Almost Home: Embracing the Magical Connection Between Positive Humor & Spirituality (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I had my first glimpse of "home" in 1981..." (more)
Key Phrases: therapeutic humor program, caring clown, volunteer jacket, Laughter Club, Hebrew Home, Humor Therapy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

As a nursing consultant in the field of humor, I will recommend this book to my students and conference participants. -- Leslie Gibson, RN, BS, President, Educational Connection

Buy this book! It's written from someone whose mission is to 'change the world one "HA!" at a time.' -- Allen Klein, author of The Courage to Laugh and The Power of Humor

Jacki's personal odyssey into the real of laughter, humor, and healing will inspire many others to follow suit. -- Steve Wilson, Psychologist and President of the World Laughter Tour™.

Product Description

Can a smile silently unite two people? Does laughter have the power to heal? Could the key to our spirituality lie in a simple giggle?

Jacki Kwan, the author, provides the answers to these questions and more through the telling of her story. You'll learn how humor can have a profound influence on your quality of life, your passion for tomorrow, and your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Through humor, you can rediscover what is truly important in your life and uncover the spiritual connection we all have with our fellow human beings.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Cameo Pubns (February 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971573913
• ISBN-13: 978-0971573918
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,149,027 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Introduction to humor as therapy, November 4, 2002

By	Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Almost Home: Embracing the Magical Connection Between Positive Humor & Spirituality" is the autobiographical journey of Jacki Kwan as she learns to bring laughter into her own life as well as the lives of others. In the text Jacki shows how she has learned to use laughter to help heal (physically as well as emotionally) and inspire. It is consistently clear throughout the text that she encourages the use of positive humor to connect to your deeper spiritual self as well as to help others connect with themself.

Jacki works with a theraputic humor program and has helped create such programs at various locations. If you are interested in using humor for therapy the appendices contain useful information and resources.

An enjoyable book that reminds the reader of the importance of laughter in our lives, it is a recommended read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laughter Therapy--Just What We Need!, April 1, 2002

By	Aviva Gorstein (Bryn Mawr, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a wonderful book written by a lady who has always wanted to heal the world one "ha" at a time, but who now realizes that the "ah's" are just as important! In describing how she provides humor, gentle attention, and laughter to seniors in a nursing home, I couldn't help but think how lucky those folks are to have Jacki (aka "Elfinya") in their lives! I couldn't help but remember the final weeks of my own mother's life. The doctors led me to expect no more than a few days before my mother's imminent demise. I spent every day and night with her.Though she suffered from advanced dementia and showed no outward response, I caressed her, spoke to her and played recordings of old, familiar melodies from her childhood. Well, the medical staff were astonished when my mom's "end-of-life expectancy" was exceeded by many weeks! After reading this wonderful book, I realized that even though my mom's body and mind were compromised, her "spirit" was alive and well! That is the message of this book--the gentle, humorous attention administered by "Elfina" to those lucky seniors can indeed rekindle the "spark",the unique and special "spirit" that is so often lost in the cold, clinical, lonely environment of a nursing home or hospital. This is a treasure of a book, and I urge everyone to read it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reconnecting from the inside...out, March 28, 2002

By	Priscilla Pearson Aka Pee Pee the clown (San Rafael, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Almost Home picks you up and takes you on a spiritual journey of both revelation and vulnerability. Jacki reaches down to your very core and shares her most intimate feelings and experiences, in the hope it may make our journey `home' a little easier.

This book holds the key to unlock the secrets deep within us. Jacki shows us how, through facing her own challenges, to acknowledge our fears, inhibitions and any preprogrammed beliefs we may have about ourselves.

Almost Home has a delightfully different approach to fulfilling our lives with all that is valuable...health, happiness, love, compassion, selflessness and the ability to laugh and bring great joy not only to others, but to ourselves also.

Laughter has the ability to pierce through the darkest of times. Jacki lovingly reminds us, throughout her book, never to miss an opportunity to lift someone's spirits, if only for a moment, for that moment may last a lifetime. What wonderful words to take on our journey......THANK YOU Jacki!