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Until I Say Good-Bye
- My Year of Living with Joy
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Susan Spencer-Wendel's Until I Say Good-Bye: My Year of Living with Joy is a moving and inspirational memoir by a woman who makes the most of her final days after discovering she has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
After Spencer-Wendel, a celebrated journalist at the Palm Beach Post, learns of her diagnosis of ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, she embarks on several adventures, traveling to several countries and sharing special experiences with loved ones. One trip takes Spencer-Wendel and her 14-year-old daughter, Marina, to New York City’s Kleinfeld's Bridal to shop for Marina's future wedding dress - an occasion that Susan knows she will never see.
Co-written with Bret Witter, Until I Say Good-Bye is Spencer-Wendel's account of living a full life with humor, courage, and love, but also accepting death with grace and dignity. It's a celebration of life, a look into the face of death, and the effort we must make to show the people that we love and care about how very much they mean to us.
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What listeners say about Until I Say Good-Bye
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Bonny
- 03-19-13
Until I Say Good-Bye is a paradox for me.
Let me start by saying that I am neither capable nor even allowed to pass judgement on such a personal memoir, thus Until I Say Good-Bye presents quite a paradox for me. If I could have given my perspective without first entering a rating, I would certainly have done so. I admire Susan Spencer-Wendel for many characteristics - her ability to live with ALS unflinchingly, her humor, grace, acceptance, desire, and perseverance in writing the book. The author states, "First and foremost, I wrote the book for my family and friends to have, to jog their memories after I'm gone." In this capacity, she succeeds immensely. In the face of her rapid neuromuscular decline until she is left with only the ability to type with her right thumb on her iphone, she manages to write this book with the help of Bret Witter.
The paradox for me is that I think this book is most successful as a very personal memoir, for the author's children, family, and friends, but the publication of this book, along with a movie deal, will allow Spencer-Wendel and her family the ability to "Live with joy. And die with joy, too.” This is such an intensely personal story that while I can admire the author, I don't think I can ever really understand her circumstances along with those of her family. It does serve as a reminder of how lucky most of us are, something which we will most likely not be able to acknowledge so personally until we experience our own unlucky circumstances.
10 people found this helpful
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- Gillian
- 01-26-15
5-Star End of Life; 3-Star Book
Boy, do I feel bad giving somebody with ALS 3 stars, but, while this book had a quite a bit going for it, it did indeed have a few notable drawbacks.
First the drawbacks. It wanders and could've used somebody to draw in the threads tighter so it didn't feel like we were jumping from one epiphany/adventure/loving thought to another without proper segues.
Two: Sure, this is about Life, not Death, but the ALS is soooo sanitized, you'd think it was easy. I'm working on my second novel, and a character of mine has ALS, so all I know about it comes from research, and it is brutal. I certainly don't expect Susan to make her book all about her suffering (especially as this is something her children will be reading later), but perhaps she could've put in some more about how hard the illness is. Her children could only be that much prouder of her, and people with ALS (PALS), and their friends and families could use the inspiration she provided. She missed a chance there. Really, it comes off as easy. She travels. Easy. Carried on the beach. Easy. Eats all her favorite foods. Easy. She wants this/that/the other and her family says no? Well, she wants it, so they're gonna do it for her anyway.
It's only at the end where she needs help toileting, and that's only a blip on the radar without embarrassment. Communication is the one thing that is difficult. For a woman whose life was words, I expected more emotion I suppose. Then again, I'm just big into emotion, so make of it what you will.
The best part of this book is that this is a loving family, and an adopted woman fitting pieces together before she dies, saying yes to life as much as she can.
And Karen White, who BRUTALIZED "Daring Greatly," does an admirable job here.
This is a good, credit-worthy book, well worth the listen, just park some expectations by the door.
4 people found this helpful
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- lvtotravl
- 11-17-13
You will laugh & you will cry
What an example Susan Spencer-Wendel sets for parents everywhere! To accept her fate so gracefully -- and concentrate on the things that really count in life…children, family & friends, she's the ultimate inspiration. Her honesty about her situation is refreshing. This book is the one I'm choosing for book club this month. It will make for a thought-provoking discussion as we head into 2014 about what really matters in our lives. Loved, loved, loved the book -- and am following Susan's life on Facebook now.
3 people found this helpful
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- Lauren
- 04-22-13
Unique Memoir, Fitting Performance
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
If you were told you only had a year to live, what would you do? Susan Spencer-Wendel decided to create memories for her loved ones, travel the world, and live her last few months on earth with joy. This book is her way of not only chronicling her struggles as her body slowly deteriorates from ALS but also tell the story of her life for her children to cherish one day when she is no longer with them. The lessons she imparts and the love she shares makes this an inspirational read for all my friends because you never know when your time on this earth will be up.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Until I Say Good-Bye?
