Denial Is Not a River in Egypt

Rating:
Summary: Da book is da bomb
Review: At least that's what I tell myself. Granted, that may all be denial (not to be confused with da river in Egypt). Dis book has helped me to see da humor in life. You'd think that da author, Sandi Bachom, is the queen of de Nile, but that would make her Cleopatra. Instead, she is de master (or would that be da mistress?) of de quip, de witty remark, da funny comment--all of which I have found helpful in overcoming anxiety, anger, and depression. Humor is da best medicine for some many things; if only we could teach everybody such eternal truths.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful collection of witty but powerful aphorisms
Review: The author is a recovering alcoholic and the title reflects a turning point on her own journey of recovery. She had stopped drinking and, since she had hitherto equated having a good time and drinking, she was looking ahead to a rather moribund life. But she overheard someone quip, "Denial Is Not a River in Egypt" and she involuntarily found herself laughing out loud for the first time in her sobriety. This led her to start collecting similar aphorisms and finally to publishing them in the insightful book.
There are many of the aphorisms that are fairly specific to someone who is in or has been in a 12 step recovery program, but they are mostly applicable to anyone. One that has helped me a lot is: "I do not have to attend every argument I am invited to." They are grouped under some of the key headings related to recovery such as "Fear," "Denial," "Resentment" and "Acceptance." But these are all issues on the path toward wholeness period. Some of my other favorite sayings are: "Resentment is like taking poison in hopes your enemy will die;""Religion is for people who are afraid they are going to hell; spirituality is for those who have been there;" "A closed mouth gathers no foot."
And then there is one extended parable that I particularly appreciate:

"A woman is standing on a beach with her son when a giant wave picks him up and takes him out to sea. The woman frantically prays, "Dear God, if there is a God, please return my son!!!"

At this moment, the next wave rolls in and safely deposits her son near her on the shore. The woman rushes to his side, then turns and shouts up toward heaven,
"Where did his hat go?"

I hope that these "samples" will whet your appetite because this is a book crammed with "wisdom" that is superb. True laughter comes from the profound insight that is laid out in Psalm 8, where the author recognizes that utter insignificance of humans when one looks at the whole universe the Creator has fashioned and muses how amazing it is that the Creator even sees the speck that each of us is. And yet that same Creator has "crowned" us with a wondrous capacity if we only recall where it came from. "Denial..." follows in that tradition.

Rating:
Summary: Cute, but sort of dorky
Review: This is good for people with "Short Attention Span" disorders. But, I'm probably missing the point. That's probably what it's for. I can't quite dis the quotes and don't want to, but it's frothy, kids. And yet, maybe frothy, light and somewhat easy reader-ish is what you desire. After all, they can't all be heavy handed recovery books. You read a bunch of those and you need a drink all over again! So buy it used, that's what I did, it's cheaper that way.

Rating:
Summary: Cute, but sort of dorky
Review: This is good for people with "Short Attention Span" disorders. But, I'm probably missing the point. That's probably what it's for. I can't quite dis the quotes and don't want to, but it's frothy, kids. And yet, maybe frothy, light and somewhat easy reader-ish is what you desire. After all, they can't all be heavy handed recovery books. You read a bunch of those and you need a drink all over again! So buy it used, that's what I did, it's cheaper that way.