The Bear's Embrace: A True Story of Survival

Book Description

An extraordinary story of survival and recovery by a woman who was attacked by a grizzly bear.

On a sunny fall day in 1983, Patricia Van Tighem and her husband, Trevor, began a hiking trip in the Canadian Rockies with a two-thousand-foot climb through rocks and forest. The next morning, in a landscape dusted by snow, they crossed paths with a grizzly bear–and their lives were forever changed.

That Van Tighem survived at all is a miracle, and her account of the attack is vivid and startling. But her recovery was just as disturbing: Her numerous reconstructive surgeries were painful; her facial
disfigurement isolated her; and the nightmares that haunted her carried their own psychological burden. Yet she was eventually able to accept her unthinkable experiences, and to put her life back together as a survivor, a wife, and a mother.

With honesty and eloquence, The Bear’s Embrace tells of the unpredictability of life, of bravery, terror, rage and love, of what it means to look and feel different in a culture that values perfection. Uncommonly affecting, often astonishing, The Bear’s Embrace is an inspiring story of human
perseverance and self-knowledge.

Customer Reviews:

Bittersweet story of survival.......2006-01-29

Patricia "Trish" van Tighem - a vicacious, pretty young nurse and her pediatric resident husband of three years are out hiking when they are mauled by a grizzly bear. This is the story of the ensuing 15 years including the many surgeries Patricia went through and her depression that ensued as a result of the pain she has had to endure along with the disfiguration caused by the attack.

Trish and Trevor had everything going for them when they, two experienced backpackers, took a well-deserved weekend off to do something they enjoyed. They took all the necessary precautions but the couldn't escape a particularly aggressive female grizzly one fall day in Waterton Lakes National Park south of their home in Calgary, Alberta. Trevor was attacked first and Trish was torn between helping him or climbing a tree to save herself-she had always been told grizzlies couldn't climb trees. But due to their experience, the cold weather, and two hikers who find them soon after the attack, they both survive. This book is less about the attack itself than the years afterwards including quite a bit about their initial time in the hospital, Trish's many surgeries, and their life in rural Canada with (eventually) four children.

This book was a bittersweet read for me as I read it after hearing of Trish's death by suicide in December of 2005 at the age of 47. So I knew that although the book ended on an upbeat note, that the real story hadn't ended and it didn't end happily. I also knew that at the time of her death Trish and Trevor were separated. That may have colored my opinion of Trevor from the very beginning, but I did find him a bit selfish throughout the entire book and even though he seemed to try to accept Trish after her injuries, I don't think he ever truly could deal with her disfigurement. All in all though the book was a mesmerizing read. Trish was a talented writer and this is a stunning story. I highly recommend it.

Rest in peace, dear lady.......2005-12-31

First, the book. It is sometimes hard going to read about such a horrific experience as a grizzly bear attack and its excruciating aftermath, but believe me, it is worth it. This is a book that will exhaust your emotions, it will make you FEEL and marvel at how much one human being can endure. It will do that, unless you are a relatively shallow human being, uninterested in the human condition and emotions, as some of the reviewers of this book are. So "The Bear's Embrace" has "very little action", is "boring" and describes "pointless suffering"? Oh, please God help me! A story about a grizzly bear attack and the frantic attempts to save the victims has "very little action"? A woman's attempt to cope with the disfigurement of her face and the ensuing torture of constant pain and infection is "boring"? Her severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, her forever-changed relationship with her husband, their Down's syndrome baby, the loss of an eye, the incredible pain from her injuries and infection that just seemed to go on and on is "POINTLESS SUFFERING"? Well, let me tell you something. NO suffering is "pointless". You poor readers, having to read such a "boring" book; no murders or sex or car explosions, WAAAHHH! This is an incredible book about an incredible quirk of fate that changes a woman's life forever; it is a tale of endurance and survival that will move you deeply. You wonder "how could anybody STAND this"? Ms. Tighem did...for a long time. But it got to a point where she simply could stand no more. She committed suicide on Dec. 17, 2005. She was 47. I hope that she is now at peace, without any pain at last. She was a courageous, remarkable woman...rest in peace, dear lady.

What can I say, she says it all........2003-10-22

I picked up this book for resale, and I leafed through it. I was caught at page 16 and sat down to read it all. I did. The attack, the recovery, the emotions, and finally the resolve. This woman has been through hell and lived to tell the tale. The life we all have, or will, experience: Marriage, love, accident, loss of a loved parent/child. A less than perfect life. I hope you will never know the sorrow this woman has been through, but I hope her story will enlighten you to be strong, and deal with your demons before they bring you down. And, by the way, she is an excellent writer.

