Book Review: 'Indigo Hours: Healing Haiku' by Nancy Stone

✰✰✰✰✰ When the author's husband was diagnosed with "likely Alzheimer's," Stone turned to poetry and art to try to make sense of it all. In this book, she covers five years of challenges in the role of caregiver as she lays bare her feelings of sadness, grief, anger, fear, and sometimes little joys along the caregiving journey. Told with brutal honesty, humor, and compassion, the author shares little snippets of their life together post-diagnosis.

The Bottom Line: Caregiving is a role most of us wouldn't choose. Unfortunately, many of us, including me, are finding ourselves doing just that. Artist and author Nancy Stone has channeled both the joys and the challenges of caregiving into a beautiful book of haiku poems. Although based on her experience of caregiving for her husband, who has "likely Alzheimer's," this book would be helpful to anyone struggling with long-term caregiving regardless of diagnosis. Stone's haiku cover the entire spectrum of emotions that one faces as the loved one's illness progresses: anxiety, fear, compassion, care, kindness, anger, grief, frustration, sadness, loneliness, and resolve. Highly recommended for anyone who finds themselves in this situation and in search of wisdom. Stone's inspirational poetry, along with her playful illustrations, will simply soothe your soul.

Details: Indigo Hours: Healing Haiku written & illustrated by Nancy Stone. Paperback published by Rootstock Publishing in 2023. 104 p. ISBN: 9781578691425 [NOTE: I received a free, uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the publisher and the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.]

Book Review: 'American Fix' by Ryan Hampton

✰✰½ The numbers are staggering. Whether you realize it or not, almost everyone knows someone who is dealing with the opioid addiction epidemic in America. It could be your co-worker, neighbor, parent, sibling, or friend. Opioid addiction  can affect anyone. No one is immune. But how did we get to this point? Who is at fault? Many would blame the person with substance use disorder, but there are so many other aspects of this epidemic to consider. American Fix takes a look at Big Pharma, the healthcare community, local resources, and the government.

The author, Ryan Hampton, offers a unique perspective to this issue. As a person in recovery, Hampton has taken on the challenge of putting a face on this epidemic. By sharing his story and that of others, he hopes to encourage people to take action in creating change. If you have an open mind and are interested in discussing what can be done in communities to battle this epidemic, then pick up this book and read on.

The Bottom Line: This is a difficult read that gets you thinking about the current opioid addiction crisis. There is a lot of repetition in the book, and Hampton can sound preachy at times. Nevertheless, Hampton has valuable experience to share. As a person with a substance use disorder who is in recovery, Hampton brings his lived experience to the pages. Hampton succeeds in creating an awareness of the current epidemic, and hopefully encourages the reader to get involved. Recommended for healthcare professionals, mental health professionals, educators, parents, and people struggling with substance use disorder.

Book Club Notes: Members of our group felt very strongly about the issues brought up in this book. Unfortunately, this was one of those rare times when we really did not enjoy the book itself. On a scale from 1 - 5, with 5 being the highest, ratings ranged from a low of 1 to a high of 3.75, with an average rating of 2.5. Why the low ratings? Well, in a nutshell, the author comes across the pages as being very angry and self-serving, which put a lot of people off. Members commented that overall the book was preachy, repetitive, and poorly written; it could have benefited from a good edit. Others commented that Hampton seemed disrespectful to Alcoholics Anonymous and was loose with his facts.

Another issue that really bothered several of us was the comparison of substance use disorder to other chronic diseases, especially breast cancer. While Hampton does have the lived experience of substance use disorder, he made some assumptions about breast cancer, for example, that show a lack of insight. Instead of making comparisons to other diseases, perhaps Hampton could simply focus on the opioid addiction crisis. 

That being said, this book sparked one of our book club's most engaging discussions. Despite all the negatives, this book got us talking to our families, friends, and each other. Hopefully, we will take this discussion into our community, which in turn will allow us to continue to create awareness and understanding about substance use disorder.

This book is a challenging read. Recommended for colleges, communities, and hospitals looking for a way to start a dialogue about the opioid addiction epidemic. Discussion questions are available at Perusall. 

Details: American Fix: Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis--And How To End It by Ryan Hampton with Claire Rudy Foster. Hardcover published by All Points Books in 2018. 304 p. ISBN: 9781250196262 

Book Review: The Care and Handling of Roses With Thorns by Margaret Dilloway

✰✰✰✰ Galilee "Gal" Garner lives for her roses. As an amateur rose breeder, Gal's world revolves around her precious hulthemias. The challenge of breeding the perfect rose consumes her every waking hour when she is not teaching or undergoing dialysis for a chronic kidney disorder. Gal's world is quite predictable, which she finds comforting. Then one day Gal is called out of class to discover that her 15 year old niece Riley has arrived unexpectedly. With nowhere else to go, it's soon settled that Riley will temporarily stay with Gal.

Although Gal teaches high school, she is completely unprepared for the challenges of raising a teenager she hardly knows. Gal is unaccustomed to the demands of parenting and soon finds herself in over her head as she juggles her teaching career, her health issues, and her new role as a guardian to a teen all while aiming to create a rose that will be the envy of the rose society. While Gal is as thorny as her roses and difficult to get to know, her journey changes her from an inflexible spinster into a nurturing caregiver. Along the way, Gal is given the opportunity to start actually living her life instead of living through her roses.

The Bottom Line: This is a beautiful tale told in the first person; it celebrates love, forgiveness, and the bonds of family. Although it is a bit predictable, it was a joy watching Gal's character blossom. This is a fast read, making it perfect for the weekend. Once you pick this one up, you won't be able to put it down. Enthusiastically recommended for those who enjoy contemporary fiction about family dynamics. This will also appeal to those interested in roses and gardening. Additionally, The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns would also be a great pick for a book club.

Details: The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns by Margaret Dilloway. Hardcover published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 2012. 368 p. ISBN: 978-0-399015775-2 Note: I received a complimentary uncorrected proof from Putnam Books in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible by the Early Reviewer program at LibraryThing.