Customer Reviews

Finding My Voice

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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

As a big fan of "The Diane Rehm Show," I guess I'm somewhat biased, but I truly think this is an excellent, honest, heartfelt book. In "Finding My Voice," Diane comes across as the same admirable person we all know from her radio talk show --honest, direct, curious (about ideas and above all about people), down-to-earth, warm, caring, determined (even stubborn) and - despite her lack of a college degree (who cares?!?) - highly intelligent. In my opinion, the really interesting parts of the book deal less with Spasmodic Dysphonia than with: 1) Diane growing up as a girl in a traditional Arab-American family in the 1940s and early 1950s with a depressed, anxious, abusive mother; 2) the obstacles (professional, personal) which Diane -- and many talented young women -- were forced to overcome to achieve something for themselves in the male-dominated society of the 1950s and 1960s; 3) Diane "finding her voice" in a growing radio career, and in a broader sense the overall growth of talk radio - for better ("The Diane Rehm Show" and others where people can have a civilized discussion and actually are encouraged to think for themselves) and for worse (Rush Limbaugh and "Dr. Laura" - blech - where people berate each other, preach to each other, or mindlessly "ditto" the host); and 4) Diane's constant struggles to overcome deepseated feelings of insecurity and of not being worthy, despite (or even fueled by) her growing outward success.

Besides that, there are also some memorable moments with some really bizarre/obnoxious guests - Tony Randall and Tom Clancy stand out in particular - and some really excellent ones - Race Hoss and Jimmy Carter, for instance. And unlike many celebrity autobiographies, in "Finding My Voice" this does not come across -- at least to me -- like mere gratuitous name dropping. Instead, they are an integral part of Diane's story, illustrating some of the best and worst which she has faced in her radio career.

Finally, "Finding my Voice" shows us that -- whatever she may feel about herself (and whether or not she'll ever truly believe it) -- Diane Rehm IS an amazing person who deserves every bit of success and happiness she has achieved in her life. I'm just thankful that Diane finally DID manage to "find her voice," and hope that she doesn't lose it for years and years to come! P.S. Thank goodness for public radio -- and for everyone who supports it!

I read this book in about two or three days, and had a hard time putting it down. Diane's writing takes on the familiar warm and friendly tone of voice her listeners have grown to love. In this book she writes openly of her very personal struggle of coping with the stresses of her life. I was very moved at times, sometimes laughing and cheering out loud, my jaw dropped in awe and surprise at others, and my heart sank at some of the crushing blows she's been dealt, both from within and without. A highly recommended book for both fans of the Diane Rehm Show and/or anyone interested in a fascinating human story.

Believe me, I am a devoted fan of Diane Rehm's. She is the most articulate, knowledgable, talented talk show host in the country. Thus I was disappointed by her autobiography. Of course, because her outstanding talent is interviewing, I guess I can't expect her to be a brilliant writer as well.

I thought she harped on her sad childhood too much. Over and over again she blames her mother--and her father less so--for emotionally crippling her entire life. Many of us have had less than happy childhoods, and many of us have suffered some type of abuse, but most of us get over it--or at least don't go around continually blaming our flaws on our parents and/or childhood. I certainly didn't expect Diane Rehm to do so. She seems much too mature and wise for that.

The other disappointment I have is the writing itself, which is not as smooth and polished as it should be. (Where was the editor?) There's also some repetition of passages from one chapter to another, as if the author had forgotten she had said this same thing earlier in the book.

