Writing Out the Storm: Reading and Writing Your Way Through Serious Illness or Injury [Paperback]

Barbara Abercrombie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 9, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0312285450 | ISBN-13: 978-0312285456 | Edition: 1

This powerful and deeply inspirational handbook is for anyone coping with serious illness or injury-be it theirs or that of a loved one-who wants and needs to help themselves through the healing process. Offering her own experience with breast cancer, as well as stories from other authors who have suffered from illnesses or severe injuries-from Stephen King to Lance Armstrong-Abercrombie encourages readers to write what is in their hearts and to benefit from the power of shared experience. Using writing as therapy, Writing Out the Storm is a book about healing the soul.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ignore the title, which is bad. It's okay, even, to ignore the writing exercises. Barbara Abercrombie's Writing Out the Storm: Reading and Writing Your Way Through Serious Illness or Injury is a moving, unsentimental portrait of the author with breast cancer, as she navigates her fear of death and love of writing with intelligence and grace; it's a worthwhile book for anyone who's ever thought about writing or thought about sickness. With excerpts from the famous (Raymond Carver, Andre Dubus, Gilda Radner) and the un- (a Spanish-speaking woman who distances herself from her cancer by only writing about it in English), Abercrombie, who teaches in the UCLA Extension Writer's Program, shows how others have dealt with mortal issues and how "nothing can heal the spirit like creativity and faith."
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Barbara Abercrombie gently takes readers' hands and leads us through the world of writing during times of emotional upheaval." (Dr. James W. Pennebaker, author of Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotion)

"Not a whiff of either sentimental optimism or lachrymose pessimism taints this terrific book." (Carolyn See, author of The Handyman and Making a Literary Life)

"Her passion and compassion shine through on every page as she leads us to examine and understand our pain." (Jennie Nash, author of The Victoria Secret Catalog Never Stops Coming and Other Lessons I Learned from Breast Cancer)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (October 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312285450
• ISBN-13: 978-0312285456
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,209,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Abercrombie has published thirteen books, plus essays and articles in many national publications. She teaches in the Writers' Program at UCLA Extension where she recently won a Distinguished Instructor award. Her most recent books are Courage & Craft and CHERISHED: 21 Writers on Animals They Have Loved & Lost. Her next book, A Year of Writing Dangerously, will be published in 2012 by New World Library. She lives in Santa Monica, California and Twin Bridges, Montana with her husband Robert V. Adams, and their rescue dog Nelson.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Writing Out The Storm, September 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Writing Out the Storm: Reading and Writing Your Way Through Serious Illness or Injury (Paperback)

This is an extremely sensitively and well written book about an increasingly common and yet delicate and difficult subject. While the medical specialists are doing their best to deal with the physical aspects of this unwelcome arrival into our own life or the life of a loved one, what do we do about the equally important aspect of the emotional, spiritual and psychic effects?
Using her own personal experience to provide a path to examine the many anxieties and traumas through what was an eventual successful outcome for her the author provides inspiration from famous authors and people like the rest of us that end up providing comfort, insight and even humor into a situation that once seemed simply hopeless.
It may seem awkward or even trivial to write to one of the chapter questions until after you do one but the insight,the relief and the understanding at the end can make this aspect of the book as valuable as a simple reading of an important entry into the library on this important subject.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 tracks woven together to make soul centering music ......., September 18, 2002

By 

David E. Milam (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing Out the Storm: Reading and Writing Your Way Through Serious Illness or Injury (Paperback)

A natural gift to oneself, friends who are on their own journey, and caregivers.

"Writing out the Storm" is an exploration of the journey through life threatening illness and the identity, meaning, joy and personal mastery that may come from it. It draws the reader in.

It has four tracks - each hope filled while reality based

1) The author's own story which wonderfully unfolds, is masterfully told, and woven together with her selections of

2) vivid descriptions from other authors and public figures who bring to bear, through their own unique presence and communications skills, the essence of steps along the journey.

3) gems of real time writing responses by her "ordinary" workshop participants. Some of which so connect with you that you find yourself reading them over, again and again.

4) Direct and sometimes playful trigger questions which invite each reader to explore their own journey and writing.

"Writing out the Storm" is a stirring read that can't be put down, yet must be put down from time to time, as it takes the reader to their core and back.

If you have any doubts just read the chapter headings and imagine the gifts to be found within each.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars writing out the storm, October 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Writing Out the Storm: Reading and Writing Your Way Through Serious Illness or Injury (Paperback)

Barbara Abercrombie is a simply wonderful writer. One of UCLA's most
popular and gifted writing teachers the exercises in this book are
simply amazing .It is easy to understand why Ms. Abercrombie's writing
classes are always full. You will want to give this to everyone you know
who is journeying through an emotional or physical storm. At a recent
book signing people were buying 5 and 6 copies at a time. No ordinary
self- help tome, Ms Abercrombie's own encounter with breast cancer
forms the core of this book. She tells of her fear and anger, her
family's love and support, the indignity and isolation of the disease
and the eventual bonding with others in the Wellness community, where
she holds the workshops which inspired this book. She is able to capture
the humor in even the darkest moments.
You won't be able to put it down. It's a real page turner.