Customer Reviews

Snapshots

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Unbelievably well-written -- SNAPSHOTS is an extraordinary window into the immediate and long-term effects of child abuse. I will admit to being both a professional in the field of abuse and recovery and a rather avid reader, and SNAPSHOTS is at the top of my list of recommendations.

I bought the book after seeing the author on an ABC program kindly taped for me by a colleague. Martin had quite a story to tell about what she went through as a child, and how she survived to become a compassionate, thriving adult, with her own child. The book is EXQUISITELY written--hauntingly beautiful--with such a poetic feel about it. As sad as the subject is in the main, I feel as though Martin shared, as well, the most beautiful moments of her childhood.

Prominent in those remembrances is her brother, Jeff, whose gentle display of resistance offers Cassie the hope of survival. One cannot read of this sibling relationship without tears, as it touches upon the desire in all of us to experience such a closeness in our own lives. Martin's description of the adult "family" she and her brother have formed, together with spouses and children, is remarkable, and offers true insight into the ways each of us may transcend difficulty and reinvent ourselves.

I think it's important to note that the television interview that introduced me to Martin's work also featured another writer, Dave Pelzer, who wrote A CHILD CALLED IT, which is on the bestselling list at this time. The day after the program, I went to the bookstore for both SNAPSHOTS and A CHILD CALLED IT.

My impressions of both were entirely different. Pelzer's writing is rough and cumbersome, and seems, unfortunately, to sensationalize this very delicate topic. Where Martin quite obviously avoids plunging the reader into extreme detail of horrifying experiences, Pelzer appears to have no such restraint.

Martin's book was well represented in her conversations on the taped program. It is clear that she is articulate and equally clear that the matters discussed still caused her pain. Pelzer, on the other hand, seemed almost cavalier when reporting his experiences, which seemed quite odd.

I was also quite disturbed after reading A CHILD CALLED IT to find that there were a great many discrepancies between what Pelzer said in the taped interview and what he wrote in the book.

I certainly do not wish to minimize the trauma experienced by any adult survivor, but neither do I care to be manipulated for the purposes of selling a book. I was more than a little curious as to how Mr. Pelzer's story made it past his editor's and publisher's fact checkers. Conversely, if the book is accepted as authentic on its face, how is it that Pelzer ignores published "fact" and goes on to tell quite another tale in person?

I digress. I was, as I stated at the start, hugely impressed with the calm and spare writing style of Martin's SNAPSHOTS. Here is one author from whom I would like to hear more -- particularly about her adult life, how she and her siblings (particularly Jeff) are faring, and what recovery advice she might offer others. I hope readers will be fortunate enough to benefit from her future writing.

I was given the gift of understanding and compassion greater than any I've felt by reading this book. It is written with purity of emotion that draws you in to understand without unnecessary details what feelings a person goes through who is being abused. I could not put it down! My family was touched by abuse and this book drew all of us together. It is life changing and should be read by everyone to open their hearts and minds to the souls around them. Life becomes more precious and makes you realize how important and precious childhood is.I have the blessing of working with "Jeff" and can do nothing but sit back in amazement when I see what he has accomplished in his life when you compare him to all the "victims" around us. "Cassie" is as real as she appears... that's why this book will be successful.

Snapshots by Kimbra Martin, is a unique look at an issue that has received much attention the past few years - child physical and sexual abuse. The book describes Martin's childhood in rural Oregon. She, her two brothers, and a sister grew up trying desperately to survive in a family rigidly controlled by a monster of a father who felt that his children were his to do with as he pleased.

Interspersed with Martin's memories of her childhood are more recent memories of her adult life as a mother. She describes the way she is raising her own son, and how she has created a safe, nurturing place for him to grow, so very different from her own experience as a child.

Two qualities make this book different and well worth reading. The first is the sheer beauty and strength of the writing. Martin's style is almost poetic in form. She conveys events and emotions in simple, elegant images that imply, as much as state, what is happening. Considering the subject matter of the book, it is inappropriate to say that I "enjoyed" it. Yet, the beauty and power of the writing is remarkable and riveting. I read the book in a single sitting. Yes, I had to put it down at various times to recover emotionally; but I was driven by the quality of the writing to finish the book.

The second quality of the book that makes it a must-read is that Martin is not content just to describe what happened to her and her siblings. Rather, she seeks to inspire others who have endured a childhood as traumatic as hers. It has become a cliché of late to assume that adults who were abused as children will likely become either abusers or victims themselves. They may commit crimes; they may abuse drugs; they may be involved in a series of abusive relationships, either as the perpetrator or as the victim.

What Martin demonstrates in her book is that these are not inevitable consequences. We all have choices; we don't have to continue to be victims for the rest of our lives. The author says it best when she states "A person can pick just about any point in life and say `This is the beginning. This is where I start'"

Juxtaposed with Martin's recollections of her childhood are vignettes of her parenting of her own son. There are such striking differences between the two. Where she learned fear, she teaches love. Where she learned cruelty, she teaches kindness. Where she learned that she was worthless, she teaches her own son that he is the center of her world.

One wonders where Martin developed the wisdom to become the kind of parent she is.

This is a book well worth reading, and I strongly recommend it.

A well-written and powerful story, Snapshots isn't a casual read. However, those with an interest or specialty in the social services field will gain precious insights from viewing the cycle of abuse from a child's point-of-view-- including how sometimes the system fails to protect the innocent. Survivors of childhood abuse likewise will find much in the book to strengthen their resolve to break free from the vicious cycle and start down the road towards a brighter future.

A wonderful book! This is a remarkable survival story by a courageous woman. This should be on the reading list for counselors and any practitioners in the helping professions. It is a gift that reminds you of the tenacity of hope, the endurance of love, and the capacity to construct and restore.

I was riveted by this book, and could not put it down! This is a wonderfully written story about the author's abusive childhood, her love of her siblings, and her perspective as an adult. I have to say that even the disturbing parts, dealing with sexual abuse and physical abuse, are written softly, non-explicitly, and are easier to get through than I thought.

I have never gone through this kind of thing, although I know it happens, but it gives such a good perspective on trauma in general, and what it can do to little children and grown-ups. It just made me want to hug my kids AND my parents.

What you take away from the book is an unbelievable amount of wonder that someone could go through this and still have so much love for the world!