"Finding My Voice" is as interesting, moving and uplifting as anything you'll read this or any year. Diane Rehm, the noted NPR radio host from Washington, DC, tells of her fascinating and often difficult life with amazing grace and openness. A daughter of Middle Eastern immigrants, Diane Rehm's childhood was marked by loneliness and occasional violence, yet she persevered and eventually raised a family. She unexpectedly en- tered broadcasting in her late thirties and joined

WAMU, Washington's public radio station, to deve- lop one of America's unique and thoughtful talk shows- now syndicated to many NPR stations. Nothing, however, prepared Diane for the ul- timate challenge- a mysterious condition that rendered her voice nearly mute. After years of therapy, she was diagnosed with spasmodic dyspho- nia- a rare neurological disorder affecting vocal cords. Through treatment, therapy and faith, she has returned to the air- and received much support from both prominent Washingtonians and her regular listeners. More than a "disease of the week" story, "Finding My Voice" is a moving and incredibly thoughtful look at a woman you'll be proud to know. You'll walk every step of the way with Diane as she tells her many stories- some painful, some joyous- and shares her many meaningful views on the media, on family, and on life. This is one of the few books that I feel will make a difference in my life. You won't forget Diane Rehm- I know I won't.

Diane Rehm shows that even celebrities can have insecurities and be vulnerable to life's ups and downs. She shows true-grit to not only overcome typical childhood and adult difficulties but also the rare speech disorder known as Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD). As a fellow-SD'er, I also have a need to "find my voice" as I work for a major international corporation. Despite faxes and email, it is necessary to communicate in person. So I fully understand what Diane has been going through.

"Finding my Voice" is an excellent vehicle for people needing some motivation to overcome any adversity, especially those with vocal difficulties. She finally gets to discuss her Spasmodic Dysphonia on page 187 and it continues through to book's end on page 246.

She only briefing touches on the fact that there is an international support group for Spasmodic Dysphonia. NSDA provides education, information, contacts, literature and commaradrie. Those with a computer can reach the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association (NSDA) at nsda@aol.com. Their support can be as much or as little as you want.

Diane's book provides a good foundation to get to know her as a person, starting at early childhood and going through to present day. She is truly an inspiration to anyone facing adversity.

Diane Rehm's book, Finding My Voice, has two aspects - finding her voice, her inner self, expressing who she is and literally, not figuratively, finding her voice. The first part, finding herself, and who she is, is a tale of gradual development and slow realization of herself and what her capabilities are. The second aspect, finding her physical or actual voice, is a different story. She indicates in her book that she has had trouble with her voice for a long time.

Finding my Voice by Diane Rehm is a story of a little known voice affliction called Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD). The condition was first described in 1871 by Traube. In over 125 years, the medical profession has had no cures of the condition - whether by psychiatry, surgery, or botulinum toxin (Botox); speech therapy also has had no cures. Ms. Rehm tells of the development of her spasmodic dysphonia. She brings to the public an awareness of this little known condition. Her journey to obtaining a diagnosis of SD had its uplifting aspect - finally she found out what her voice problem was named. Ms. Rehm was relieved to know what her problem was; the problem now was how to deal with it.

She opted for injections of Botox, or botulinum toxin, a deadly poison. Botox was her option after she failed to find help by psychiatry, psychotherapy, drugs, and speech therapy. Dr. Gerald Berke, Chairman of UCLA Head and Neck Division, reports regarding Botox: "...there are some obvious drawbacks. It requires lifelong visits from 4 to 10 times per year for repeat injections. The injections are not inexpensive. The interval between post injection breathiness, good voice, and the return of symptoms may not be very long in some patients. Hypersensitivity and antibody formation have been shown to produce some long term structural changes in muscle cells." This quote was taken from National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association Newsletter (December, 1999, p.7). (Ms. Rehm is an Honorary Board Member of this organization.)

Diane Rehm is an expert interviewer, intellectually stimulating. I was privileged to be on her radio program approximately four years ago, talking about my book Stop Committing Voice Suicide. This book deals with SD and other serious voice problems and explains that such disorders are due to voice misuse and abuse, and different voice disorders, including SD, by a non-medical, non-invasive, non-risk approach called Direct Voice Rehabilitation.

Ms. Rehm was told by me that Direct Voice Rehabilitation (DVR) is not speech therapy - that it is entirely different and has achieved cures of SD, her voice problem. Ms. Rehm's book, Finding My Voice, doesn't address DVR or cures of SD.

