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150th out of 204 books
—
861 voters
Sister of Silence
by
Daleen Berry (Goodreads Author),
Megan Hagebush , Kenneth V. Lanning
Forced into a shotgun wedding after her high school was featured on national television for having the highest number of pregnant teens in the United States, Daleen found herself married to a coal miner who kept her barefoot and pregnant. By age twenty-one she had four children. Sister of Silence is the amazing story of her personal journey, and how she went from being a t...more
Paperback, 344 pages
Published
January 18th 2011
by Nellie Bly Books
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I received a free copy as part of the Goodreads First Read Giveaway.
About a year ago, a woman that I work with asked me to help edit her daughter's autobiography. I agreed and didn't think too much about my agreement until I finally read it. It was 300 pages and filled with detail about the abuse this woman and her children suffered at the hands of three different husbands. In many ways, her story paralleled Berry's story. I was struck by the similarities of the stories and of the tr...more
About a year ago, a woman that I work with asked me to help edit her daughter's autobiography. I agreed and didn't think too much about my agreement until I finally read it. It was 300 pages and filled with detail about the abuse this woman and her children suffered at the hands of three different husbands. In many ways, her story paralleled Berry's story. I was struck by the similarities of the stories and of the tr...more
Unfortunately the beginning of Daleen Berry's story is not unique. Sexually abused from the age of thirteen, she became pregnant in high school and by the age of twenty-one found herself the mother of four children, trapped in a joyless marriage to an abusive alcoholic. The important part of Daleen's story is what happened next.
Repeated fantasies of harming one of her children leads her to seek help and she eventually discover that the intense stresses of her life have left her mentall...more
Repeated fantasies of harming one of her children leads her to seek help and she eventually discover that the intense stresses of her life have left her mentall...more
I received this book and wasn't sure what I would find inside. What I found was an honest portrayal of a woman I could identify with. Not because I suffered the same abuses that she had, but because in many ways, she was like me. Too often, the heroes of survival stories seem to be without any flaws. Not Daleen - and this is a good thing. She admits that she is not perfect. She made mistakes. She is one of us. That's what makes me able to connect with her, and what makes her ordeal all the more ...more
This book is a memoir of Daleen's life, but it could be about any number of women that I have known or read about in the paper or seen in the news. The book is about so many things that I could relate to . . . alcoholism runs in our family and I have seen the damage it can do to the family unit. I also had a very abusive first marriage (I was 19 years old when I married the first time) and I am lucky to have escaped without physical harm, although the mental abusive can sometimes be just as bad....more
I read this book in one sitting. I could totally relate to the author. I was not sexually abused as a child. I got pregnant at 16 and "had" to get married. I was raped by my husband. That expression was laughed at then and still is now. My husband took the phone cord from the wall and wrapped it around my neck and chocked me to show me that he could have sex with me without my permission. The physical abuse was horrendous. He beat me so badly one time that I didn't have a white spot le...more
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Sister of Silence by Daleen Berry. This memoir was provided to me free-of-charge by GoodReads, FirstReads. I gave this book 5 stars because it's powerful, thought-provoking memoir that merits it. It's a real page-turner you won't want to put down! Starting at age 13 or 14, every young woman and man should read this so they become familiar not only with sexual abuse, but physical and emotional abuse as well. I feel many others would benefit also, i.e., anyone in the medical and educational fie...more
I had to read this book in parts because I was so horrified at what the author had experienced that I just couldn't stomach it all in one go. From reading this book, I feel like I, myself, had gone through all these things with the author and come out on the other side a better person.
Daleen Berry's slow rise to independence is inspiring. I have never known sexual abuse before, but I have known emotional abuse, and I remember thinking it was all my fault. This book showed me how it is...more
Daleen Berry's slow rise to independence is inspiring. I have never known sexual abuse before, but I have known emotional abuse, and I remember thinking it was all my fault. This book showed me how it is...more
Describing Daleen Berry's memoir leaves me at a bit of a loss for words. It's amazing, horrifying, and inspiring. It is a very serious subject matter and I found I had to take breaks from it yet I wanted to keep reading.
