highly recommend this book for family and friends of the suicidal thinker. The information in the last part of the book is invaluable for family and friends (it even helped me understand my interaction with others), and the resources in the last chapter are very useful as well. I'm a very slow reader but was able to finish this book in only a few days. ... Read more

Product Description
The Introduction includes how this book is organized, howto read this book, who should read this book, and a note to theprofessianl and parent.But I Didn't Say Goodbye is for the helpingprofessional or parent as you try to help children in the afermath ofsuicide. Part One presents Alex, a ten-year-old whose father has justdied by suicide.Alex asks questions and tries to find meaning in theloss.At the end of the eight brief chapters in Part One, there arepages with STOP signs.The purpose of the eight Stop to process pagesis to help the grieving child process his or her own story.Part Twooffers information on setting up a memorial fund, and will help inyour search for prevention and survivor support.To keep suicidesurvivor support group information updated, a toll-free number isgiven for groups in your area, Bereavemnet referrals include deatheducation and grief counseling.The last part of this book includesrecommended resources, bereavement magazines, newsletters, reports,journals, books and articles.Find videos, tapes, and a reading listthat will help you continue your exploration of suicide awareness,prevention and bereavement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Book for Everyone Touched by Suicide
But I Didn't Say Goodbye is an innovative approach and tool for parents, teachers, and professionals to help children cope with the trauma of losing a loved one to suicide. By reading the story of Alex, a ten-year-old boy whose father died by suicide, adults can learn the perception of a child suicide survivor and children can relate to Alex and therefore open up about their own grieving process. Everyone can learn from this book.Crossing 13

a must-read!
This is a really, really great book to go through with any child, even if you're not a therapist.The book has REALLY short chapters.You're supposed to read the chapter with the child, and then there're questions at the end of the chapter.An example would be, Chapter 1 talks about where the child in the story was when his dad killed himself.Then the questions ask things like, where were you when your special person died, etc.

It doesn't have to be suicide survivors, it can be for any child dealing with death.

Parents, teachers, social workers, siblings, everyone should have this book, for when they have to talk to a child about death.

Great Book!
But I Didn't Say Goodbye was easy to read and very helpful.The story of this child survivor and the adults in his life will empower any child survivor. I know this book will help parents find the answers they are looking for.

But, I Didn't Say Goodbye
This book is an invaluable tool and resource! As a Therapist, I highly recommend its straight forward approach to helping child suicide survivors. Ms. Rubel has included at the end of each chapter easy to read worksheets and exercises. No Counselor and/or Therapist should be without it. ... Read more

Product Description
Robert I. Simon, M.D., a preeminent psychiatrist and prolific author on the subject of law and psychiatry, offers a pragmatic and empathic guide for clinicians grappling with that most critical of questions: How can I protect my patients from themselves? Though even the most conscientious psychiatrist cannot prevent every suicide, suicide risk can be assessed, managed, and reduced. Dr. Simon acknowledges that the professional environment in which clinicians now practice is often inhospitable to the time-consuming task of understanding the patient; yet 'Know thy patient' is his theme and imperative. Readers will benefit from the instructive case examples and commentary. Suicide risk assessment is a core competency that draws on both art and science. In "Preventing Patient Suicide: Clinical Assessment and Management", Dr. Simon synthesizes his clinical experience, the shared clinical experiences of colleagues, and the evidence-based psychiatric literature to create an insightful guide which should be an essential component in any practicing psychiatrist's library. ... Read more

Product Description
Reclaim your life and renew your confidence after a client suicide

The death of a patient is every therapist’s worst nightmare. Even more frightening is the debilitating silence that surrounds a therapist after the death of a client. What do you do? How do you proceed with your personal and professional life? Until now, advice on surviving a patient’s suicide has been scarce. Therapeutic and Legal Issues for Therapists Who Have Survived a Client Suicide: Breaking the Silence examines this much-overlooked topic to help you continue to live and practice confidently. The authors of this courageous book mix first-person narratives with professional strategies to help therapists deal with the emotional and legal consequences that follow the loss of a client.