Incredibly Brave Book.......2003-09-05

PTSD is a wickedly subtle thing that can creep into your life without you having the slightest clue what it is or what the far reaching effects may be. It can be the result of a pointed trauma or something smaller, such as an adverse emotional experience. Ms. Van Tighem seems to have no interest in exploiting her drama for the sake of attention, but perhaps seeks validation for her experience exactly how it happened- a few hours of horrifying excitement during and immediately after the attack, and more pointedly, the reality of the long term effects of this life altering incident to herself and her family over the following seventeen years. It is something that is often missing in the bear attack story compilations on bookshelves today. Kudos to this author for finding the bravery and the shameless audacity to actually write a true story, as is.

Open and honest about the aftermath of trauma.......2002-07-20

With heartrending honesty, Patricia Van Tighem invites the reader into her nightmare of physical and emotional disabilities and the struggle to put her life back together after the brutal attack she experienced. Having experienced PTSD after the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, I could relate to her stress and confusion. Factor in her unending pain, the loss of her appearance, people's stares, and the callous, judgmental treatment she received at a hospital, and you have a woman who had overwhelming issues to deal with.

I have nothing but praise for Patricia's willingness to candidly share her struggle with others. I hope she continues to write.

Average customer rating:

I felt the authors pain

Great read, but not 'smile button', 'triumph of the human spirit' BS...

True courage is finding the path to healing.

A great read

Excellent

The Bear's Embrace: A Story of Survival
Patricia Van Tighem
Manufacturer: Wheeler Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Royalty | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Special Needs | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Stress | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Biographies & Memoirs | Large Print | Formats | Books
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Book Description

On a chilly autumn morning in 1983, during a relaxing escape to the Canadian Rockies, Patricia Van Tighem and her husband were attacked by a grizzly bear. Although they survived, their ordeal was just beginning. For years Van Tighem endured numerous surgeries as doctors attempted to reconstruct her face and ease her pain. The nightmares that haunted her carried their own psychological burden. In many ways she had to redefine her sense of who she was. Yet she was resolved to recover–as a survivor, a wife and a mother.

Van Tighem’s tale is astonishing and beautifully written. Showing a resilience that has overcome even the most traumatic of events, The Bear’s Embrace is a truly inspiring testament to the power of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

I felt the authors pain.......2007-08-29

This book was written very well, I could feel the authors pain and suffering. The book mentions a documentary TV program that is about this incident--but I haven't been able to track it down.

Great read, but not 'smile button', 'triumph of the human spirit' BS..........2007-07-07

The knee-jerk reviews that call this an 'inspirational', 'you can overcome anything' memoir are unbelievably obtuse. The unexpurgated, NC-17 truth of the matter is that the author committed suicide shortly after the publication of this book, apparently overcome by the enormity of what had happened to her and what was taken away from her by this horrible encounter with a bear. I felt that the end of the book, with its strenuous and somewhat fake-seeming efforts to find a 'silver lining' in her misfortune were perhaps the result of pressure from the editor/publisher to end the story in an upbeat way. The bottom line in the publishing biz is that downers don't sell. Sorry, all you 'smile button' types: sometimes the unvarnished truth is that you cannot turn the page, because the page weights a ton.

True courage is finding the path to healing........2005-01-02

This is a deeply moving story about surviving---not just a brutal bear attack, but the facial disfigurement, long-term pain and surgeries, and the deep depression caused by no one understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, 20 years ago. As someone who lived in Canada for 20 years, I believe that Patricia's critique of her medical care is NOT a critique of the Canadian system of health care funding, but of how little was understood back then about trauma, and how to rebuild one's life after such horror. This is a deeply spiritual book, in spite of its graphic descriptions of her facial damage, and the clumsy surgical attepts to fix it. This book should be required reading for all people in the health care and mental health fields. It might teach compassion for "difficult" patients, who have much to teach us.

A great read.......2004-01-20

I believe that this story was a great description of a persons will and determination to survive. The book is very well explained and tells a lot about the human spirit. It is something that you would read on a rainy Saturday afternoon with a cup of hot cocoa or a hot cup of coffee whatever you prefer. A great read indeed.

