Step Back from the Exit: 45 Reasons to Say No to Suicide [Paperback]

Jillayne Arena (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996

Why shouldn't we call it quits when the world is a painful place and the future seems non-existent?

This book offers direct, practical, accepting short essays for those facing the blind alleys, bottomless pits, and concrete barriers of life.

The author acknowledges the feelings, but asks us to wait. Open it to any page and read until you find your own reason to live.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Suicide rates continue to rise. Assisted suicides continue to grab headlines. Why shouldn't we call it quits when the world is a painful place and the future seems non-existent? Direct, practical, accepting, at times humorous--this book offers support for those facing the blind alleys, bottomless pits, and concrete barriers of life. Arising from the author's struggle with suicidal thoughts, these 45 short essays range in diversity from Marilyn Monroe to William Styron, from guilt to vitamins, and from bad manners to bad genes. While acknowledging the depth of pain that brings people to consider suicide, this book asks them to wait. The format is easy to read wherever opened, intelligent, yet fitting to a short attention span. When someone can't imagine one reason, this book offers 45. Additionally, the rare glimpse into this other world has helped physicians, counselors, police, teachers, chaplains, family, and friends further understand the suicidal psyche.

Review

A book that looks at suicide from inside the mind of someone battling it -- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Zebulon Pr (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964734001
• ISBN-13: 978-0964734005
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #994,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful, outstanding treatment of a sensitive issue., February 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Step Back from the Exit: 45 Reasons to Say No to Suicide (Paperback)

This book sensitively treats a very torubling issue, and meets its goal of identifying reasons someone considering suicide might want to reconsider. The book is honest and not condescendingly flowery. It realisticly and frankly treats the concerns and prolbems that have driven depressed individuals to suicide, and offers diverse reasons and rays of hope that will provide comfort to almost anyone. The sections are easy to read, and you can flip open the book to any passage and read it without worrying about the author's style bothering you. I only wish that the book were longer

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you need to be reminded why suicide isn't the way to go,, April 2, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Step Back from the Exit: 45 Reasons to Say No to Suicide (Paperback)

Sometimes I need to be reminded what is out there to keep me from suicide. This books reminds me what I have to live for and a few things I never thought about. I keep this book with me when this get really bad and it has help pull me through a few really rough times

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A kindred spirit, January 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Step Back from the Exit: 45 Reasons to Say No to Suicide (Paperback)

From the preface I could feel the author's emotion and pain. I felt I finally found someone who could understand. Not the usual flowery "life is wonderful, don't do it" suicide prevention book. This is down to earth, real reasons for living despite the depression.