Therapeutic and Legal Issues for Therapists Who Have Survived a Client Suicide provides you with:

models of coping strategies for clinicians after a client completes a suicide
an examination of factors that compound the trauma for the therapist survivor
examples for dealing with a client’s family
suggestions for developing curricula for training institutions
recommendations for supervisory guidelines
explanations of—and means of mitigating—legal liability

Therapeutic and Legal Issues for Therapists Who Have Survived a Client Suicide: Breaking the Silence describes various ways of dealing with clinician and supervisory responsibilities after a client’s self-inflicted death. This practical book will show you how to minimize the legal risks of working with suicidal clients and help you regain your sense of professional competence if a suicide occurs. New methods of screening and treatment assistance are offered. With about 30,000 suicides occuring the the United States annually, and many of those people in treatment at or near the time they commit suicide, thousands of clinicians face this trauma yearly. The clear, specific, therapeutic and legal guidelines you’ll find in the book, as well as the philosophical discussions, make it a vital read for therapists, counselors, social workers, nurses, supervisors, and educators in mental health training institutions. ... Read more

Product Description

Because I chose to create change in my mind, I now live an amazing, full life. Yes, I get sad and angry, overwhelmed and depressed, but I no longer wish to die. . . . Read on, and know you can stay alive when your brain is trying to kill you. I’m with you every word of the way.

Customer Reviews (24)

Brave Author With Information to Offer
On the jacket of the hardcover, Susan Rose Blauner writes, "I searched for a book like this, but found none, so I wrote one." The first edition was printed in 2002, when there were few books about suicide. What was available lacked a story of recovery, and Ms. Blauner filled that void. Making oneself vulnerable by writing about one's own suicidal thinking takes courage.

It's brave for an author to state that she has borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depression. It's difficult to continue the cycle of life under these conditions. Blauner says that she was a victim of sexual abuse. (Rape victims are 13 times more likely to have attempted suicide than their non-assaulted counterparts.) Blauner shares her personal journey from suicidal thinking to hope and healing.

The premise of the book is that most people who think about suicide don't want to die; they want relief from emotional pain. Blauner was responsible to the readers by doing her homework. Included in her book are notations from specialists who study suicide, thereby offering research as a foundation for her statements. (Those who experience the suicidal thoughts are also experts on the topic.)

In the "Tricks of the Trade" section, Susan shares sources of help, as well as skills developed in therapy. Blauner explains the difference between statements such as "I am depressed" versus "I feel depressed." She uses analogies to illustrate the "Neuron Superhighway," simplifying a complex neurological pattern. She offers numerous suggestions for the reader to explore. Sometimes, when one is suicidal, there are no other options. She encourages the reader to explore an activity, such as journal writing. It's not the answer, but each bit of information is a step toward life.

If you are looking for a book that will help you help someone with suicidal thoughts, How I Stayed Alive has specific instructions, including how to listen well and respond appropriately.

Blauner put an enormous amount of work into this book. Part Seven includes hotlines, websites, and resources. There is a sectioned bibliography, references to citations, permissions, and an index. It takes effort to convey this helpful information to readers.

Susan Blauner structured her intangible journey into a book that has substance for therapists, suicidal thinkers, and those around them. A portion of the proceeds of the book go to the National Hopeline Network 1-800-SUICIDE. If you are in crisis, call
1-800-273-TALK (8255) Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Helped me through a tough time :(
This book and "Choosing to Live" helped me through some really DARK days. I ordered this book, and even having it on hand helped me feel better and more reconnected to the real world. I read A LOT of reviews about these books, and this one stood out. It's written in a down to earth style and written in a way that you can identify with. I didn't read it all the way through, I was only able to get the emotional strength to read a few pages here and there. While not reading the whole book it helped me to 'see' through my immediate pain and to look forward. I'd recommend this book if you are having 'ending' thoughts or you know someone is. This book is much different than most in that it's not written in a clinical perspective. It's written from one person, to the reader.

A Compassionate Voice in a Chaotic Cruel World
1-800-SUICIDE - If you are suicidal please call this number first!

