(All books available through the Kalamazoo, Portage and Comstock Public Libraries)

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The Gift of Fear
by Gavin de Becker

Gavin shows you how to spot the subtle signs of danger – before it's too late. Shattering the myth that most violent acts are unpredictable, de Becker, offers specific ways to protect yourself and those you love.

A Child Called "It"; The Lost Boy; and A Man Called Dave
by Dave Pelzer

These books chronicle the life of Dave Pelzer, who was tremendously abused by his mother as a child, was placed in foster care, and went on to have a fulfilling and successful life.

Because I Remember Terror, Father I Remember You
by Sue Silverman

This is the story of Sue Silverman who was sexually abused by her father from the time she was four years old. Her father was a prominent man, acting as bank president and Chief Counsel to the Secretary of the Interior from 1933 to 1953. (Not available at Comstock Public Library)

INSPIRATIONAL

More Red Socks
by Denise N. Massey

A two-page piece using stories, including the Wizard of Oz, to motivate domestic assault survivors to keep looking for different endings to their life stories. "Just like real life, not everyone in Oz is pleasant; there are evil witches and flying monkeys. They appear to be great and powerful but are actually just false illusions in crystal balls. Abusers are the same."

The Road Less Traveled
by M. Scott Peck, M.D.

Confronting and solving problems is a painful process, which most of us attempt to avoid. And the very avoidance results in greater pain and inability to grow both mentally and spiritually. Drawing heavily upon his own professional experience, Dr. M. Scott Peck, a practicing psychiatrist, suggests ways in which confronting and resolving our problems – and suffering through the changes – can enable us to reach a higher level of self-understanding. Dr. Peck discusses the nature of loving relationships: how to recognize true compatibility; how to distinguish dependency from love; how to become one's own person; how to be a more sensitive parent.

Yesterday, I Cried
by Iyanla Vanzant

Iyanla (known as Rhonda in the tough years), was beaten by her grandma and her father as a child, sexually abused by an Uncle at 11, and beaten by numerous men that came in and out of her life. After having four children (the first at age 14), she found her way off welfare and later graduated from law school. She further found her calling as a minister and author. Her book is a beautiful rendition of the struggles to love one's self after never being loved or valued in other relationships. She gives an intuitive and knowing insight into the mind of domestic violence victims and their daily and ongoing struggles to find self-worth.

Disclaimers