There are so many experiences Susan Spencer-Wendel shares about her unique life: getting married on the fly and moving to Hungary with her new husband, watching the space shuttle take off from the top of a van in the Florida heat, swimming with dolphins, creating an oasis of peace in her backyard, etc. I think my favorite part of the book, however, was the trip she took with her best friend to see the Northern Lights. The friendship she and Nancy share is truly inspiring, and I hope that if any one of my friends is ever placed in the position where they lose use of their muscles, I will be there to help zip up their snow suit and strap them to a dog sled.
What does Karen White bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
As a 22 year old woman, when I read books, I read them in my own voice, which is really off-the-mark from Susan Spencer-Wendel's. Karen White's narration made me feel like I was hearing Spencer-Wendel's story from the woman herself, almost as if she were in the room with me, recounting the stories from memory. White read this as if she were Spencer-Wendel, with all the emotion and humor she had written into the book. It really felt as if she were narrating with joy, just as Spencer-Wendel was living with joy.
2 people found this helpful
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- Julia
- 03-02-18
Last Chapter In Sassy Shoes!
Susan Spencer - Wendel was a force to be reckoned with. Frankly I am surprised that Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was brave enough to take her on. This book chronicles her journey, strength and focus. Susan knew that ALS was going to limit her time on this earth. She was honest with her children and more than anything else she was honest with herself. Rather than listen to everyone who had an opinion but did not have a life limiting illness she decided to refrain from taking a ton of medications or looking for the next 'miracle cure. She chose to grab the rest of her life and bathe is it's glorious warmth and light. She didn't have a bucket list but an 'ocean list' filled with trips. These trips were special times with each of her family members, her best friend and linking up with....no not telling....read the book!
Yes it is sad when someone is young and struck down with something so dreadful that we literally shy away because we have no words but it is worse when they die emotionally whilst still breathing. This book may help in that situation. Death is the end of our journey on this earth but it can be trod in beautiful shoes as with Susan as she still wore gorgeous shoes even in her wheel chair. She was still a woman.
I am sure that Susan is in Heaven rocking out in her gorgeous pumps.
1 person found this helpful
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- Library Volunteer
- 08-14-14
No Mother Wants to Think About This
The grace and grit that Susan Spencer-Wendel displays in coping with her ALS diagnosis is awe-inspiring. Few of us would have the financial or social resources that she had in living her final months so elegantly, yet it is the heart of this woman I respect, not her travels and purchases. Her husband's tender care-giving is almost beyond comprehension.
Readers are likely to have tears from time to time, but this is no cheap tear-jerker. It is beautiful and poignant. I recommend it highly.
1 person found this helpful
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- LJ Web
- 04-16-13
spunky gal goes out LIVING & writing
The author bravely bares much of her family life, her work life, and her physical struggles with ALS. She is a courageous reporter on the crime beat for her newspaper for 20 years, until she can no longer make it up and down the courthouse steps without falling. Unlike some who might stop working before that humiliating point, she does not. We begin to see she's like that throughout all the domains of life, including this writing.
Many parts of this rather short memoir are full of juice, others are a little flat, obviously padded out to complete the book she was rushing to publish before she could no longer communicate. She typed much of this book on an iPhone, using only 1 finger, so who am I to complain about any of it, including the fact that it feels like this was a magazine article stretched out to become a book.
The writing itself is good. It's the content that left me feeling there was a point in her life after being diagnosed with ALS where she started pushing friends and family into colorful situations in order to create material to write about, and the material suffers for this.
She's careful to not invade the privacy of her husband and children too much, and so we see them only glancingly, and only in specific anecdotes. One of the most fascinating aspects of her story might have been how a marriage relationship endures, changes, suffers, or grows in such a struggle, but she avoids that mostly, and it leaves a yawning gap in the picture.
But clearly, this memoir screams the message that she is doing ALS and end-of-life on her own terms, and so she does. Despite its flaws and gaps, the book is compelling reading.
1 person found this helpful
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- Cindy
- 03-25-13
Death on her terms
My grandfather died of ALS. I wish he had Susan's attitude! Her no-nonsense battle to leave her children and husband with a sense of who she was, and what was important are inspirational. This is not a "read in one sitting" book, it can get heavy in parts. But there is a lot of joy, introspection, and some practical tips along the way. Susan examines and evaluates her priorities as her bady starts failing her, and lists the concessions she had to make along the way to meet her goals and fulfill her bucket list. I will probably liswten to this at least once more, to glean some tips.
1 person found this helpful
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- SummersL33
- 03-25-19
All About Perspective
This book was an amazing reminder that none of us get out of this alive, and how we choose to live is very important. Susan continued with a positive attitude in the face of such a frightening disease. She chose to live with joy, and we should all strive to do the same.
