Good Eye, Bad Eye: A memoir of trauma and truth

$16.99
by Jeanne Malmgren

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"A fresh, open, and inspiring remembrance." -- Kirkus Reviews In this luminous memoir, a Buddhist psychotherapist uses her understanding of suffering to confront her own trauma history, as she comes to terms with the truth of what happened to her in childhood. The book asks compelling questions about the aftereffects of injury and living with disability: Can a childhood accident permanently damage our psyche? - Is it possible to heal from the physical and psychological wounds of trauma? - Is the term "disabled" an indignity, or an identity to be embraced? At age 2, Jeanne Malmgren suffered an injury that would scar her forever. Her story will inspire anyone who lives with a disability or has endured trauma of any kind. Good Eye, Bad Eye launches readers on an emotional roller coaster of shame, the poignant yearning to be “normal,” and the author’s eventual discovery of a spiritual path that brings her peace and acceptance. This is also a detective story as Jeanne searches for the truth of what exactly happened to her in childhood—a truth withheld from her by those who loved her most. The answer she finally uncovers is bittersweet. Good Eye, Bad Eye is a primer on how the human brain struggles to handle overwhelming events, how therapists help their patients heal, and how the truth sets us free. Kirkus Reviews: "A psychotherapist tells her story of childhood trauma and her path to healing ... The most compelling aspect of the memoir is Malmgren's admission of how her "sense of being Different, with a capital D" grew into "a streak of rebelliousness." ... Her internal struggles as she attempts to come to terms with the accident and make peace with her monocularism will have readers invested in every triumph and setback in her life ... A fresh, open, and inspiring remembrance. " The BookLife Prize: "Malmgren has a clear voice throughout, and her views on the world, her faith, and trauma are intriguing. She details her past trauma in vivid descriptions that will stick with readers long after they read the last page, particularly the devastating accident at age two that changed the course of her life ... Malmgren introduces readers to an experience most are unfamiliar with and gives solace to those who have faced similar challenges. Despite that novelty for some readers, the book revolves around concepts and feelings that every reader has experienced in some fashion, giving it both distinction and a surprising intimacy." Janisse Ray, bestselling author of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood and Craft & Current: A Manual for Magical Writing: " "Incredibly powerful and moving. This is a beautifully written book that will help many, many people." Venerable H. Gunaratana, author of the bestselling Mindfulness in Plain English and many other books on Buddhist practice: " In her memoir, Jeanne Malmgren fearlessly opens up about her deeply personal physical challenges. Unveiling the truth with honesty and unflinching courage, she shares her journey of resilience, acceptance, and triumph over adversity. This book not only sheds light on her struggles but also offers hope and inspiration to anyone facing their own physical battles. This book is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of vulnerability." Chris Worthy, TALK Greenville: "...this is one you won't soon forget. Malmgren shares a deeply personal and compelling story of trauma and healing that took her 60 years to tell." Margo Hammond, former book critic of the Tampa Bay Times and founder of the Times Festival of Reading: " Jeanne Malmgren has spent a lifetime listening to other people's stories, first as a journalist and now as a psychotherapist. In this memoir, she makes sense of her own story, reflecting on a childhood accident that left her blind in one eye. The eye she lost was more than compensated for by the insight she gained: That not knowing the truth only compounds trauma and that discovering it is the first step toward healing." Southern Literary Review: "Readers of Jeanne Malmgren's engaging memoir will find the universal themes and the clarity of her writing style appealing. From her personal story of trauma following a childhood eye injury, life truths emerge as Jeanne struggles to find her way in the world. This is not another poor-pitiful-me memoir. Instead, it is a story of growth, of strength. A story of finding inner peace ... All too often memoirs seem to be written to throw shade on the truth, to hide the memoirist's dark side. Jeanne's remarkable story instead throws light not only onto her own journey, but her story also illuminates a possible path for each of us to examine our own joys and sorrows." Tal Gur, author of The Art of Fully Living and founder of Elevate Society: " At its heart, Good Eye, Bad Eye is about truth: hidden truths, withheld truths, and the redemptive power of telling them aloud. Malmgren explores how the stories we hide—from others and from ourselve

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