Shifting Ground Book Review
Book Reviews by WomensSelfesteem.com
Title: Shifting Ground
Author: Ruth McVeigh
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation (July 19, 2006)
Pages: 290 Soft Cover
ISBN#: 1-4257-1513-3
About the Author: Ruth (Jones) Mcveigh was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and started her writing career as a cub reporter at the Halifax Mail. Later, she wrote Family & Entertainment Pages for the Campbell River newspaper as well as feature articles for various newspapers and magazines and reviews for the Toronto Star. While a reporter for the North Island Gazette, she wrote the Tourist Guide for North Vancouver Island. Ruth McVeigh has also written two non-fiction books: Fogswamp (1967) and Close Harmony(1984). Last but not least, Ruth is founder of The Mariposa Folk Festival. Ruth raised two children from her second marriage throughout her tumultuous marriage and co-raised four children from her first marriage. Her loyalty and love for her husband and her children kept her hoping and waiting for some balance in their lives. With all these demands Ruth still managed to work in Ottawa for a Member of Parliament and on a Royal Commission.
About the Book: "Shifting Ground"
THE INEVITABLE
A giant fir
about to die,
bears an abundance
of fresh, green cones.
My heart as well,
seeking to deny
the undeniable
protests far too much
against a truth
too difficult to bear.
The person I so loved
exists no more.
A tree falls.
By Ruth (Jones) McVeigh
The meaning of this poem will unfold as you read, "Shifting Ground". This is an extremely well written book, loaded with detail and such realism that you cannot even skip a single word, for fear of distracting your hold on the heart of the story. You will meet Ruth and her husband, Derry as well as their children and share their experiences.
Shifting Ground is written in hopes that its readers will understand and maybe learn more about what it is like to live with a victim of Bipolar (manic depression) and to be the victim of Bipolar. You will feel sad, frustrated, happy, sensual, even honored as you read through Ruth's life story.
The book introduces its readers to yet another strong willed, truly loyal woman of our time. In this story of a woman totally dedicated to her husband, children and her career, you will live life through Ruth and feel her highs and lows as she allows her hopes to rise in situations such as having a quiet fun Christmas, of being respected and understood, of not being abused and treated like a sexual object, only to be disappointed to the point of depression and very low self-esteem.
Shifting Ground is also going to take you on many good trips involving Ruth and her husband, Derry as they escaped together into the wilderness to canoe and camp, a love that they shared together amongst many others. They shared thoughts, ideas, laughter and pain to the point that the reader may become very confused. The confusion you will feel is more "why" and "how come" and "how much more"? Questions that are answered as Derry's illness becomes more clear.
Ruth shows her reader through her story, how love teaches her to separate the person from the illness. It also shows her reader that even with all of her love, it was not enough to cure Derry's illness. His refusal to take any medication sealed his failure as a husband and companion. Some might wonder if Ruth struggled to find hope for 22 years with her second marriage due to the failure of her first marriage that took place in her younger years.
People will do things for many reasons throughout their lives, sometimes without fully knowing why. Health issues play a huge part in our daily lives whether it be a personal war or a war being witnessed through a close family member. Either way, it does change what should be a balanced life. It will tear one’s heart and mind apart through the frustrations one has to deal with in trying to understand and live with its symptoms and treatments.
I commend Ruth McVeigh and any other person who has ever had to deal with and witness the confusion and manic personalities of a Bipolar victim. I also commend any person that has had to survive as a partner of someone with Bipolar and live a life of unpredictability and confusion.
Womensselfesteem.com highly recommends, ”Shifting Ground” as a number one resource book in regard to life with or as a Bipolar victim!
Shifting Ground Is available for purchase@ AMAZON.COM
Dorothyl
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