Product Description

What happens to children of the mentally ill? While parents may seek treatment for their psychological imbalances, what happens to the children at home, behind closed doors?

My Last Remains is a powerful and haunting true story of a child struggling to survive in a family of madness. Written from the child-observer perspective, it takes the reader behind the closed doors and inside the rooms where trappings of normalcy are discarded.

This child's-eye view grips readers like a twisted Diary of Anne Frank. It holds them breathless waiting for a rescue that never comes. Instead of rescue they journey through desperate attempts for help and finally witness the gentle emergence of a young woman finding her own wings of freedom.

My Last Remains lets readers experience the emotion and confusion of trying to make sense of the incomprehensible. It reveals, in a way no textbook could, the fearful reality of living with madness. By its sheer innocent brutality, this book makes the case for well-trained, competent and compassionate children's counselors and agencies. With 3.1 million abused and neglected children in the U.S. each year, there is obviously much more we can do.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #905565 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01-04
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

About the Author
Because of the chaos in her childhood, Jill was told she would never graduate from high school. The legal age to leave home in Michigan was 16, and so at 16, her high school counselor suspended her from school and told her to go out, get a job and leave home. He refused to allow her to take the SAT exams. He said it was a waste of time because she would never graduate from high school. Jill's grade average was D-. She had no money and no where to go.

Jill did finish high school, college, and went on to graduate school. In fact, she spent several years working for a major university. Since leaving the chaos of her family, she has lived in such diverse places as California and Iran! She was in Iran as the revolution was about to occur and had to flee. She ended up in Seattle where she currently writes text books.

Customer Reviews

The Last Remains
This is an excellent book!!!! Especially for those who are either entering in, already in the social services field, are clients already or will be clients.

My Last Remains
This is a compelling story of a child growing up in a dysfunctional home dominated by a mentally ill mother with an ineffectual father. This little girl was aware of the dysfunction and repeatedly sought help for herself and her brother only to be rebuffed by the teachers and social workers who were in a position to offer support and guidance.

This book is a must reading for those who work with children and are in a position to be in a role as a helping professional.

BEYOND WORDS
When I finished reading this book, I said EGAD! It is quite a moving book. It was thought provoking because it showed the intersection of fantasy and reality. What is it we call "normal"? I think this book is great!