Customer Reviews

The Gift of Hurt

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Reviewed By Denise Clark

Copyright © 2002

"The Gift of Hurt" is the story of one woman's journey through life and the stumbling blocks she encounters along the way. The author has experienced situations and deeds that might have destroyed a lesser person. Stories of friends committing suicide, her subjection to sexual abuse as a child, and enduring the kidnapping but safe return of her husband seem to serve as a catharsis for the author, as if in purging and putting on paper every bad memory and incident she endured will help heal a broken soul. And I certainly hope it did, for "The Gift of Hurt" is not a light read, and the subject matter may disturb gentler sensibilities than this reader's own.

Though the writer tends to spend quite a bit of time elaborating on what seem minor incidents, this book reads like someone relating events of a lifetime over a morning cup of coffee. Ms. Crabtree bares all, as if once started, she could not find it within herself to stop. I can't say I 'enjoyed' this book, the subject matter was just too depressing, though Ms. Crabtree does have the ability to take the reader into her confidence and expose her own travails so that others might understand and learn that many of us are not fortunate enough to escape the sordid side of life.

Opening this book was to be my doom...because I found that I didn't want to close it, no matter the importance of the other tasks that I needed to be doing. I was drawn in after the first page and the grasp that The Gift of Hurt had on me did not loosen until I finally closed the book after its conclusion. This is a wonderful book and whether you are a big reader or not, you will love it!

Tragically, this book has suddenly become even more timely since the attack on our country in light of the fact that tens of thousands or even millions of Americans are or will be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to some degree or another. I have every confidence that the techniques that are included in "The Gift of Hurt", will help people recognize and cope with this disorder.

I started reading The Gift of Hurt and couldn't put it down. There were so many emotions flowing, I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next.