It Stops with Me: Memoir of a Canuck Girl

by Charleen Touchette

A visionary American painter examines an eventful life that spans fifty years, several cultures -- French Canadian, Indian and Jewish, and diverse places -- from Wellesley College, New York's Lower East Side, and Soho, to Indian Country, Navajo Nation and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Stories of families -- their agony and blessings, shame and pride, destruction and creation -- with brilliant illustrations, demonstrate the depth and resiliency of the human spirit, and make the personal, universal. Original.

Genres: Biography

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2004

Reviews

[Georgia Roybal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charleen Touchette has been a friend of mine for 20+ years. We are not close friends but are both involved in many similar activities: both members of the same temple, both participate in similar political and social events. Our children are similar ages and went to Hebrew school together. Her son Raoul was a close friend of my sons. Charleen and I have a number of similarities. We both lead kind of eclectic lives drawing inspiration from a variety of religious traditions. We both are quite progressive politically. In short we always have interesting and wonderful conversation when we cross paths and trust one another's judgment.

Before reading this book I knew a little about Charleen's background and history. I knew she had an indigenous background and roots in French Canada. I have admired her art since I have known her. I also knew that there was some child abuse in her growing up, but I did not know the severity and extent of the abuse.

The book is clearly written and easy to read. The information in the child abuse is presented extremely honestly and strongly, and Charleen discusses its long lasting effects on her and how she has moved toward healing from it. At times, the book is hard to read because of the starkness of the abuse and its effects on her. I think this book would be an excellent resource for therapists, healers, and abuse survivors. Charleen describing the effects and healing process are an invaluable personal story to give abuse survivors perspective and hope.

[Charleen Touchette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Award-winning memoir by a Franco-American Author that is included in scholarly dissertations and papers delivered at the Universite de Rouen and the Sorbonne with Jack Kerouac's works that illuminate Franco-American culture.