Customer Reviews

The Lost Soul Companion: A Book of Comfort and Constructive Advice for Black Sheep, Square Pegs, Struggling Artists, and Other Free Spirits (Dell Book)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am both weary and wary of warm-fuzzy, pet-your-inner-artist books. Only rarely do I feel like a "lost soul." However, I found The Lost Soul Companion to be quite refreshing! Kudos to Brackney for offering practical advice and sharing her own experiences so matter-of-factly. I recommend reading this book if only to be reminded that there are others in the world like yourself, and that they are doing Just Fine.

I appreciated the down-to-earth approach Susan took to writing this book. Through her research (Famous Suicides, and What-Ifs), amusing real-life anecdotes (Anger and the Evil Heads), and personal revelations about her struggle with clinical depression (Creativity and Depression: Getting Out of the Hole), Susan helps the reader contemplate the important things in life, and gives good advice for creatively coping with life's difficulties.

I found myself feeling different emotions at various places in the book. For instance, I laughed with tears in my eyes when I read an all-too familiar reaction to home-made snow globes (p. 46). And I felt validation and compassion towards the feelings Susan shared relating to dealing with depression. Thankfully, Susan ended the book with motivating thoughts for living well, and helps us all to appreciate that "Life is a gift: Eat it Up!"

The Lost Soul Companion is a mix of touching stories, cautionary tales, quirky anecdotes and tidbits of personal wisdom that touch the heart and spirit. Ms. Brackney has written a wonderful book that holds within its pages hope for those who struggle with depression and face a world that so often shuns the most magnificent creative spirits among us. This book is for these "lost souls" and those who love them. It will delight and inspire you.

Somehow I never can get enough of little books by artists who have managed to find their niche in the world while relating to all of us who still struggle. Like SARK, Susan has obviously opened up her heart for us to see that we are not alone and that the world is only as good or bad as we make it for ourselves.

Thanks, Susan, for inspiring other stuck artists and for sharing your stories.

I stumbled across this great little book and loved every minute of reading it! For anyone struggling to live their life more creatively, be it music, art,writing, etc, this book is for you. It can be difficult to get where you want to be in these fields, but there is hope and helpful suggestions here!

I must have read thousands of books in my lifetime. Most of the books I've read as an adult were non-fiction,mostly history and self improvement. I can honestly say that I have NEVER EVER found so much interesting,useful and strange information packed into so small and short a book! There is a lot of stuff on suicide,yes,but there are many OTHER things. The author touches on what's wrong with "the big time", quoting a guy who actually SAMPLED it and hated it. She talks about the joys of having a pet,an invention by an autistic woman that has been used to treat autism and is now for sale commercially,the Burning Man event (don't worry,he's handmade,NOT a PERSON,and it's an annual event),ways to stop procrastinating,about adjusting goals to fit present realities,success versus failure (and who's running the huge vacuum cleaner that pulls you down to failure) and a LOT of other things. It's a quick read you'll want to reread again and again,with mostly very short chapters,illustrated with drawings and other artwork by the author herself. Funny,deep,sad,and fascinating by turns. This book is truly unique. I'm an artist and enthusiastic writer of letters and emails,myself,and this book was a BIG help to me. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's a struggling artist of any kind,or anyone else who is having a hard time figuring out where to go in life,or if it's worth the pain to just keep hanging in there (it surely IS!!). If you are artistic,sensitive,or feel lost,confused or sad a lot,BUY it!! The author even includes her address at the end,and ANSWERS LETTERS!

I bought this book as a gift to my wife because she is a creative person that sometimes feels like a Square Peg and it is hard for me to understand why she feels in this way.

She was not very excited at the beginning, but after a couple of days she told me how impressed she was because Susan M. Brackney was able to describe in great detail the situation that she was going through, providing good advices about how to handle those bad days and how to deal when you are facing a creative emptiness.

It was good to see how she finished the book in less than a week and had a great feeling that there are more people out there like her. I read the book also and it was impossible not to get hook to it. Great book, great advices and very interesting content (actionable).

Now I have all the books from Susan and her witting style is very natural, friendly, clear and engaging. A perfect book to read after work just to learn something different while getting disconnected from everyday nuances.

One last thing: "Plan bee" is a book from Susan that is about bees and the everyday job of a beekeeper, but it was a delightful book that I finished in just three days. It is filled with great information that makes me wonder how many amazing things are living and happening outside (like bees) of my everyday routine.

it is a comforting book. i laughed and cried while reading it, i found susan's way with words very touching and 'real'. i only rate this four stars instead of five because i feel she isn't reaching her full potential with this book, she has the talent to go so much further!

I had expected this book to have a little more advice about succeeding as a 'square peg'/struggling artist, rather than just surviving... and hadn't quite expected so much information on "Why you shouldn't kill yourself" or "Why anti-depressants are OK".

As a previous reviewer noted, a struggling artist isn't necessarily suicidal. Perhaps the flaw with the book is the inclusion of too many 'types' of people in the title. Indeed, the advice you'd give to a 'black sheep' would not really be the same as the advice you'd offer to an artist who hasn't 'made it' yet. The author ends up talking a lot about general hopelessness, when it isn't all that relevant to many of the people she's addressing; particularly 'free spirits' who, by the sounds of them, are possibly quite carefree and, well, free-spirited.

I suppose the word "comfort" in the title is a major hint towards all of this, but I felt it was all a bit extreme. I will give credit to the author for having an accessible, warm style of writing though. It keeps the book fairly likeable.

I bought this book because the title really appealed to me. I am a square peg, free spirit, struggling artist, all of the above, but I am and never have been suicidal.

What I thought would be a funny, uplifiting book, turned out to be a survival guide for those considering suicide.

I am sure that this book is helpful to many people who do feel lost and feel there is no other way out, but not all free spirits feel so helpless. We could use some guidance and humor but not a list of "100 things to do instead of committing suicide."