Rating: 
Summary: IRRESPONSIBLE
Review: "Stephen Lives" is a misnomer. Stephen doesn't live. Stephen is dead. He hung himself from a tree not far from his house.Stephen does live, however, in the mind of his mother, who wrote this book, but claims "Stephen" dictated the words to her from the afterlife. If read, and then re-read, several things become very apparant. The biggest thing is that I belive the author is trying to come to terms with her son's suicide by beliving he is still with her, that death is painless, that the afterlife is wonderful and that his death was not her fault. Grief and guilt will do strange things to a person. I do not reccomend this book as it depicts Stephen's death as a triumph- and seems to be geared for parents with depressed children as a book to pass on. That, I believe, would be a mistake.
Rating: 
Summary: Recommended to troubled young people
Review: Anne's book is a remarkable account of her sons life and afterlife, and contrary to the negative review given, does NOT paint a "rosy picture" of the afterlife. I am a young adult who was very depressed and had strong suicidal feelings. This book helped me to see what suicide does to those left behind, and how hard it is for the soul to recover after such a traumatic event. It made me see that suicide is not the way. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who thinks early death is better than life...it will help you see it really isn't.
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening!!!!!!
Review: As a "suicide survivor" after the death of my younger brother, I found this book very enlightening. The suicide of a loved one leaves many unanswered questions for the survivors. Reading this book acknowledges many of the same feelings I had, and continue to have,after my brothers death. I hope with all my heart that my brothers spirit is watching over our family, as I miss him dearly every day. This book has brought me hope for my journey into the next life.
Rating: 
Summary: good suicide survivor's resource- little else.
Review: as i see it, anne set out to do the impossible here- to communicate reassurances to those whose young friends or family have committed suicide, while also trying to DETER those who are contemplating suicide by outlining the spiritual torment awaiting them on the other side. despite this conflicted set of purposes, however, i found the majority of the book to be a moving account of the gut-wrenching period she experienced, both before and after her son's fateful and tragic decision. it is definitely worth reading as a suicide survivor's account- until the last chapters, that is. the problem occurs when the recollections of getting through her ordeal are followed by THIS plea from her (allright; from STEPHEN): "don't do it. please don't do it. there are other options". sorry, i wanted more from this book. and so, for me, it's at this point that STEPHEN LIVES deflates into little more than a maudlin ventriloquist routine, with steven "saying" predictable things about suicide while anne presents him as some kind of enlightened sage with breakthrough revelations about the hereafter. it becomes just another repackaging of the standard "please don't do it" suicide message that's been there for centuries, NOW served up in modern "channelling" style. NO; i did not expect a plea for mass suicide from stephen, but i expected MORE in the way of spiritual liberation than i got.
Rating:
Summary: good suicide survivor's resource- little else.
Review: as i see it, anne set out to do the impossible here- to communicate reassurances to those whose young friends or family have committed suicide, while also trying to DETER those who are contemplating suicide by outlining the spiritual torment awaiting them on the other side. despite this conflicted set of purposes, however, i found the majority of the book to be a moving account of the gut-wrenching period she experienced, both before and after her son's fateful and tragic decision. it is definitely worth reading as a suicide survivor's account- until the last chapters, that is. the problem occurs when the recollections of getting through her ordeal are followed by THIS plea from her (allright; from STEPHEN): "don't do it. please don't do it. there are other options". sorry, i wanted more from this book. and so, for me, it's at this point that STEPHEN LIVES deflates into little more than a maudlin ventriloquist routine, with steven "saying" predictable things about suicide while anne presents him as some kind of enlightened sage with breakthrough revelations about the hereafter. it becomes just another repackaging of the standard "please don't do it" suicide message that's been there for centuries, NOW served up in modern "channelling" style. NO; i did not expect a plea for mass suicide from stephen, but i expected MORE in the way of spiritual liberation than i got.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I actually bought this book twice. The first time I read it I gave my copy to a mother who lost her child though suicide who my son had the unfortunate circumstance to have found this child dead. This book was highly recommended by the voice of God in Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsh. This is why I bought it. I purchased a second copy to read again. I only am writing this review after reading all the negative reviews on this book. I can only imagine that this book could bring comfort to any parent who has lost a child. If you believe in the afterlife, then this book will offer great comfort. I know for a fact that loved ones return after they die. It has happened too many times in my own life to be just a coincidence. I really feel sorry for people who have so much negativity in their lives and can't see or don't want to see the light. This book is not for everyone. That much is obvious a lot of the reviews that I have read. Kudos to Anne Puryear for having the courage to write it.
