Thugs and Suicide

The Man Without a Face has already gripped me with its twists and turns, Putin's unknown origins and his reputation even while young as a thug. Lies and underhand secretive missions without any feelings or respect for his own citizens seem to mark his unusual rise to power. It is one of those books a reader does not want to put down but time constraints ensure we do. I will be very interested to discover what methods he uses to keep his stranglehold on power and to understand why the military or others have not been able to remove him from the Kremlin.

 
Tidying up loose books on my bookshelves this morning I perused my selection of books about youth suicide. Examining the lives and background of  young Australians who take their own lives Leaving Early explores many crucial questions about why so many young people choose suicide but also offers advice from professionals working in the area. Much of this book is very painful to read if, like me, you have lost both a son and a nephew to suicide. I read many books on the subject when my son died trying to understand his choice but never managed to align the content of the books with my pain. I could agree but not reconcile my anger and grief with some of the clinical descriptions I read. Those books I purchased, 17 in all, were the most useful and offered me hope and a way out of the pain.

Heat is beginning to overtake Jay who lies in the hot sun on the parched lawn probably hoping I will not ask him to work again today. Chocolat retreats to the coolest room in the house and continues to try and trip me up by hiding on the carpet. Their unconditional love and respect for me continues to amaze me as our lives are woven into a mesh of love, work and relaxation.