Excellent.......2003-11-19

I read the book in one sitting. I simply could not put it down no matter how many pressing/important things I needed to do. It has stayed with me long after, as well. This book was not what I expected. After chapter two which was the attack and rescue I wondered how the author could fill the rest of the book with the recovery. In moving prose, with bare honesty, she takes us on her harrowing journey. Through it all is her Homeric husband(demanding work, chronically ill/incapacitated wife, growing needy children AND building his own home - whom we come to love and admire, too). Yes, this story is an unwitting condemnation of the Canadian socialized quality of medicine, but it is ultimately the strength and perseverance of the human spirit. Please continue to write, we readers have come to care for you and your family deeply.

Book Description

In February 1925, 17-year-old Jimmie Foxx left his home in Sudlersville, Maryland, and joined the Philadelphia Athletics in spring training. Over the next twenty years, Foxx was one of the most consistent stars in the majors. His long home runs were legendary—his 535 were second only to Babe Ruth's 714 when he retired in 1945. Only six years later, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Foxx tried his hand at a variety of jobs after he left baseball, but seemed always to be drawn back to the game. He coached and managed in the minor leagues and even managed the Fort Wayne Daisies of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1953. This is the story of Foxx's rise to glory, his life in and out of the game, and his love affair with the national pastime.

Customer Reviews:

Enigmatic Slugger...Enigmatic Read.......2001-02-09

Well, I read the book. That is all that I can honestly say. The book just never had imagination or anything that one would expect from a superstar of Foxx's stature and lore. This was like reading a Grade 8 assignment. Structure and content are terribly lacking. A subject loaded with plenty of history and ammunition, yet it looks as though the book was put together piece by piece with not a clue where to begin or end. The only break for the author is that Foxx had a historical abstract that indicated beginning and end to his career. At least the author stayed in that timeframe. Too good a subject for such a poor and lacadasical effort. Two stars is too generous, but the statistics carry the book. Such a shame!

A VERY GOOD READ.......2000-12-31

THIS BOOK IS A WELL WRITTEN STORY ABOUT THE MARK MCGWIRE OF HIS TIME. AN INTERESTING AND SAD STORY ABOUT AN INCREDIBLY STRONG MAN, PHYSICALLY BUT NOT EMOTIONALLY. THE AUTHOR DOES A GOOD JOB DESCRIBING HIS GREAT CAREER AND HIS VERY SAD LIFE OUTSIDE OF BASEBALL. JIMMIE FOXX WAS A VERY MODEST MAN. ALCOHOL TOOK ALOT OF HIS GOODNESS AWAY AND COST HIM JOB AFTER JOB. JIMMIE FOXX IS A HERO TO ME. THE AUTHOR DOES A GREAT JOB OF SHOWING HOW HUMAN THIS MAN WAS. A BOOK THAT MUST BE READ.

Excellent "just the facts" biography one of baseball's best.......1997-03-22

I realy enjoyed this book about baseball's forgotten hero. One of baseball's best hitters, Jimmie Foxx life after baseball was tragic. The author uses extensive research throughout to present the basic facts of the career of Jimmie Foxx--from the young farmboy from Easton, Maryland to his superb career with the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies. The one weakness in the book, though understandable, was the lack of development of the relationship between Foxx and his Hall of Fame teammates such as Al Simmons, Mickey Cochrane, and Lefty Grove. Writing a book about a man who was forgotten from the world of baseball fifty years after his career ended was no easy feat. It is truly unfortunate that this book wasn't written in the 1960's when Foxx was still alive and most of his peers were still around to lend insight and develop the relationships that he had between teammates and opponent

Book Description

Along with Sergei Eisenstein and Vsevolod Pudovkin, Alexander Dovzhenko became one of the major pioneers of Soviet filmmaking. During his thirty-year career, his films--including Zvenyhora, Arsenal, Earth, and Ivan--won international acclaim and have become classics of the silent and early sound eras. Combining images from Ukrainian history and folklore, stark realism, visual poetry, propaganda, and gentle humor, his films celebrated nature and our relationship to the land.
Based on archival research in Moscow and Kiev and interviews with Dovzhenko's colleagues and students, George O. Liber provides the first definitive account in any language of this important director's personal and professional life. Liber's biography explores the political context of Dovzhenko's filmmaking, investigates the divisions between his public and private worlds, and analyzes his struggles within and against the Stalinist system.