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- Shannon Shreeve
- 05-21-15
Inspiring Story
Excellent story - inspiring and heart wrenching. It will give you a renewed perspective about life and how you choose to live yours
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ALS Saved My Life...Until It Didn't
- By: Jenni Berebitsky, Joyce Kleinman - contributor, Elizabeth Flynn - contributor
- Narrated by: Lynn Valinetz
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Most people know life will not necessarily go as they planned. But what do we do when nothing goes as we had hoped? How do we cope with unpredictable changes in body and spirit - changes that require constant shifting of our view of ourself, other people, and the world? Jenni, diagnosed in 2009 with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease), has been forced to find answers to these questions every day.
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Very Brave
- By Kathleen on 06-21-22
By: Jenni Berebitsky, and others
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Joy and Suffering
- My Life with ALS
- By: Martin J. D'Amore MD
- Narrated by: Kevin F. Spalding
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
ALS robs its victims of their physical abilities, from their muscular activity, to their nervous system, and, finally, their ability to even breathe. All the while, the mind remains intact. It is a brutal, often soul-crushing disease, and yet Marty has persevered and even grown as a result of ALS. Discover how Marty's battle with ALS has led him to a greater relationship with Christ, a better understanding of himself, and, finally, to great contentment and happiness.
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Inspiring, Motivating, and Sad
- By Daman on 03-21-16
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The Bright Hour
- A Memoir of Living and Dying
- By: Nina Riggs
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An exquisite memoir about how to live - and love - every day with "death in the room", from poet Nina Riggs, mother of two young sons and the direct descendant of Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the tradition of When Breath Becomes Air.
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Awe inspiring legacy of A Brave Young Woman.
- By Julia on 06-18-17
By: Nina Riggs
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The Beauty in Breaking
- A Memoir
- By: Michele Harper
- Narrated by: Nicole Lewis
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Michele Harper is a female African-American emergency room physician in a profession that is overwhelmingly male and white. Brought up in Washington, DC, in a complicated family, she went to Harvard, where she met her husband. They stayed together through medical school until two months before she was scheduled to join the staff of a hospital in central Philadelphia, when he told her he couldn't move with her. Her marriage at an end, Harper began her new life in a new city, in a new job, as a newly single woman.
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Fantastic!!
- By Monica MD on 07-09-20
By: Michele Harper
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In Shock
- My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope
- By: Dr. Rana Awdish
- Narrated by: Dr. Rana Awdish, Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Shock is a riveting first-hand account from a young critical care physician, who in the passage of a moment is transfigured into a dying patient. This transposition, coincidentally timed at the end of her medical training, instantly lays bare the vast chasm between the conventional practice of medicine and the stark reality of the prostrate patient.
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Read this book!
- By CT on 11-08-17
By: Dr. Rana Awdish
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Madly, Deeply
- The Diaries of Alan Rickman
- By: Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson - foreword, Rima Horton - afterword
- Narrated by: Alfred Enoch, Bonnie Wright, Rima Horton, and others
- Length: 19 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alan Rickman remains one of the most beloved actors of all time across almost every genre in the American and British markets, from his breakout role as Die Hard’s Hans Gruber to his heart-wrenching run as Professor Severus Snape, and beyond. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice, and the knowing wit he brought to each role have captivated viewers across nearly every generation alive today. Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman was written with the intention to be shared, and listening to it feels as if Rickman is chatting to a close friend.
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-
If only Alan Rickman could have narrated
- By KayInTheNW on 10-23-22
By: Alan Rickman, and others
-
ALS Saved My Life...Until It Didn't
- By: Jenni Berebitsky, Joyce Kleinman - contributor, Elizabeth Flynn - contributor
- Narrated by: Lynn Valinetz
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most people know life will not necessarily go as they planned. But what do we do when nothing goes as we had hoped? How do we cope with unpredictable changes in body and spirit - changes that require constant shifting of our view of ourself, other people, and the world? Jenni, diagnosed in 2009 with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease), has been forced to find answers to these questions every day.
-
-
Very Brave
- By Kathleen on 06-21-22
By: Jenni Berebitsky, and others
-
Joy and Suffering
- My Life with ALS
- By: Martin J. D'Amore MD
- Narrated by: Kevin F. Spalding
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
ALS robs its victims of their physical abilities, from their muscular activity, to their nervous system, and, finally, their ability to even breathe. All the while, the mind remains intact. It is a brutal, often soul-crushing disease, and yet Marty has persevered and even grown as a result of ALS. Discover how Marty's battle with ALS has led him to a greater relationship with Christ, a better understanding of himself, and, finally, to great contentment and happiness.
-
-
Inspiring, Motivating, and Sad
- By Daman on 03-21-16
-
The Bright Hour
- A Memoir of Living and Dying
- By: Nina Riggs
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An exquisite memoir about how to live - and love - every day with "death in the room", from poet Nina Riggs, mother of two young sons and the direct descendant of Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the tradition of When Breath Becomes Air.
