Customer Reviews

A Life Worth Living

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Nick Rogen's A Life Worth Living is the fundamental search that we are all faced with at one point or another: what is my place in this world and how exactly do I live up to the expectations of myself and those around me? Lost and under the influence of anything he can get his hands on, Nick utilizes writing as a way to channel his aggravation towards his substance abuse, the helplessness he feels towards his mother, and the inability to break out of a dead end job. Nick Rogen's book is nothing short of inspirational for those who have been in his position and even for those who have not. When I read this book I could feel the pain practically bleeding from the pages. It is so easy for us all to overlook those who are in desperate need of help but Nick shows that even though no one could see how deeply he had damaged himself there are many around him who have helped guide him through his own recovery.
It really opens your eyes to the endless possibilities around you. If one guy can make it through all of this to come out exponentially happy in the end then we all can if we only just follow his example by choosing the struggles of happiness over materialism and temporary satisfaction found inside a bottle. In reading his book I want to make the ultimate decision to live for my happiness and reach for all of my dreams rather then the idea of power, money, and complacency. I commend Nick for his brave story telling and recommend this book for everyone so that we do not forget the simple things in life and to remember that a little encouragement goes a long way.

This book is a deep insight into the nature and history of ones self and what it takes to strive for happieness in this ridiculous world we live in. Written in wry and lyrical humor, etched with deep heartache, this memoir is a shining gem, gleaming brighter than others of it's kind. I just read this book straight through in one sitting, my eyes are swollen and red from crying, my heart is swelling from all the places it's moved me. I look forward to Nick Rogen's sophomore publication with giddy, child-like anticipation!

A Life Worth Living is a heart- and gut-wrenching view of a bipolar mother with gambling and drug addictions, as experienced by her only child through his teenage and young adult years.

Nick Rogen pulls no punches as he relates the loss of his teenage dreams which led to subsequent addictions as he and his father confronted his mother's crises and denials to help her cope with them and the problems they created. The family traveled to Europe and to China in search of healing for Nick and his mother. When healing came, it showed itself in most unexpected ways.

Many books are written by parents who raised a child with a disability. This is a seldom heard story of what the child of a parent with a mental disorder faced, and the extreme measures he and his family undertook to help both Nick and his mother regain their lives.A Life Worth Living

This is not your typical memoir about getting addicted to drugs or alcohol and getting clean. Nick Rogen does an excellent job of articulating the lonely and often confusing world of an addict. I appreciated the gift he gave me as the reader to live in his frame of mind throughout the book. I was especially interested to see how the love and support for his mother weaves in and out of his journey, eventually transferring to his new sister. I bought this book as a gift for two people who have addicts in their life. I believe Nick's book will help them relate to what their friend is going through.

Three powerful titles are top picks for any health or general lending collections. Nick Rogen's A LIFE WORTH LIVING tells of the author, an average small-town teen until his mother's bipolar disorder lead him to know a world of doctors, electroshock treatments and his own battle with substance abuse. His story tells how he began to find hope in the course of a trip to China that changed his perspective when his family adopted an abandoned Chinese girl.

In reading this book I found the place where all of us go when we hurt. We self medicate in one way or another. Nick Rogen was brave enough to let the world in on his pain and how he made his way out of the hell he was in. Nick Rogen is a brave young man. Not many make the decision to follow their dream and turn away from the self abuse. I think this book is not only wonderful but will be very helpful to others who are looking for that inspiration to follow their dreams. I would recommend this book to everyone to read.

yikes...an autobiography of a community college student? he was concerned that he didn't have anything to say when he considered writing as a life's work. he was right. lost youth with not much to show at this point except this poorly aggrandized self story. if this is his best effort, or a foreshadowing of things to come, he should go back to twisting pepsi caps.