"More people take their own lives than die from homicide in the United States." ~ pg. 225

I am most grateful for Susan Rose Blauner's beautifully written book. Not only does it tell me how to talk to a person who expresses the wish to die, it also presents everything a suicidal person may be experiencing. I had never thought about it before but this book asks a very revealing question: "What is the feeling beneath the suicidal thought?" Is it fear, anger, hopelessness, loneliness, despair, frustration, sadness or confusion? When you can find out the main problem it is easier to present a good solution. Susan Rose Blauner explains some survival techniques and shows five of her own Crisis Plans. You can then make your own crisis plan when you feel suicidal feelings are appearing. You look at the lists and try various things all the way up to calling a suicide hotline if that is necessary.

"If you love someone, I suggest that you tell that person before you lose the chance. Hearing your expression of love could mean the difference between life and death." ~ pg. 245

This book is one of the best books on preventing suicide because it is written by a survivor who now has a deep sense of peace and happiness pervading her soul. I really believe that Susan had to go through her own private hell in order to help suicidal people get well. She talks a little about her own experiences but then gets right down to solving the reader's problems. Whether you are the one who is suicidal or depressed, or you are someone who has a friend or family member who is suicidal - this book will help in a matter of hours. Just learning some of the breathing techniques could lessen stress. Then you can move onto meditation and other activities listed in this book.

"Most suicidal thinkers don't want to die; they just want their feelings to change or go away." ~ pg. 3

Perhaps the most shocking thing in this book is the information on attempted suicides and their results. Bad things can happen and you may end up injured, disabled or with brain damage. What was a little surprising was how the author got her friends and family to write letters about how they felt at the time of her suicide "gestures." The author eventually matured past the point where she needed to gain attention with these gestures. She basically had to learn to outthink suicide.

While this book briefly discusses God, Susan Rose Blauner has a very open view of God. This may or may not be helpful but it is basically just a paragraph you can disregard if you wish. I would suggest that you believe in the God who is love since the whole idea of being loved can be healing in itself. By reading this book I realized the importance of telling people we love them even if it can be awkward at first. This book brought me great hope and the main message is one of compassion and caring.

I can highly recommend this book to anyone who is suicidal or knows someone who is.
This would include family members, friends, the psychologist and even psychiatrist treating the patient. It will take bravery to read this book but in the end you could save a life, maybe even your own!

~The Rebecca Review

Decent book on the topic
No doubt this book has saved many lives and will continue to do so.
Suicide is becoming a more and more serious problem in the developing world, therefore its crucial to understand it and come up with preventive measures.

The TASKS AND ACTIVITIES LIST given in this book are great.I have made a copy of it, and try to do some of the tasks every now and then.

I will go out now anddrop some moneyon the sidewalk for people to find :)

excellent, highly recommend
I am a suicidal thinker and can relate to this book. It speaks very clearly and loudly to those of us in this category. It does not make it sound simple to overcome this thought process or suggest that there will be a time when suicidal thinking is not a part of your life. But, having been there, Blauner gives you hope that times can get better but it's up to you. I still struggle with suicidal thinking, and will for some time I'm sure, because I'm not at that point yet. However, this book reassures me that I am not alone, that others understand, and I could have a future to look forward to with less (or at least manageable) suicidal thoughts. Is this book the only answer? No. Is the book realistic? Yes. Will overcoming my constant suicidal thinking be easy? Far from it. Can I overcome it by doing what the book suggests? I won't know till I try. I hope you will give yourself a chance and try some of Blauner's "tricks of the trade." We need to convince ourselves that we ARE worth it! In addition to the suicidal thinker, I highly recommend this book for family and friends of the suicidal thinker. The information in the last part of the book is invaluable for family and friends (it even helped me understand my interaction with others), and the resources in the last chapter are very useful as well. I'm a very slow reader but was able to finish this book in only a few days. ... Read more

Product Description
Survivors of Suicide is a helping guide for those family and friends left behind when a loved one commits suicide. This newly revised edition goes into more detail about teen suicide and the help that is available. Survivors of Suicide also dispels the myths surrounding suicide, based on the latest research and interviews with leading medical experts, as well as with family and friends who have survived the suicide deaths of loved ones, and who offer support, knowledge, and comfort to other survivors.

