Depression Books

I read this book at a point in my life when I really needed it. It helped me to get through a rough patch and realize that others had a problem similar to mine. This is not a run-of-the-meal self-help book, but a scholarly treatise written for both lay persons and mental health professionals.

This book was responsible for my seeking treatment for depression over 20 years ago. I happened to pick it up thinking it applied to my wife and recognized the symptoms of depression in myself instead. I was supprised to find it still in print after 20 years which I would think is pretty good evidence of it's value. As the title suggests, this book is aimed at women but the points she makes apply to men as well. It is well grounded in legitmate psychololgy though it may be somewhat dated now. Certainly the anti-depressants mentioned are no longer widely used if at all. Still it is a valuable book well worth reading. It isn't do-it-yourself therapy but it may help some people understand when to look for help.

Reading it was like living the last 70 years over again- could relate to it all

Although I've lived my whole life in rural Iowa and was well-supplied with information from my father and grandfather, I still learned things I never knew in this book. The author intended his memoirs to record how people lived in the second decade of the nineteenth century before those with first-hand experience of it were all gone. He includes many photos which liven up the text. This book would make a great gift for anyone with an interest in farming!

I must admit, I bought these blindly. However they are hard backed, full of photos and stories that will engage any young reader. My kids steal these from the book shelves in the middle of the night with flash lights. I know, but I never let them know I know. :) As a homeschooling mom, you couldn't ask for a better history book. The pictures bring the text alive! Quality is just as good, if not better, than DK books.

So many textbooks are a dry series of graphs and charts with very little of interest to the everyday reader. This book, while not a texbook per se, teaches in a lively "You Are There" kind of way. The stories in this book, as well as others in this series, are taken from people who actually lived during these trying times. This is the way history and basic social studies should be taught; children (and adults!) would learn ten times as much and have fun doing it!

The vintage photgraphs scattered throught the book are a very good collection gleaned from the people whose stories are shared as well as old stock photos.

This sort of book is one to be treasured, but one that rarely comes along. Reiman Publications has a series of these books on similar topics (the home front during WWII, motoring memories, women being the backbone of the family, etc.) Buy them ALL and keep them close to home. They will enrich your lives immeasurably.

This book lays out the simple truth--having any chemical imbalance that affects mood is no more "sinful" or shameful than having poor vision that requires glasses to correct. Helps us to get past the judgments we lay on each other--that if there were enough faith or a "real" conversion, then this kind of problem just would not be present.

Instead, in encouraging, scripturally-based writing, Dr Mullen brings correction and solutions to problems most believers want to deny are even present. Thank you, Dr Mullen!

The myths and misconceptions and guilt we had were corrected by this eye opening book. Thankfully, there is a source of information that taught us the reality of depression--that it isn't something you can just "get over"; it isn't just a "bad mood". But, also, that it isn't hopeless--there are answers out there. It is also comforting to know you are not the only family out there dealing with this. With more understanding from books such as this, there is hope that the embarrassment and stigma will disappear, and the healing will begin for many, many more.

I am a person with bi-polar, severe depression. I am currently participating in a Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) program, which is very highly touted in MI therapy. Ms. Maschio's book "When Your Mind Is Clear, the Sun Shines All the Time", to me, is more easily understood and clear than DBT. And because Jill is an MI consumer, I can easily relate to her words. This book helps me build confidence and hope. Thank You Jill Macshio.

Jill Maschio's book, When Your Mind is Clear, the Sun Shines All the Time: A Guidebook for Overcoming Depression takes readers on a personal journey into the murky waters of depression. Written by a survivor afflicted with deep depression for many years, the author shares a candid story about her personal battle with depression. She shows how she came to understand it, face it, and overcome it.

Maschio explains that the key to overcoming depression is "critical thinking." She demonstrates that critical thinking involves taking the time to challenge your feelings and thoughts instead of reacting to them. The author delivers key tools to becoming a successful critical thinker allowing one to develop positive decision-making abilities. By analyzing your thought processes during difficult times and recognizing flawed thinking that can lead to misinterpreting events, she shares how you can head off the path to depression. Readers learn to challenge many influences, internal and external, and develop the ability to question their validity by looking at them from other points of view before jumping to conclusions.

Rationalizing plays a key role in critical thinking. Maschio provides exercises gathered from various authors with experience on a variety subjects in the book including her own self-help exercises. Teaching readers how to assess a situation, the author offers ways to look at things differently thereby engaging in positive decision-making. Readers learn how to recognize when decision-making is the result of an emotional response, which is a fundamental tool to becoming a critical thinker. Various techniques that include relaxation, active listening, the benefits of forgiving others and ourselves, as well as using "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs," help to gain insight into overcoming depression.

With constant reflections of her own inner struggle throughout the book, Maschio shows readers how to apply critical thinking to constant negative thoughts. She delivers an understanding of self-esteem, a logical look where self-esteem originates, the effects of low self-esteem, and how to master the art of raising it by employing critical thinking.

Jill Maschio's guide to overcoming depression stands out from many self-help books because it is told from the perspective of a survivor. It delivers hope to those believing life is hopeless. With over 57 million people in the US suffering from depression, the author demonstrates that we all have it in us to "walk through fear" to break free from the constant cycle of negative thoughts and achieve self-discovery.

