Waking Up, Alive

the long version

In this extraordinary book, psychologist Richard A. Heckler tells the whole story of the descent, the attempt, and the return to life. He gives new depth to our understanding of the descent - the withdrawal from relationships, the facade of normalcy, and the suicidal trance. For the first time, we comprehend the determination and clarity of that fatal choice. And then, because this is a book that tells us more, we read of the accidents that saved lives - the gun that failed to shoot, the car that ran out of gas, the dog whose cries alerted the family. Finally, and gloriously, we read of the return to life. And the stories of how certain individuals have taken hold of life once again, slowly leaving the pain behind, changing their situations, finding new reservoirs of strength and determination.