Victoria Jackson

I won this book through the first-reads program.

Going into this book I knew nothing about NMO and nothing about [a:Victoria Jackson|415906|Victoria Jackson|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-F-50x66-d699becf6b6f088e26f741df8c92d54e.jpg] or [a:Ali Guthy]. Leaving this book, I knew a great deal more about all of the above topics.

I'm rather reluctant to give books that I received for free poor ratings, and generally all books begin as three star books for me. As I read the book, it either increases in rating or decreases in rating going along. For me, unfortunately, this book was mostly a one star book. I gave it two stars because at least I learned a decent amount about the disease and how foundations are formed.

I found the book difficult to get through, over all. The story was told through two POVs, the mother and daughter, and would switch as often as just after a few paragraphs. Both people wrote in either present tense or a very passive voice, which grated on me as I read. The very casual voice didn't help matters either, and the puns (and apologies for puns) also induced more eyerolls than chortles. I would have preferred a more honest voice, as these came off as rather put-on to me.

The final straw, for me, was how congratulatory the people were. Barely a page went by when someone wasn't talking about how amazing the other people were. Even when they were complaining about one another they were still saying "I know that ___ is a truly amazing person, a superhero even..." and that gets rather old rather fast. It's all right to be mad at someone, it's all right to hate someone for a while, everyone does. Just let it out!

Also, if you didn't get a college degree or graduate high school, you only need to point it out once. You don't need to keep reminding us of it and how it's amazing that you're digesting medical jargon. Your daughter is in trouble, we get that that is an amazing incentive.… (altro)

The primary message in Redefining Beauty (written in the 90's) is that only beauty can be found by appreciating yourself and your unique appeal. A positive (if overly heard message), which is good to hear repeatably until it's finally taken to heart. Carole Jackson covers some fundamental basics such as being appreciative of who you are as a person and loving yourself first and foremost. Really - up until page 30 - the chapters go over this simple but often forgotten point in various ways. I admit skimming through most of this, as I do believe this message and have already taken it to heart.

Chapter six ends the motivational ego-boosting session, briefly covering nutrition, taking care of yourself, and preparing your face for makeup. Part 3 finally starts the actual makeup stuff, which is Victoria Jackson's version of a 'no makeup' look. The models chosen are ordinary women of all ages and colors, showing effects achieved after 2 minutes, then 5, then 10. Before and after pictures are granted. Each segment is short and to the point, mentioning which 'problem areas' the women wanted addressed with their face, highlighting their more appealing traits. This segment is semi-short and kind of basic, but always useful to look through. It's interesting to see a different assortment of women and how different they can look with various methods applied. I'm more of a visual gal myself, so pictures - pictures - pictures, please!

Chapter 8 is two pages on tools. We get by now tools are important, but I suppose no self-respecting beauty book would be complete without touching upon this simple fact. Nine delves into foundation....the introduction is basic and to the point. No learning about indepth-foundation stuff and what's in it, etc., here. This could be a blessing to the reader tired of hearing it and with an impatient attention span, or a bane to those who wish to see the scientific urgings for various textures versus various skin types. Pictures are presented on models showing them in the 'wrong' color and then the 'right color'. Tips are provided for finding the right shade to match your skin. Step by step instructions are covered on how to apply, and how to avoid applying too much. Really this is a useful chapter for a newbie to makeup, as I'm sure it covers everything you really need to know on starting out with my skin's life-saver.

The second chapters delve into the eye area. Eyebrows shows how to pluck and tweeze, illustrating the horrendous mistakes that can happen, even eyebrow makeup. Eyes is of course fun...she chooses different models with different eye shapes and problems like deep set eyes with (pictures) and instructions on the proper emphasis. Wrong makeup shade versus right is compared. Blush follows in much the same way, as does lips and unique features. Part four is a mentioning of women clients she's had and her admiration for them, how looking their personal best in a bare-minimum way has drastically improved their life.

Overall a book ideal for beginners not wanting much muss and fuss in their routine, yet the book could have been shortened and had the same effect. Worth a read but not necessarily a hunt, it takes almost no time at all to read.… (altro)

Saving Each Other, A Mother-Daughter Love Story by Victoria Jackson and Ali Guthy is better than I expected. Warned by some negative reviews, I was hesitant to state reading this book. A big fan of the TV show, Mystery Diagnosis, I am interested in all rare diseases. NMO or Neuromyelitis Optica is an autoimmune disease that attacks the optic nerve and later the spinal nerves. It can result in blindness, paralysis or even death.

This is the story of Ali Guthy’s struggle with NMO and her mother’s reaction to it. Both of her parents are in sale related occupations. Ali’s mother is a high school dropout who started a very successful business. The negative of this book is that Victoria Jackson is unable to tell her story without telling about the story of her business. So part of the book becomes a sort of commercial for herself and a celebration of her company. Oddly enough, I have read another story about a father and his son’s rare condition where the father had trouble sorting out what should be in the book so I was prepared for it.

Ali’s story came through as genuine and warm. She is a beautiful, athletic, innocent fourteen year old. She did not want to know any details about the disease for a long time. She shielded herself from the truth and let her parents carry the burden. She tells of having terrible nausea, vomiting and blurred vision at the beginning. She was horrified to be accused of being anorexic. She journals the rest of her experiences, even tennis matches including her visit to Mayo Clinic and the many doctors and treatments. At times, she seems more mature than her mother.

Victoria Jackson, Ali’s mother started researching the disease and learning the medical lingo, at first it was to help Ali but later her mission expand to help everyone who has NMO. She was told that her daughter would only have four to six years to live. Victoria used her skills to fund raise and set up an organization for NMO. Both the mother and daughter have a deep love and respect for each other. The struggle may have even deepened their bond.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has NMO or has friends or family with it.… (altro)

Saving Each Other by Victoria Jackson and Ali Guthy
This book is about a girl in her teens that develops a mystery illness.
Interesting how the book works. Parts of it are told by the daughter and some from the mother's side, as they are going through each day. You get a really good idea of what's going on.
I also have a rare eye illness and have been to the best and I have just learned to live with what I have left.
Lot of doctor terminology and it's up to them as to what treatments they do try. They do end up traveling to a lot of different big cities to follow the doctors around that know of the disease and how to treat it.
Everybody is different and they pray on the 2% that will survive.
At times it's difficult for me to read as I recall many of the same experiences of my illness.
Love how they use their resources to come up with help for them and others with the same disease. My friends and I started a local support group for lyme disease and we did attempt to get grants to help educate everybody so I know how hard the task is.
Praying helps get them through it all and some swearing...… (altro)