Tracy Roberts, Write Field Services

This non-medical book about depression is highly researched, informative, and well written. It explains why women more than men suffer depression, why it is difficult to
recognize/diagnosis, different treatments, and management techniques. I appreciated the author's candor and insight. This valuable book is definately worth the small price.


For parenting help see The Birth to Five Book: Confident Childrearing Right from the Start

I read this book, and finally understood the biological reasons and emotional reasons for my depression. If you are wondering, "why do I feel this way?" Read this book!! Have your mother, sister, or friend read this book. They will also understand why you're feeling the way you are.

My mom asked me one day what was the best book I ever read, and this was one of the three or four that came to mind.
This is an excellent book for several reasons.

It is a story of a man and his family who lived in and was affected by the great depression of the `30's. It starts out with a series of his experiences and anecdotes that really gives a flavor of the period. Some of the make work projects and "boon doggles" are really revealing. Stories such as the weed pulling gangs and hole digging crews, are a scream. Also stories of the renters and landlords and thier troubles and quirks are very interesting reading.

He then continues showing his struggles to get out of the mire of the period and manages to become a reporter during the same time frame. Thus the narrative switches from one who is experiencing the depression to one who is recording the affect of it on life in Canada, as he travels around meeting various people. (Principally in Manitoba). The story of the mother and two kids and their water troubles, still sticks with me.

It even offers some useful analysis as to the causes and affects of the depressions. Something very relevent in todays economic situation. It also helps the person who has grown up in todays world of excess and abundance to appreciate what they have.

This book should be mandatory reading for our generation, possibly in school, to help people see just how good we have it and how bad it can get. It shows just how well the people of the period dealt with the hard times, something of a lesson to us all who take our situation for granted, and expect things to be handed to us.

T found this book readable and informable. I read it to find out what life was like on the prairies during the depression. The book painted an accurate and vivid account. I loved the discriptions of the grasshopper plagues. I appreciated the account of life in the relief camps. It is very difficult to get such information. I would like to read more books by this author.

Women & Depression provides a self-help guide which explores not only the symptoms and treatment of depression, but keys to understanding how it evolves. Many struggles with depression are the result of women participating in careers designed for men, without consideration of pregnancy and other changes in a woman's life. From diet to lifestyle triggers for depression, this provides some important keys to understanding.

I had recently been diagnosed with depression and was sure they had it wrong. My opinion of depression was people sitting around moaning about how bad their life is. I was so wrong and this book helped me recognize so many things in myself that were always attributed to me just being me. Ms. Rosenthal gives straight-forward advice and a no-holds barred look at how depression can affect women so differently than men. I would highly reccomend this book for women with questions regarding depression and for their families as it is extremely insightful. My sister now realizes that I actually do have a problem that I can't just "snap out of".

One of the great and forgotten economic classics.Those who ignore history are bound to repeat its mistakes.
Mandatory reading for Mr Greenspan, Bernanke and all bankers, let alone Central ones.
What they propelled up must come crashing down. Addiction to debt is deleterious to your financial health.
As we are to repeat the 1929 crisis on a grander scale, in technicolor and cinemascope, well worth rereading this great 'black and white' account of the folly of debt.
A sober reminder that 'greed is not good' and that (economic) 'science sans conscience, n'est que ruine de l'âme!'

This is the 1935 classic which tells you, like you've never heard before, just what debt really is, how it works, and why it can bring down any civilization. As good, if not better, than Andrew Dickson White's 'Fiat Money Inflation in France'. Believe me, these will knock your socks off!

This is an essential work for anyone interested in the Great Depression. Kindleberger's approach was perhaps so difficult that it is still unique in itself. While economists of different allegiances attempt(ed) to debunk one another and focus on the domestic workings of the Capitalist mode of production, Kindleberger takes on the international. This is essential - the world is complex - everything is interrelated. I am not sure if this book introduced the Liberal Hegemonic Theory - essentially that a world characterized by a certain order must have a leader - but if it did not it certainly popularized and legitimized it.

This book is outstanding at describing the economics of the Great Depression. In his time, Kindleberger was regarded by many as the highest authority on the economics of the Great Depression. He also was a regular economist of the highest order. (Check out his other books.) This book is outstanding analysis of the Great Depression.

Kindleberger explains that the reason for the Depression was a lack of a stable international economic structure. In other words, the financial structure we enjoy today simply did not exist at the time. The flawed international system could only have led to a financial crisis eventually.

The financial world used a flawed gold standard - and this book describes why it was a disaster. Great Britain (and finance minister Winston Churchill specifically) played a leading role in implementing the flawed international system. Then when the depression hit, Great Britain quickly dumped the gold standard - hypocrosy - and recoverd the soonest. Herbert Hoover rigidly stick to the gold standard. FDR dumped it once becoming president, and it brought about a recovery. But a full recovery from the great depths of the Great Depression did not occur until the massive spending of World War II.

Why did this all happen? There simply was no financial structure in place to exact a powerful enough of a force on the global financial system. Great Britain had abdicated the leadership role and the United States was yet unwilling to assume that role. Nations turned inward (and I would add that countries that devalued quickly faired best).

Macroeconomics had not yet been developed. Keynes General Theory only came out in the mid-1930's, and then it was largely unknown. Friedman would not develop his monetary theory until well after the Great Depression had ended.

The book is not the only explanation of the Great Depression, nor pretends to be, but is a highly valid one and should be considered by anyone seriously interested in the subject. This book is a classic for the subject.