It's the story of a daughter of an alcoholic, a rape victim, a mother of four by age twenty-one, and a woman who finds a way to free herself. It's so hard for me imagine what she went through but she does a very good job of telling it. You root for her and learn fro...more
It's the story of a daughter of an alcoholic, a rape victim, a mother of four by age twenty-one, and a woman who finds a way to free herself. It's so hard for me imagine what she went through but she does a very good job of telling it. You root for her and learn fro...more
I really liked this book. Daleen makes the reader feel as if they are in the same room, sharing a conversation about her life. She is very sincere about her experiences, yet never says anything in a mean way about her ex-husband. She sticks to the facts and then the reader can make their own judgements about him. I had a hard time putting the book down and would highly recommend it to anyone.
It was very educational to the time period of the seventies/eighties. I know this book would help every woman, no matter her age, to facing the abuse they might have suffered. It has opened my eyes to some problems I already have faced and others which i haven't. I can only say that the author is a strong woman who has suffered abuse and rape; only to come out the victor.
I recommend this book to everyone. this is one story that should be told and give others the strength to step forward i...more
I recommend this book to everyone. this is one story that should be told and give others the strength to step forward i...more
Daleen is an excellent writer and tells her story in an easy manner.
This is a book that when you finish, you want to go hug your daughters and sit down with them to tell them that they are important and they are strong. Teach them to be secure and confident and make sure they know that you will love them no.matter.what.
I was impressed with Daleen's attitude. She had every opportunity to be bitter and turn hard, but she didn't. She forgave and forgave (even though perh...more
This is a book that when you finish, you want to go hug your daughters and sit down with them to tell them that they are important and they are strong. Teach them to be secure and confident and make sure they know that you will love them no.matter.what.
I was impressed with Daleen's attitude. She had every opportunity to be bitter and turn hard, but she didn't. She forgave and forgave (even though perh...more
I won this book through goodreads.
It is interesting to read this book at the same time as I have been reading In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom. In Sister of Silence, a very young woman is controlled by her husband in the United States where she has legal freedom while in Saudi Arabia a very well educated single woman is controlled by a state religion. Both women have a religious faith when helps them endure.
It is interesting to read this book at the same time as I have been reading In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom. In Sister of Silence, a very young woman is controlled by her husband in the United States where she has legal freedom while in Saudi Arabia a very well educated single woman is controlled by a state religion. Both women have a religious faith when helps them endure.
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
This book was very well written and although many parts were uncomfortable to get through, it was very eye-opening. For anyone who has ever been in an unhealthy relationship, be it a parent, significant other, teacher, or friendship, this book speaks to all of the victims, and sends a very good message; that "Violence is never the victim's fault, no matter what the abuser may say." Thank you, Ms. Berry for sharing your story, and ...more
This book was very well written and although many parts were uncomfortable to get through, it was very eye-opening. For anyone who has ever been in an unhealthy relationship, be it a parent, significant other, teacher, or friendship, this book speaks to all of the victims, and sends a very good message; that "Violence is never the victim's fault, no matter what the abuser may say." Thank you, Ms. Berry for sharing your story, and ...more
Katie
marked it as to-read
Please enter me in the drawing -- your book sounds soulful and transformative...I can't wait to read it!
Thank you,
Katie Korte
Thank you,
Katie Korte
Daleen's expresses herself ideally, several chapters I would think - wow that is me, that's how I would explain my feelings...
Highly recommend this book to everyone .....
Highly recommend this book to everyone .....
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q&A with Dale...: Why it took 20 years to write my first book | 1 | 2 | Feb 15, 2012 02:24am | |
| Penn State and Sister of Silence | 1 | 5 | Nov 18, 2011 01:58pm |
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Daleen Berry is a national expert in the area of child sex abuse and interpersonal violence, as well as an award-winning author and an accomplished journalist who speaks about these important social topics at conferences around the country. She has spoken at Johns Hopkins University; UC Berkeley, California; and elsewhere. Berry is also an award-winning editor, investigative journalist and public ...more
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