Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chilling, November 8, 2004
I'm In The Tub, Gone by Richard James Carlson is a collection of authentic suicide letters. Mr. Carlson, a former police officer, offers us a rather macabre look into the very private world of those who have chosen to end their lives. Their final words are put on paper (errors and all) exactly as they were written. These suicide letters are undeniably chilling, sad, heartfelt, and terrifying. To read them is akin to driving by a car wreck, you can't turn away from it. You can't help but wonder what might have led these poor souls to take their own lives.
I'm In The Tub, Gone is a difficult book to catagorize. It is unique, and it is powerful. It is simple and it is moving. It is a stark reminder of how lives can be wasted, of how some people become so desperate, they can see no other way out. Make no mistake, this book is depressing, but it sends a message that no one should miss. Nothing is worth taking your life over. The act of suicide is so devastating to those left behind, and often, those who commit the act, have no idea of the long lasting and far reaching consequences of their actions. I recommend this book, not because it will make you feel good, for surely it won't, but rather for its message. It will help you realize how futile and selfish an act of suicide truly is, and how hard we must work not to ever let this happen to anyone we know or love.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping and insightful, December 6, 2004
I think there is a macabe side to all of us. Whenever we hear of a suicide, the first question we ask is always why? But do we really want to know? Do we really want to hear what pushed someone to the brink, to do the unthinkable? "I'm in the Tub Gone" is exactly that. A look at the last thoughts of those who chose to end it all and move past whatever it was that drove them there. Some of the notes are truly sad and crying out for help. Its a shame that their loved ones missed the signs. There are others that are vengeful and mean spirited and are the ultimate act of revenge. Regardless, the book is powerful and gripping and yet at the same time deeply disturbing. Its overall effect is to give us an upclose look at something we really didnt want to see. Is it worth reading? Yes but remember, its not something you will be able to simply put down and forget either.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent insight into the tortured mind, October 19, 2006
Mr. Carlson has successfully assembled the definitive universe of suicide notes offering deep insight into the darkened souls that reach the final conclusion that life is no longer worth living. For professionals working with such distraught patients, this book is a must. Nowhere in literature has any other author captured the entire essence of what it is that compels a person to take his or her life. Mr. Carlson brings his reader face-to-face with the overwhelming sense of helplessness that runs as a common thread through the lives of his suicide victims.
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