-
-
Awe inspiring legacy of A Brave Young Woman.
- By Julia on 06-18-17
By: Nina Riggs
-
The Beauty in Breaking
- A Memoir
- By: Michele Harper
- Narrated by: Nicole Lewis
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Michele Harper is a female African-American emergency room physician in a profession that is overwhelmingly male and white. Brought up in Washington, DC, in a complicated family, she went to Harvard, where she met her husband. They stayed together through medical school until two months before she was scheduled to join the staff of a hospital in central Philadelphia, when he told her he couldn't move with her. Her marriage at an end, Harper began her new life in a new city, in a new job, as a newly single woman.
-
-
Fantastic!!
- By Monica MD on 07-09-20
By: Michele Harper
-
In Shock
- My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope
- By: Dr. Rana Awdish
- Narrated by: Dr. Rana Awdish, Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Shock is a riveting first-hand account from a young critical care physician, who in the passage of a moment is transfigured into a dying patient. This transposition, coincidentally timed at the end of her medical training, instantly lays bare the vast chasm between the conventional practice of medicine and the stark reality of the prostrate patient.
-
-
Read this book!
- By CT on 11-08-17
By: Dr. Rana Awdish
-
Madly, Deeply
- The Diaries of Alan Rickman
- By: Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson - foreword, Rima Horton - afterword
- Narrated by: Alfred Enoch, Bonnie Wright, Rima Horton, and others
- Length: 19 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alan Rickman remains one of the most beloved actors of all time across almost every genre in the American and British markets, from his breakout role as Die Hard’s Hans Gruber to his heart-wrenching run as Professor Severus Snape, and beyond. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice, and the knowing wit he brought to each role have captivated viewers across nearly every generation alive today. Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman was written with the intention to be shared, and listening to it feels as if Rickman is chatting to a close friend.
-
-
If only Alan Rickman could have narrated
- By KayInTheNW on 10-23-22
By: Alan Rickman, and others
Related to this topic
-
The Resurrection of Joan Ashby
- A Novel
- By: Cherise Wolas
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Michael Dickes
- Length: 19 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Joan finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she is stunned by Martin's delight, his instant betrayal of their pact. She makes a fateful, selfless decision then, to embrace her unintentional family. Challenged by raising two precocious sons, it is decades before she finally completes her masterpiece novel. Poised to reclaim the spotlight, to resume the intended life she gave up for love, a betrayal of Shakespearean proportion forces her to question every choice she has made.
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A bit too long - but a great piece overall
- By Jennifer R. on 10-04-17
By: Cherise Wolas
-
The Bright Hour
- A Memoir of Living and Dying
- By: Nina Riggs
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An exquisite memoir about how to live - and love - every day with "death in the room", from poet Nina Riggs, mother of two young sons and the direct descendant of Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the tradition of When Breath Becomes Air.
-
-
Awe inspiring legacy of A Brave Young Woman.
- By Julia on 06-18-17
By: Nina Riggs
-
Mean Baby
- A Memoir of Growing Up
- By: Selma Blair
- Narrated by: Selma Blair
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first story Selma Blair Beitner ever heard about herself is that she was a mean, mean baby. With her mouth pulled in a perpetual snarl and a head so furry it had to be rubbed to make way for her forehead, Selma spent years living up to her terrible reputation: biting her sisters, lying spontaneously, getting drunk from Passover wine at the age of seven, and behaving dramatically so that she would be the center of attention. In a memoir that is as wildly funny as it is emotionally shattering, Blair tells the captivating story of growing up and finding her truth.
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I'll check it out of the library because...
- By Amazon Customer on 06-11-22
By: Selma Blair
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What Falls Away
- By: Mia Farrow
- Narrated by: Mia Farrow
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Told with grace and deep understanding, as well as humor, Mia Farrow's exquisitely written memoir goes beneath the surface of her amazing life, with all its drama, success, and pain, and exposes the inner workings of a mind and spirit for whom truth, compassion, and faith are essential.
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Humanitarian effort?
- By Mary on 10-19-14
By: Mia Farrow
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Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive
- 101 Inspirational Stories about Counting Your Blessings and Having a Positive Attitude
- By: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Amy Newmark - editor, and others
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby, Jim Bond
- Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
101 True Stories about how Positive Thinking can change your life! Everyone needs a little attitude adjustment once in a while, and these amazing true life stories reveal how real people used positive thinking to improve their lives and overcome challenges. You’ll read stories about how you can make every day a special day, incorporate gratitude and joy into your daily life, count your blessings and change your outlook, use a few well-chosen words to reorient your life, manage cancer and other health challenges through a positive attitude, simplify and have a more meaningful life and more!
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Great read!
- By AnAppleForEden on 02-12-13
By: Jack Canfield, and others