Alexander Dovzhenko: a Life in Soviet Film.(Book Review): An article from: Cineaste

Average customer rating:

Alexander Dovzhenko: a Life in Soviet Film.(Book Review): An article from: Cineaste
Gilberto Perez
Manufacturer: Cineaste Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008IQXF0
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Cineaste, published by Cineaste Publishers, Inc. on December 22, 2003. The length of the article is 2739 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Alexander Dovzhenko: a Life in Soviet Film.(Book Review)
Author: Gilberto Perez
Publication: Cineaste (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2003
Publisher: Cineaste Publishers, Inc.
Volume: 29 Issue: 1 Page: 79(4)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Disney: The First 100 Years details the genesis of Mickey, Donald, and the rest of the gang; the development of the first animated features; the onset of television; the creation of Walt Disney World; and the companys recent standing as one of the most technically innovative and synergistic corporations in the world.

Customer Reviews:

Great for Disney fans!.......2005-09-20

Catch up on your knowledge, or review what you know. Fun series of all that's Disney.

Great Disney Book Loaded With Photos and Info !!.......2004-07-14

This 213 page book is just full of an endless supply of full color photos of everything Disney for the past 100 years. You'll learn all about Walt's early life and how his ideas created worldwide Disney worlds. Each chapter covers a decade from 1901 to 2001 !! Many of these pictures are archival and never made available before. The book provides many memories for "children" of all ages. It's a keeper. Enjoy !

No details.......2002-04-17

This is a great book about Disney Company. It goes chronologically from 1901 to 1999 and beyond. Every event in the company's history is put in the book, but without much detail.
Since he maintains Disney Archives, Dave Smith could have done a litle better, like he did with Disney's Encyclopedia.

Excellent.......2002-01-31

This book was excellent! It had terrific pictures and it told from 1901 when Walt was born until 2001. It is a great keepsake. I purchased mine at Walt Disney World during the 100 Years of Magic celebration.

An excellent overview of Waltýs life and of the Disney Co.......2000-08-01

I really enjoyed this book. It is packed with lots of great photographs and artwork from Walt Disney and the Disney Company. It also has a really nice overview of the life of Walt Disney and the work of the Disney Company in text.

I appreciated the organization of the book. The book is arranged chronologically, which helped me to understand the flow of events better. This book has a very upbeat, positive tone and paints a very bright and exciting future for the Disney Company.

This book does not contain nearly as much information about Walt Disney as some of the biographies that I have read, but I don't think that was the goal of this book. This book does a very nice job of chronicling the art and the work of this great American icon and then continues the chronology with the work of the Disney Company in the post Walt era.

This book starts with very early Disney and takes the reader all the way through to Fantasia 2000. This is an excellent coffee table book. I highly recommended it to anyone that loves Walt, his work and the continuing work of the Disney Company.

Average customer rating:

Finally - a leadership book you can really use on the job!

The Active Manager's Tool Kit : 45 Reproducible Tools for Leading and Improving Your Employee's Performance
Mel Silberman
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dozens of customizable performance improvement tools

Mel Silberman's bestselling books on "Active Training" have sold more than 68,000 copies. In The Active Manager's Tool Kit, Silberman takes his trademarked approach to "Active Training" and applies it to "Active Managing." Instead of telling employees what to do and sitting back to wait for results, "active managers" conduct team building, motivate, coach, and guide their direct reports to be self-directing, accountable, and team oriented.

The Active Manager's Tool Kit is full of work sheets and reproducible tools that can be downloaded from the Web and customized or photocopied. These include reproducible job aids for employees, performance improvement activities that managers can use to train their own teams, and questionnaires that help both manager and employees assess how well they are doing. The tools in this book enable the "active manager" to coach and lead effectively.

Customer Reviews:

Finally - a leadership book you can really use on the job!.......2003-07-14

Many leadership books are on the market with excellent concepts and theories, but the great thing about this book is that it contains real tools, assessments, and ideas any manager can download and actually use immediately to assess their own skills or to use as team activities with their employees. This book is great for those who continually work to develop their leadership skills, but is especially excellent for managers who "don't have time for leadership classes", because they can use the activities on their own with their team during staff meetings, or as "just-in-time" tools as they are needed to help employees deal with change, etc. This is also an excellent resource for those in the HR/leadership development field - the tools can be used on a 1-on-1 basis with a manager, or they could be used within a leadership course.

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