Review of My Living Will
-
Mountainbreeze23
- Posts: 44
- Joined: 14 Nov 2020, 22:36
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 11
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mountainbreeze23.html
- Latest Review: Zara Hanson & The Mystery of the Painted Symbol by J.L. Haynes
Review of My Living Will
[Following is a volunteer review of "My Living Will" by John Trautwein.]
My Living Will, a Father's Story of Loss and Hope by John Trautwein is a heart-wrenching as well as an uplifting book to read. The author describes in painful detail the unimaginable grief and suffering the family underwent after the suicide of the oldest boy Will. He then goes on to show how he takes steps to ensure that the boy's death should not be in vain, and other families should not have to go through the agony they have.
Will, a fifteen-year-old boy seemed to have everything going for him. He was handsome, popular, athletic, musical, and doing adequately in school. Yet, one morning he is found hanging in his room. There had been no signs at all that Will was in such pain that he felt he had to end his life. His parents slowly realize that not knowing why he wanted to die and wondering every day how they could have prevented his death, would now haunt them for the rest of their lives. Nevertheless, John tries hard to make sure that his new understanding of teenage suicide and what everyone needs to do to prevent it reaches everyone who needs to know.
John observes that suicide is hardly ever discussed even though every thirteen minutes, one person in the U.S dies this way. And every two hours, a teenager takes her own life. However, because mental illness and depression have such a powerful stigma hanging over them, people (especially adolescents)never admit to having suicidal thoughts. He also notices that teenagers listen to each other much more than they listen to adults. To put these insights into action, John starts the 'Will to Live' Foundation and is surprised at how quickly the movement grows. The slogan 'Through the kids, for the kids, by the kids' comes to be a reality as many young people involve themselves in the cause. They understand that they need to be 'Life Teammates' for each other so that no young person would have to feel isolated and alone.
John's description of his mental state during the years following Will's death is painful to read but rich in insights. He has been able to describe his emotions and thought processes in a way that perfectly balances objectivity and deep personal involvement. "Will's death forced me to reprioritize everything," he says and the reader can see this whole process clearly through his eyes. The style is engaging and absorbing. It is also thoughtful and reflective and never once does he slip into cliches. The reader feels strongly as well as thinks deeply through the process of reading the book.
I think the Editors could have been more stringent because the book does get repetitive at times. For this reason, I would give it a rating of 3 out of 4. Ideally, I would have liked to give it a 3.5 as that is the only flaw I found.
Though Christians would find it rewarding to see many references to their faith, the many references to Christianity need not (and should not)prevent people of other religions (as well as atheists)from reading it. I would recommend this book to parents of teenagers as well as to their teachers. I found reading this book an enriching experience and will be recommending it to many people I know.
******
My Living Will
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
My Living Will, a Father's Story of Loss and Hope by John Trautwein is a heart-wrenching as well as an uplifting book to read. The author describes in painful detail the unimaginable grief and suffering the family underwent after the suicide of the oldest boy Will. He then goes on to show how he takes steps to ensure that the boy's death should not be in vain, and other families should not have to go through the agony they have.
Will, a fifteen-year-old boy seemed to have everything going for him. He was handsome, popular, athletic, musical, and doing adequately in school. Yet, one morning he is found hanging in his room. There had been no signs at all that Will was in such pain that he felt he had to end his life. His parents slowly realize that not knowing why he wanted to die and wondering every day how they could have prevented his death, would now haunt them for the rest of their lives. Nevertheless, John tries hard to make sure that his new understanding of teenage suicide and what everyone needs to do to prevent it reaches everyone who needs to know.
John observes that suicide is hardly ever discussed even though every thirteen minutes, one person in the U.S dies this way. And every two hours, a teenager takes her own life. However, because mental illness and depression have such a powerful stigma hanging over them, people (especially adolescents)never admit to having suicidal thoughts. He also notices that teenagers listen to each other much more than they listen to adults. To put these insights into action, John starts the 'Will to Live' Foundation and is surprised at how quickly the movement grows. The slogan 'Through the kids, for the kids, by the kids' comes to be a reality as many young people involve themselves in the cause. They understand that they need to be 'Life Teammates' for each other so that no young person would have to feel isolated and alone.
John's description of his mental state during the years following Will's death is painful to read but rich in insights. He has been able to describe his emotions and thought processes in a way that perfectly balances objectivity and deep personal involvement. "Will's death forced me to reprioritize everything," he says and the reader can see this whole process clearly through his eyes. The style is engaging and absorbing. It is also thoughtful and reflective and never once does he slip into cliches. The reader feels strongly as well as thinks deeply through the process of reading the book.
I think the Editors could have been more stringent because the book does get repetitive at times. For this reason, I would give it a rating of 3 out of 4. Ideally, I would have liked to give it a 3.5 as that is the only flaw I found.
Though Christians would find it rewarding to see many references to their faith, the many references to Christianity need not (and should not)prevent people of other religions (as well as atheists)from reading it. I would recommend this book to parents of teenagers as well as to their teachers. I found reading this book an enriching experience and will be recommending it to many people I know.
******
My Living Will
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