Rating:
Summary: Suicide is final
Review: I had a son who took his own life. I mourn every day. I search for comfort. I bought this book. Anne Puryear would give me words of comfort, I thought. Anne Puryear has ben there. Anne Puryear has survived. The suicide of a son or daughter is the most cruel blow life can give. I needed some reassurance I'd get through this. This book made me physically ill. I agree with the reviewers that put most of the blame on the author. Think of this- her son actually believed he would communicate with his mother, and others, after his death. When he hung himself by the neck, he fully expected to "wake up" in another world and have a relationship with his mother on another level he was never able to have here on earth. Are you getting this? To this troubled young man, suicide WAS the answer. It wasn't some final act. It was merely a stepping stone to get to a better place. Where did he get this information? Television? Books? The Internet? Rock and Roll? SOme weird cult? No! He got it from HIS MOTHER! He succeeded. He died. Was his Mother racked with guilt over his death? Not quite- she wrote a book in HIS name. This is the part that galls me. If the book be true, I don't care what anybody else says, Stephen is literally better off dead. He's wise now, you see. He gives out all sorts of good advice- from nutrition to psychology to religion to relationships. And, through his Mommy, he "wrote" a book. Sure, he does the "don't do it" bit, but at the same time, the after world he's describing is quite possibly a lot better than life here in the real world for many a troubled teen. I still mourn my son. I also mourn Stephen. And I am mad. Anne Puryear was an unfit mother, and now she's making a profit over the biggest tragedy of all. I hope she reads this review. She makes me sick.
Rating:
Summary: Suicide is final
Review: I had a son who took his own life. I mourn every day. I search for comfort. I bought this book. Anne Puryear would give me words of comfort, I thought. Anne Puryear has ben there. Anne Puryear has survived. The suicide of a son or daughter is the most cruel blow life can give. I needed some reassurance I'd get through this. This book made me physically ill. I agree with the reviewers that put most of the blame on the author. Think of this- her son actually believed he would communicate with his mother, and others, after his death. When he hung himself by the neck, he fully expected to "wake up" in another world and have a relationship with his mother on another level he was never able to have here on earth. Are you getting this? To this troubled young man, suicide WAS the answer. It wasn't some final act. It was merely a stepping stone to get to a better place. Where did he get this information? Television? Books? The Internet? Rock and Roll? SOme weird cult? No! He got it from HIS MOTHER! He succeeded. He died. Was his Mother racked with guilt over his death? Not quite- she wrote a book in HIS name. This is the part that galls me. If the book be true, I don't care what anybody else says, Stephen is literally better off dead. He's wise now, you see. He gives out all sorts of good advice- from nutrition to psychology to religion to relationships. And, through his Mommy, he "wrote" a book. Sure, he does the "don't do it" bit, but at the same time, the after world he's describing is quite possibly a lot better than life here in the real world for many a troubled teen. I still mourn my son. I also mourn Stephen. And I am mad. Anne Puryear was an unfit mother, and now she's making a profit over the biggest tragedy of all. I hope she reads this review. She makes me sick.
Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't Finish It
Review: I had to stop 1/2way through this book. I was becoming very angry at this woman.
Rating:
Summary: Having Problems With This One
Review: I hate to write a negative review, but I have real problems with this book. I'm sure I'm going to offend some people, but the very concept of this book offends ME. The book, which is meant to be taken seriously, is about a young boy who takes his own life by hanging himself from a tree. What a tragic end to a promising life. But that's not the end of the story- it's the beginning. According to the author, the boy's mother, the young man comes back to dictate most of this book from the afterlife. Sounds like a joke, but it isn't. I could say more, but I'll stop here. I'm sure overwhelming grief is responsible for some of the questionable judgement the author used. I'll end by saying I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, and I would especially warn against giving this book to suicidal young men or women. They might just get an entirely different message than the one the author intended.
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