Rating: 
Summary: Self-Care Begins Here!
Review: As an Adult Child of an Alcoholic, I found great solace in reading the writings of Melody Beattie many years ago as I began the struggle through the pain and confusion of attempting to understand my childhood and my father. When I read Beattie's books a long time ago and then later focused on her Meditation series for Co-dependency I was amazed how this counselor could speak directly to me as if she lived my life. I was rather naïve not to realize that it was from her own personal struggle with addiction from whence she was writing about. I was shocked and amazed in this work to learn so much of Ms. Beattie's life and inspirations. Furthermore, she gave me an understanding of the addiction purely from the addict's side of the fence. I'm one of the lucky ones, having been able to spiritually connect with my parent before he died of his alcoholism and to bury a lot of old wounds with love at the end of his life. Thanks to Melody I can understand even further the beast of the disease that took my father and robbed me of so many things. This is a book I will keep at the front of my bookshelf for a long, long time and no doubt refer to it often. I highly recommend this if you're familiar with her books or better yet if you're just considering the possibilities of getting aquatinted with Ms. Beattie. I assure you, you will not be disappointed. This is one of the best books I've ever had the privilege of reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Bringing Up Old Wounds
Review: Having benifited so much from Codependents No More, I had expected this book to bring that understanding along even further. Instead, I found that this book was really a recollection from the author's past and a retelling of stories that she has heard. Melody Beattie tells of her abusive childhood and addict days without the context of how those events transformed and led her to her later ground-breaking work on relationships. Thus her stories end up sounding like a confession of old wounds -- making the reader feel like a voyeur instead of a fellow voyager on a quest. I wondered if this book would have been praised as much if it were not written by the same author as Codependents.
Rating:
Summary: Bringing Up Old Wounds
Review: Having benifited so much from Codependents No More, I had expected this book to bring that understanding along even further. Instead, I found that this book was really a recollection from the author's past and a retelling of stories that she has heard. Melody Beattie tells of her abusive childhood and addict days without the context of how those events transformed and led her to her later ground-breaking work on relationships. Thus her stories end up sounding like a confession of old wounds -- making the reader feel like a voyeur instead of a fellow voyager on a quest. I wondered if this book would have been praised as much if it were not written by the same author as Codependents.
Rating:
Summary: Too much history. Where's the advice?
Review: I learned more than I wanted to about Melody's abused childhood and her life as a junkie. She goes into great detail about the crimes she committed and the miserable effects of her addiction. After painting such strong, striking, emotion-filled pictures time after time I expected her to draw some conclusions and parallels that I could use. No such luck. This is a long, tiring autobiography of a painful life, not a source for new elightenment.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring anecdotes and prescriptive reminders
Review: In Playing It By Heart: Taking Care Of Yourself No Matter What, Melody Beattie (author of Codependent No More) addresses the issues involved with why people who have struggled so hard to shake off controlling dysfunctional behaviors and victimhood fall back into self-destructive, self-diminishing situations and relationships. Through the use of personal essays, inspiring anecdotes, and prescriptive reminders, Beattie reveals how to stop acting out painful obsessions and shows that despite occasional setbacks, recovery is a lifelong opportunity for spiritual growth and a co-dependency free, gratifying, enjoyable life of accomplishments and relationships. Highly recommended for personal self-help, self-improvement reading lists and community library reference collections.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspiring Real-life Story
Review: It is amazing to read Melody Beattie's life story of her battle with addiction and destructive behaviors. She leads by example showing what she did to overcome her problems. I was truely amazed by what she went through. This is a wonderful Real life story for anyone struggling with addictions to read.
Rating:
Summary: An incredible story
Review: Melody Beattie has a life story that I would never have imagined from Codependent No More. She has a powerful insight into how and why things happen and Playing It by Heart shows how she has truly "been there." This book was impossible to put down. It is one I would sincerely recommend to anyone who struggles with life, especially when addictions are involved. Her story was very encouraging and I am very glad to have found this book.
Rating:
Summary: An incredible story
Review: Melody Beattie has a life story that I would never have imagined from Codependent No More. She has a powerful insight into how and why things happen and Playing It by Heart shows how she has truly "been there." This book was impossible to put down. It is one I would sincerely recommend to anyone who struggles with life, especially when addictions are involved. Her story was very encouraging and I am very glad to have found this book.
Rating:
Summary: Another Groundbreaking Book. . .
Review: Melody's inspired wisdom will help thousands of people who move forward, then backward, then forward, then backward; first feeling free of the bonds of codependency, then not being sure when setbacks occur. I believe that most codependent people -- some secretly and others not so secretly -- long to be in complete control of their lives. My dad, a minister, called it "back-sliding." Those in recovery will learn that in spite of setbacks, focus and balance are necessary. Recovery is a lifelong journey of personal and spiritual growth. This book will help! This book is another winner for Melody!
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ GROUNDBREAKING BOOK!!!
Review: This book has changed my life forever. It took me places that I have been, and really made me realize how much knowledge was learned by not hiding from those places.Melody shows you how to allow your past to be and become the forse to move you forward on all levels. She has been up, down, and all around and in this book she takes you there with her and then teache yo how to climb out of your own stuff. The chapter on drama was one of my favortes. Thankyou Melody you are a true healer because you have been there with us. Thanks for just being real.
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