Survivors of Suicide includes:

-Words of comfort from survivors.

-How you can help someone who loses a loved one to suicide.

-The latest medical research on depression and suicide.

-What groups are most at risk for suicide.

-Debates on the differences between euthanasia and suicide.

-Why every suicide threat should be taken seriously.

-Directory of resources for help, including on-line resources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Expertly Written
An exceptional book written with great sensitivity.This is an informative, helpful, extremely well written book.The author has researched the subject extensively and her excellent writing is down to earth and friendly.I would highly highly recommend this book to one and all.

Title is Misleading
The title of this book, survivors of suicide, is extremely misleading.Having recently lost a sister to suicide, I bought this book to try to find some answers and/or support.Instead, reading this book made me feel more guilty and horrible then ever.A couple chapters are devoted to stories and stuff about survivors, but the majority of the book is about who is prone to suicide, how to prevent it, myths (i.e. don't ignore suicide threats)...I finished the book feeling that I was at fault for my sister's suicide.I would recommend that NO suicide survivors read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The landmark investigation into suicide and society—now in a new translation

Émile Durkheim, one of the fathers of modern sociology, was the first to suggest that suicide might be as much a response to society as an act of individual despair. When he looked at social, religious, or racial groups that had high incidences of suicide, he discovered that abnormally high or low levels of social integration increase the likelihood of suicide. More than a century after its initial publication, Durkheim’s groundbreaking work continues to fascinate and challenge those seeking to understand one of the least understandable of human acts. ... Read more

Product Description

Kurt Cobain, Anne Sexton, Mark Rothko, Ernest Hemingway, Adolf Hitler . . . all famous, some rich and powerful, some beloved, some abhorred. But when life and circumstance got to be too much, each headed for the exit door. Sigmund Freud overdosed on morphine. Dorothy Dandridge stripped naked and swallowed a handful of antidepressants. Hunter S. Thompson shot himself while talking to his wife on the phone.

Customer Reviews (15)

I finished reading this book only out of morbid curiosity.
I read any book I can find on death and dying.I found this book at a local Bodies exhibition and snapped it right up.It was on display next to one of my favorite books, Mary Roach's Stiff; the Curious Life of Human Cadavers (I heartily recommend any book she has written or writes in the future!)

As other reviewers have noted, this book has many inaccurate details.This may have something to do with Alix Strauss' first source listed as Wikipedia!?!?!Uhhhhhhh...My biggest gripe however was Strauss' writing style.Her commentary on the subject matter was dull and many times left me scratching my head.Her metaphors fell flat and frequently I was re-reading passages to see if I read things as she intended.Her symbolism was off the mark and often times reminded me of a teenage fan cult.She just doesn't do it for me.

Celebrity Suicides Unveiled
Looking for a grisly, gruesome, yet morbidly fascinating read?By its very nature dark and disturbing, Alix Strauss's //Death Becomes Them// won't appeal to everybody, but for those willing to come along for the ride, it's a compelling and original book that explores the suicides of the rich, famous, and notorious.

Strauss, a journalist and short-story author, has written the ultimate celebrity tell-all book: one which delves into the final days of famous troubled and tortured souls ranging from Sylvia Plath to Vincent Van Gogh to Kurt Cobain and Hunter S. Thompson.Not only does she recount the methods of their suicides, she looks at the factors leading up to those fateful decisions, as well.

Troubling yet fascinating, Strauss weaves a compelling batch of vignettes, devoting no more than a handful of pages to each suicide, but they resonate with depth. Sigmund Freud, for instance, had a severe cigar habit that led to mouth cancer, with holes in his jaw making his final days sheer agony.Facts like these help us to answer the biggest question of all, why?

Eerie, yet a genuine page-turner, //Death Becomes Them// is a must-read for anybody curious about death and able to handle the often dirty details that go along with it.

