Customer Reviews

Another Way Home: A Family's Journey Through Mental Illness

5 star:		(7)
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I met Janir a few months ago. He is an amazing man and I hope to someday meet his father, John. They have had a challenging life together and have prevailed with support from each other. I was emotionally involved in this book, but even if you do not know either of these men you will find this book hard to put down. I cried through the entire book and after reading the last sentence broke down myself. I was overwhelmed with lonliness and felt honored to be a part of Janir's life. This story is powerful, emotional, and REAL.

This book is very well written! It was such a great read, I could not put it down. I definitely recommend.

I met John Thorndike at a writing conference in 1997. I had not heard of him, but I bought a copy of Another Way Home as the story hit close to home for me. I, too, was raised by a single father and had a mother who was battling schizophrenia. While I did not live in all the different places this family did, I found the book to be honest, raw, and heart-warming all at the same time. This is a book more people should read.

This book is very well written, it gives a very honest depiction of the problems associated with being a single parent. I know John Thorndike's son personally as his summer camp counselor. Janir, now in his twenties, is enthusiastic, considerate, creative and full of energy. A tribute to John meeting the challenges presented to him in his life.

I recommend this book highly! John Thorndike deserves critical praise and your money! Another Way Home is moving, truthful and YOU should read it! You hear me! Tell your friends!

I read this book several years ago, after meeting Janir at summer camp. Knowing little of his background, I was overcome by the emotion in the story.
A fantastic (if heart-wrenching) read.

When I cracked open my copy of Another Way Home, I didn't have any idea what I was in for. Once I was reading, I couldn't put it down. I read for hours, crying and wishing I could reach out and hold Janir and John. The prose is smooth and emotional, darkly textured with passion. I feel like I know every character, like I know John. The imagery and characters are vivid, the style is clear and beautiful. And how badly I wanted to be in Athens, Ohio. I could feel the timelessness of the place: The brick house, the lawn, the boy and his father playing ball. The fields, that's what drew me in: John was creating life-- he was planting seeds and farming and tending his garden as well as tending his son, raising Janir. I can't imagine anyone *not* loving this book. The quote on the back of the book says not only fathers and sons, but mothers and grandmothers will love this book. But look at me. I'm a young woman, a daughter, and nothing could have affected me so proufoundly as hearing his stories: About affairs, trials with Clarisa, his schizophrenic ex-wife, about raising his boy. It pulled heart strings within me. I was raised, I know how it is to have parents cheat on each other, how it is to have crazy relatives, how it is to be lonely. I know you will love it. It contains some very valuable information, and if you pass this one up, you'll be missing out. I promise you that much.