Terry: My Daughter's Life-And-Death Struggle With Alcoholism
Author: George S. McGovern
List Price: $14.00
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ISBN: 0452278236
Publisher: Plume (August, 1997)
Sales Rank: 91,555
Average Customer Rating: 4.91 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Disturbing Lessons
George McGovern honors the memory of his daughter, and struggles to understand his own choices and mistakes in this powerfully moving and tragic story. Deep thanks and deep condolences are due McGovern for writing this book. He raises an issue that must be emphasized: his daughter fell victim to the self-pity and the delusions of the "wounded child" craze of the early '90s. She was aided and abetted by reckless "therapists" who encouraged her to blame all her problems on her family, her upbringing, and especially her parents. The greatest tragedy of Terry McGovern's life was not that she was an alcoholic, but that she was an alcoholic who refused to use the tools available to her to get better. Exactly why she made that choice can never be fully known. But clearly the healthiest, most productive, and most sane years of her life were the 8-years she was treating her alcoholism in AA (which is not the "secret society" absurdly referred to by an earlier reviewer; an organization open to all of the public and listed in the telephone book is not a secret society). AA teaches the need to take responsibility for one's actions, not blame Mommy and Daddy. Terry chose not to take responsibility, and instead descended into the quicksand of psychobabble and infantilization of the "inner-child," recovered memory, Blame-Everything-On-Your-Parents school of late 20th century American psychology. The destructiveness of this philsophy and its practitioners needs to be more fully revealed. Everyone interested in this problem as well as in alcoholism should read this book.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Shockingly familiar grounds
I read this book when it first came out. At the time I was suffering from depression and alcoholism. I wept as I read the pages because I knew that I too could end up like Terry. I felt for Terry and her family all through out the book. I also realized how my family must have felt and how they might feel if I too fell victim to myself and alcohol. You have to give credit to the courageouls George McGovern to share his families sacred secrets and tradgedy. This is a must have book for anyone who is an alcoholic, heavy drinker or depressed or anyone who knows or lives with an alcoholic or heavy drinker.
Rating: 5 out of 5
A harrowing and heartrending tale of alcoholism.
Former South Dakota senator, and one time Presidential hopeful, George McGovern relates the sad story of his daughter Terry, who's alcoholism finally killed her when she passed out in a snowfilled alley outside of a bar one cold December night. With an objective honest and insight into both his daughter and the nature of addiction, McGovern tells how him middle daughter grew up and became mired in an inescapable quicksand of addiction. Having recently lost my wife to the ravages of this disease (ironically this book was one of hers and one she quite enjoyed reading) I can relate to McGovern's feelings of anger, frustration, and helpless regret over how the disease warped both his daughter's spirit and mind. This book is an essential for anyone who has ever had to battle, or has a loved who battles, this wretched, life eating disease. Highest recommendation. Similar Products
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