Reviewed by Mark Petruska

not so good
It's a fascinating subject, but one which veers a little close to voyeurism.In the right hands, it might make a fascinating read, with an opportunity for some real insights.In the wrong hands, though, something like this is going to end up as trash.

I'm afraid this one comes a lot closer to the latter than the former.There are no great insights, though the details of how some of the different victims died is valuable and interesting.A couple of reviewers pointed out some of the factual errors, so I won't go into any more of that.Overall, I didn't see much more here than what could be stitched together after an afternoon trolling the Internet.

What really bugged me, though, was the writing.It seemed very much liked it was dashed off in an afternoon too.Here are some of my faves:

-The pill-popping Polly Prozacs of the 1970s gave us the birth of "anti-psychosis" drugs such as Thorazine. [Man, that's a lot of P's.And what does an anti-psychotic from the 50s have to do with an anti-depressant from the 70s?]
-We want to comfort ourselves against the coldness of loneliness, and suicide is a surrender to that method of controlling one's own fate. [huh?]
-INXS was conceived at Australia's Davidson High School.[What, they only have one?]
-Artists, especially visual ones, have been perceived as struggling, tortured souls as far back as 1584, when Daswanth, an Indian miniaturist painter, stabbed himself with a dagger. [Ah, yes, who could forget the immortal Daswanth?]
-The "broken heart" category easily slips into the "guilt over an affair" category.[Really?Maybe only when you're desperate to make a transition to your next paragraph.]
-Artists, most of whose artistic endeavors aren't discovered or commercialized until they're deceased.[Hmm, tell that to Andy Warhol.]
-She [Diane Arbus] was like the Pied Piper, but rather than toting a flute, she flashed a camera.[Okay, so the flute is the camera, and Hamelin is New York, and the rats are ...]
-Diane's work grew darker as her interest in those left of center became more intense. [Didn't you know?All dwarves and transvestites are Socialists.]
-Chain smoking and heavy drinking had attributed to his high blood pressure, hypertension, and emphysema.[I'm not a doctor, but aren't those first two the same thing?]
-He took lots of pills; amphetamines, black beauties, and Dexedrine were some of his favorites.[Once again, I'm not a doctor, but I think all *three* of these things are the same thing.]
-Uberinfluential singer songwriter Jimi Hendrix could noodle a guitar like nobody's business.[Oh, so, that's how you get uberinfluential - noodling.]
-A brawl with toxic shock syndrome in 1985 left him with brain damage[I know he was a wrestler, but how about a "bout" instead?]
-For some, death signifies a political statement or defines a particular period in history.[The Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Gilded Age, the Belle Epoque, the Roaring 20s - all of them, death-initiated.]
-Tatum O'Neill: actress; 1970s ("adolescence," before car accident in 1978 - twice) [what?]

Is English not her first language?Did no one else take a look at this?Is she really a 7th grader?I see, from the back cover, she is a "lifestyle trend writer for national talk shows" (and is available for "speaking engagements").Maybe that explains it all.

RIP?
Whether or not you're fascinated with celebrity suicides, the stories Alix Strauss puts together are interesting, if morbid.From Adolph Hitler to Ernest Hemmingway, if you were famous and you offed yourself, you won't be resting in peace quite yet.This is a comprehensive perspective on celebrity suicide, although Strauss paints with very broad brush strokes; some of the stories are a bit inaccurate, though the essence of these tales remains compelling, nonetheless.

It should be noted that while many of these suicides came as a big surprise to the vast majority of the population, glamorizing Adolph Hitler's suicide seems misguided.His was an act of cowardice; others were terminally ill and in constant pain.

This is certainly an engaging and very interesting piece of work; it won't change the world, but it may help explain some of the insanity that goes on in people's minds a little better; or it may help explain their logic.

Fascinating nonsense.
The author writes with compassion about the reasons for suicide, the ways, and the results.

And in a self-absorbed, disorganized style that would have caused me to fail seventh grade English. Nouns and verbs don't agree, tense changes from present to past and back within the same story, metaphors mixed beyond comprehension.

"Each death is as diverse as the person who killed himself." OK, she does not know how to use the word diverse.

