LifeLines

An Inspirational Journey from Profound Darkness to Radiant Light

By: Melissa Bernstein

Narrated by: Melissa Bernstein, Lisa Larsen

Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

Join Melissa Bernstein, co-founder of the wildly successful toy company Melissa & Doug, on a journey to triumph over anxiety, depression, and despair - a story she hopes will help others find their path to meaning and inner peace. Now, more than ever, Melissa’s message is needed by others, and her promise to all who journey with her is that you are not alone. This uniquely annotated audiobook takes fellow seekers behind the scenes of Melissa’s transformation with bonus commentary and insights, to help them with their own journeys.

Who would ever guess that Melissa Bernstein, happily married mother of six and creator of over 5,000 toys which have sold over a billion dollars, begins many days the same way far too many others do, wondering if she’ll make it to tomorrow? Melissa shows us that when darkness descends, and it seems there’s no escape, there actually is a way out, there actually is hope, and there actually is a path that can lead to meaning and purpose.

In this dually narrated audiobook, narrator Lisa Larsen leads listeners on Melissa’s path through depression, revealing how Melissa’s “lifelines” transformed despair into a beacon of hope. Melissa herself reads selections from the book’s extensive verses, which chronicle both her struggles and her breakthroughs.

Melissa then takes listeners “behind the scenes” of these verses with annotated commentary, providing insights into where she was along her journey to self-discovery and inner transformation when she wrote each line of verse. With this bonus material, Melissa hopes to share a framework for people seeking their own path from darkness to light.

©2021 Melissa Bernstein (P)2021 LifeLines, LLC

I really wanted to like it

The TV interview where the author confesses (publicly) that she has struggled with mental health issues - like so many of us – was, in and of itself, generous, sincere and helpful. I believe the author is trying to help. Unfortunately, the book has very little to offer. I really wanted to like this book, however, it wouldn’t let me. It’s basically her diary (the very long version). I kept waiting for something interesting or relatable to be said. It was incredibly self-indulgent, painfully repetitive and lacked any real information about her or her mental illness struggles. It’s full of I and me statements, feelings, obtuse poetry and clichés about all of us all being worthy. The only real personal thing that really stands out is her UCONN experience. Seems like she has never recovered from the crushing blow (UCCON denying her admission into a writing master’s program) and seems to pretend not to care (which clearly she does). At least I’m sure that publishing this was very cathartic for her, which is a good thing I guess.

Finally! Someone Gets It!

Lifelines, in and of itself, is an incredible story of struggle, heartbreak, loneliness, courage, resilience, and HOPE. For anyone who has struggled with depression or anxiety, they will find themselves in the pages at some point. To understand even more deeply “existential depression,” Melissa gives her readers and listeners a volume of her experiences and her tools to rise above and embrace every single feeling in the spectrum of emotion. She demonstrates her ability to live WITH her difficulties and embrace them, rather than hide from the world because of them. I can not explain in enough words or details the courage, resilience and, ultimately, Melissa’s commitment to provide a supportive community for a group of people who have been, or felt, that they were different, quirky, and alone. I HIGHLY recommend Lifelines, and especially the audible version, because listening to Melissa herself explain the meaning and creative development of her prose and her verse is truly inspirational. Lifelines is an amazing testament to “RISING UP” when everything is bringing you down. You have to be willing to creatively identify your own Lifelines, and Melissa’s example is a wonderful
Blueprint.