Playing It by Heart. Taking Care of Yourself No Matter What

Customer Reviews

Inspiring Real-life Story

2004-10-04
It is amazing to read Melody Beattie's life story of her battle with addiction and destructive behaviors. She leads by example showing what she did to overcome her problems. I was truely amazed by what she went through. This is a wonderful Real life story for anyone struggling with addictions to read.

Prostitution, drugs, to fame in codependency research

2004-01-21
Wow. When a friend lent me a copy of this book, I had to buy myself one. This is such a terrific addition to literature and I am so enlightened to have read it. I read Codependent No More over and over with a 1980s copy, and I never would have guessed what Ms. Beattie went through to get where she's at today. Prostitution so she could get drugs, rape from drugged stupors, her arm being photographed with all its needle marks and used to show school children the horrors of drug use -- the clinicians certainly never thought she'd amount to anything, but she learned codependency is the root of all addiction.

A wonderful read. It will make you cry! It did me. A lot of people, men and women, will see themselves in her story. It really makes a person appreciate how she knows so much about codependency and is such an authority. Personal experience, that's what she has to share. I love her meditation books, too. Such an inspiration and used in Codependents Anonymous meetings everywhere. Her books should be a must-read for high school students. She can help people before it's too late.

Her humor in the book is especially wonderful because with all she went through, it makes one wonder what she could find to laugh about, and her humor just further brings home what an astounding woman Ms. Beattie is!

An incredible story 2001-08-29
Melody Beattie has a life story that I would never have imagined from Codependent No More. She has a powerful insight into how and why things happen and Playing It by Heart shows how she has truly "been there." This book was impossible to put down. It is one I would sincerely recommend to anyone who struggles with life, especially when addictions are involved. Her story was very encouraging and I am very glad to have found this book.

Inspiring anecdotes and prescriptive reminders 2001-07-04
In Playing It By Heart: Taking Care Of Yourself No Matter What, Melody Beattie (author of Codependent No More) addresses the issues involved with why people who have struggled so hard to shake off controlling dysfunctional behaviors and victimhood fall back into self-destructive, self-diminishing situations and relationships. Through the use of personal essays, inspiring anecdotes, and prescriptive reminders, Beattie reveals how to stop acting out painful obsessions and shows that despite occasional setbacks, recovery is a lifelong opportunity for spiritual growth and a co-dependency free, gratifying, enjoyable life of accomplishments and relationships. Highly recommended for personal self-help, self-improvement reading lists and community library reference collections.

Too much history. Where's the advice? 2001-06-04
I learned more than I wanted to about Melody's abused childhood and her life as a junkie. She goes into great detail about the crimes she committed and the miserable effects of her addiction. After painting such strong, striking, emotion-filled pictures time after time I expected her to draw some conclusions and parallels that I could use. No such luck. This is a long, tiring autobiography of a painful life, not a source for new elightenment.

Self-Care Begins Here! 2001-02-19

"Beattie understands being overboard, which helps her throw best-selling lifelines to those still adrift."
----TIME

Since the publication of Melody Beattie's groundbreaking book, Codependent No More, millions of people have confronted the demons of codependency. And yet, many in recovery find themselves slipping back into the old ways that brought them such grief.

In her newest book, Beattie helps readers understand what drives them back into the grasp of controlling behavior and victimhood--and what it takes to pull themselves out, to return to the healing, faith, and maturity that comes with a commitment to recovery.

Personal essays, inspiring anecdotes, and prescriptive reminders show readers how to stop acting out their painful obsessions. Marked by compassion and keen insight, Playing It by Heart explores the author's most intense personal lessons and shows readers that, despite setbacks, recovery is a lifelong opportunity for spiritual growth.

In her many best-selling books, including Stop Being Mean to Yourself, Codependent No More, and The Language of Letting Go, Melody Beattie draws on the wisdom of Twelve Step healing, Christianity, and Eastern religions.

Bringing Up Old Wounds

2000-08-06
Having benifited so much from Codependents No More, I had expected this book to bring that understanding along even further. Instead, I found that this book was really a recollection from the author's past and a retelling of stories that she has heard. Melody Beattie tells of her abusive childhood and addict days without the context of how those events transformed and led her to her later ground-breaking work on relationships. Thus her stories end up sounding like a confession of old wounds -- making the reader feel like a voyeur instead of a fellow voyager on a quest. I wondered if this book would have been praised as much if it were not written by the same author as Codependents.

Like a big comforting hug

2000-03-03
This is the first book I have read by Beattie and it surely deserves 5 stars. I thought it was going to be a self help book but it is better than that it is a story, an autobiography and self help all in one. It is well written, it flows, keeps your interest and really makes you think about the way us humans relate to the world. It is non-blaming and at the same time comforts and supports the reader through their own experiences, past and present.

A MUST READ GROUNDBREAKING BOOK!!!

1999-10-13
This book has changed my life forever. It took me places that I have been, and really made me realize how much knowledge was learned by not hiding from those places.Melody shows you how to allow your past to be and become the forse to move you forward on all levels. She has been up, down, and all around and in this book she takes you there with her and then teache yo how to climb out of your own stuff. The chapter on drama was one of my favortes. Thankyou Melody you are a true healer because you have been there with us. Thanks for just being real.

Another Groundbreaking Book. . .

1999-10-07
Melody's inspired wisdom will help thousands of people who move forward, then backward, then forward, then backward; first feeling free of the bonds of codependency, then not being sure when setbacks occur. I believe that most codependent people -- some secretly and others not so secretly -- long to be in complete control of their lives. My dad, a minister, called it "back-sliding." Those in recovery will learn that in spite of setbacks, focus and balance are necessary. Recovery is a lifelong journey of personal and spiritual growth. This book will help! This book is another winner for Melody!