"It's the puzzle not yet finished, the questions that still need answers." IS it the questions?

"...at a certain point, someone will kill themselves in order to prove her seriousness."

This was by page nine. This couldn't be a professional writer, I thought, and checked the bio. The bio said she had been a travel writer for the New York Times. I wonder now if she told the editors to buzz off, "I wrote for the TIMES, don't you dare correct me!" --or did the Times ask her to leave.

In case you think I'm just grammer police, there's the historical inaccuracy.She thanks five researchers, none of which seemed able to find out that Ted Hughes never married Assia.

Could have been a good book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

You can go home again
John Ostrander's 80 run on the Suicide Squad was ground-breaking in it's use of realistic story lines and dark characters.When the Suicide Squad went on a mission people died.The foes were just as likely to be drug lords or terrorists as aliens or supervillains.

But more than the body count or politics, the series worked because the characters were very well realized and did not fit into comic book cliches.Two of the best were the squad's leader Amanda Waller - an angry black woman willing to do anything to accomplish her goals - and Rick Flag Jr - a straight arrow soldier trying to live up to the shadow of his WWII hero father.

Eventually Flag snapped and apparently died in a suicide mission.His death was one of the milestones of the title and a sign that no one, not even the apparent hero of the book was safe.

So I was quite leery when I heard Ostrander was returning to the squad AND bringing back Rick Flag.

But it works.And well.

There is some fudging.The 80s Suicide Squad was grounded in late-80s politics but most comic books are set in the present so their adventures now happened '5 years ago'.While Rick Flag the son of a WWII hero made sense in the 80s, in the 00s he is now Rick Flag III, a grandson. And the way Flag is returned relies on the sort of plot twist that only works in comics.It involves dinosaurs and a hot sorceress.

But once Flag is back and sparring with Waller it feels like old times.A team of mismatched, barely-controlled villains is assembled to lead an attack on a thinly-veiled version of Halliburton (including an evil boss apparently modeled on Dick Cheney).Things go disastrously wrong, with double crosses and triple crosses, people die and the survivors limp home.

Under Javier Pina's pencils the Squad has rarely looked better.

If you're a fan of the 80's version of the Squad or have always wondered what the fuss was about you should pick this up! ... Read more

Product Description
This highly practical book explains how to identify and manage suicidal individuals and supports the health professional in assisting the patient to choose life rather than death.

Suicide Risk Management: A Manual for Health Professionals provides health professionals with the tools to recognize, assess, and manage the suicidal or potentially suicidal patient and presents important information regarding the epidemiology, risk factors and associated aspects of suicide.

The book presents two unique assessment tools – TASR and SRAG – created for use in the authors’ own practice. Refined through actual experience, these proven tools help assess and evaluate patients with confidence. The Tool for Assessment of Suicide Risk (TASR) provides instruction on how to use it appropriately in the clinic, while the Suicide Risk Assessment Guide (SRAG) acts as a self-study program to assess clinical evaluation skills, without running the risk of mishandling a suicidal patient.

Throughout Suicide Risk Management: A Manual for Health Professionals, bulleted lists, tables and flowcharts effectively describe how to use the many factors to assess the risk of suicide in an individual patient. A summary card at the back of the book also provides an "at a glance" guide to the assessment process. ... Read more

Product Description

Relating to Self-Harm and Suicide presents original studies and research from contemporary psychoanalysts, therapists and academics focusing on the psychoanalytic understanding of suicide and self-harm, and how this can be applied to clinical work and policy.

This powerful critique of current thinking suggests that suicide and self-harm must be understood as having meaning within interpersonal and intrapsychic relationships, offering a new and more hopeful dimension for prevention and recovery. Divided into three sections, the book includes:

• a theoretical overview
• examples of psychoanalytic practice with self-harming and suicidal patients
• applications of psychoanalytic thinking to suicide and self-harm prevention.

Relating to Self-Harm and Suicide will be helpful to psychoanalytic therapists, analysts and mental health professionals wanting to integrate psychoanalytic ideas into their work with self-harmers and the suicidal. This text will also be of use to academics and professionals involved in suicidal prevention.