I believe Ms. Rehm developed SD by misusing her voice for many, many years. She notes that she had voice problems for almost all of the years she has been in broadcasting. Her view is that Advil began the SD, and that God is sending her a message. My view is that she is not aware of misusing her voice (the pitch and tone focus), and adheres to a voice image that keeps her voice in the lower throat, where all SD patients erroneously focus their voice. She believes SD is a dystonia; I find it a dysphonia. The difference being is that dystonia is neurological (involuntary); a dysphonia is functional misuse and abuse of the voice (voluntary, but unintentional and unknowing).

The concern I have with Diane Rehm's book is that she omits an alternative choice of treatment for those suffering from SD, and other voice problems, for her readers, listeners and viewers.

On my website there are a number of cures reported by patients who once had SD and many other types of voice problems, patients who were diagnosed by leading medical doctors and medical centers. This site also gives information about how DVR works and why it achieves cures.

Morton Cooper, Ph.D., Voice and Speech Pathologist and author of Stop Committing Voice Suicide and Change Your Voice, Change Your Life.

Inspirational story about the life of a courageous woman who has overcome many obstacles to achieve what she set out to do. Her ability to learn to deal with a disease that could have ended her fascinating career is an inspiration to all. Diane was not afraid to deal in therapy with the traumas she had as a child. She has became a stronger person and so much surer of herself, which shows in her interviews. She is a very capable and sympatico talk show host.

I positively anticipated the insights that Diane Rehm might have for me regarding the speech disorder, Spasmodic Dysphonia, one I share with her and which frustrates me every day.

The beginning of her life's story is mildly engaging; only "mildly" because her telling of it lacks the insight and perspective necessary to create a truly compelling memoir. I continued reading, hoping that all this set-up may be leading to something enlightening.

As her life progresses on the pages, it becomes less and less intriguing, and I began to wonder when she was going to address Spasmodic Dysphonia (the apparent "hook" of the book, according to the dust jacket). Well, all you get is a skimpy relating of her condition near the end of the book, with a startling lack of examination from the author as to how the events leading up to this climax are related to the disorder itself.

Very disappointing. Little more than celebrity autobiography, and not outstanding in that context, either.

"Finding my Voice" is an honest and an open account of Mrs. Rehm's life and the various experiences and challenges which have made her the person she is today. Having been raised in a similar ethnic background, I found the early chapters to resonate with some of my personal experiences. I simply couldn't put it down. The style of writing and language enable for comfortable reading. Moreove, the chapters which deal with self evaluation, facing personal and family challenges and overcoming vocal restirctions are a testimony of the resilience and strength of the human spirit. My wife has also read the book, and she shares my appreciation of it.

From her modest begninnings, NPR talk show host Diane Rehm reveals her poignant--sometimes agonizing--struggle to find her own identity, career, success, and, yes, her VOICE.

Proving that no mountain is too high to climb, including overcoming spasmodic dysphonia--a mysterious speech problem robbing her of her livelihood, namely, her voice. After submitting to psychiatric treatment and dutifully taking various antidepressant and antiaxiety medications, she followed the advise of her physician and submitted to controversial Botox injections, permitting her doctor to inject her vocal folds with the deadly bacterial agent, botulinum toxin.

While the treatment ostensibly worked for Ms. Rehm, namely, she 'recovered' her voice, it fails to yield consistent results with many patients diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia--or strangled voice. Now a leading spokesperson for the Spasmodic Dysphonia Association, Ms. Rehm regrettably ignores a balanced discussion about other effective treatments, including, the non-toxic, non-invasive process of direct voice rehabilitation.

While it's exemplary that Ms. Rehm adopted the cause of spasmodic dysphonia, readers deserve a more even-handed discussion of other available treatments. Blessed with good fortune, readers shouldn't generalize too far beyond Ms. Rehm's own happy ending.