What has been said so far,
"Hi Michael, It was good to meet you and Monica at the conference in New York, it was good to exchange ideas and knowledge on stuttering. Your book was well received by the delegates at the conference, it will be of great value to many, it is very well written, people will easily relate to its contents, powerful messages, powerful feeling, powerful insights, are only a few comments which spring to mind."
Dr Philip Schneider
NewYork, USA
“It’s all there and its’ for everyone; for those who stutter, who live with people who stutter and for those who work with people who stutter. I found the book I would like to see on the big screen.”
Anita S Bloom, Vice Chair, ESLA (European League of Stuttering Association)
“A compelling read which will both educate and consume whoever reads it”
Velda Osbourne
Chairperson British Stammering Association
“Michael O’Shea has given a detailed and revealing account of the evolution and impact of stuttering on his life as well as a deep understanding of his recovery. Nobody has documented the recovery process quite as clearly or as brilliantly. A must read for stutterers, therapists, family and friends.”
John Harrison Author of “How to Conquer Year fears of Speaking Before People” and Founder Member of the National Stuttering Association of America.
“Michael O’Shea has captured not only what it is to live the horrors of stuttering but the immense freedom once it is conquered. No book like it has ever been written. Brutally honest and concisely written, it is a story that people who stutter, friends and family of those who stutter can relate to. One of those books you can’t put down until the end. I can only feel a sense of pride that the programme I found has inspired such a book.”
David McGuire Founder of the McGuire Programme Freedoms Road
“I have no hesitation in recommending this book to my clients”
Trudy Stewert, Senior Speech and Language Therapist
"All the years I have worked as a speech Pathologist and University Professor I have never come across a book that explains as you do the mindset of and mentality of a stutterer and the processes that you put in place to change that mindset and mentality. The chapter by Monica is so important and so relevant that it has me and my lecturing staff aware of it in South Africa.
Just to say Mike that this book of yours when it comes out will be a must read for anyone who stutters, family, friends, etc it is so close to my own stuttering experinces it is unreal. Just a word of caution my friend the only people who will argue with what you have written will be the professional community academics like me fail to see the real picture we do not do the things you have done."
Joe Kalinowski
East Carolina University, USA
"Hi Michael and Monica
It was great to be in your company in Croatia you made us all laugh with your stories and jokes you are a role model for us all. Like you I have stuttered all my life and it was great to hear you say at your workshop that it does not matter where or who you get help and support from as long as you get it. Over the years it has been my experience that few professionals have this attitude your book is fantastic and I will cherish it for the rest of my life."
Vivian Lee.
Speakeasy Associan Australia.
"This is the first book that I have ever read which illustrates so brilliantly in such easy to understand English language the thought process of a person who stammers it has been so well received by my clients who can relate to almost every word at support group but also the many students who are discussing it in class. "
Suzana Jelcic Jaksik
President of the Croatia association for people who stutter.
"Michael where have you been for so long, no one has ever written anything like this to my knowledge. You have welcomed all of us Stutterers, Parents, Professional into your life just to help and encourage other people to help themselves. My clients and students will have this book as number one on their reading list."
Judith Kuster.
Minnesote State University. USA
"Why “I Call My Sister Harry” has kept me awake at night engrossed, crying, laughing so many emotions and as a severe stutterer myself I am working as a speech and language pathologist for the past ten years I can relate to every word you have written."
Marilee L Fini
Boston USA.
"Michael have you ever wondered what your life would be like now if you had not come across this great man Michael Meaney. I know exactly what you mean when you looked at this man as your inspiration and role model. Who is this man how can we contact him so he can have the same affect on us as he had on your life. This man gave you belief, as you say in your book and I quote “Tremendous things happen to a believer”
Gustav Van Heerden
Bloom Fountain
South Africa
“This is a well written life story providing comprehensive insights into how something like stuttering can consume one’s life.”
Mark Irwin, Chairman International Stuttering Association.
“This book is an important contribution to the cause of helping those who stutter, their families and professionals”
Lee Reeves, Chairman of the National Stuttering Association of America
"Michael I can not say that I was impressed by some of the awkward questions you asked at my presentation in Croatia but I respect you totally for having the bottle to put me on the spot not many people do at my presentations but fair play the questions you asked were quite relevant. I was going to throw your book in the bin, us academics do not like reading reality sometimes and you speak about reality and that is what people can relate to. This is a very valuable book on how to understand Stuttering."
Mark Onslow
Australian Stuttering Research Centre
"This book Michael will stand the test of time, it will be around as a reference book for years to come. You have written and explained what no one else has done in over fifty years in an easy to read book which everyone can relate to stammerers and non stammerers. Every stammering organisation in the world will want copies of this book so be prepared to get it printed in many languages."
Herman Christmann.
Danish Stuttering association.
“This book is so much about me, I can relate it so much it is unreal, just reading it has made me look at myself in a different way."
Claire Pirne
Person who stammers
"As a parent Michael your well written book has brought a lot of guilt and emotion in me regarding my daughter who stammers. For the first time ever I have talked to her about how she feels regarding her speech I never knew what she was going through on a daily basis she is now eighteen years old. Thank you so much for making me aware and for giving me the opportunity to talk to her openly about her speech."
Ann Howley
Parent
"A fellow member of my stuttering group here in Holland was lucky enough to get a copy of your book at the work stuttering conference in Croatia. As a group we would like to thank you for allowing us all in to so much of your private life and for getting all of us as a group to look at our own stuttering in a much more open way. If you are ever in the Hague we would be honoured if you would address our group."
Clea Rubin
Holland
"Hi Michael and Monica,
I was one of the lucky ones the got Michael's book in Croatia I have read it three times already and I always read a chapter before I go to sleep. I find the whole book so honest, touching, and familiar and it gives me great hope for the future just listening to how Michael spoke and how much passion and understanding he has of the processes of stammering inspired us all who were lucky enough to attend his workshop. Monica your contribution will also inspire many."
Pia Peltomaa
Finland
"Michael your book has given me hope and understanding, I now know that what I have been doing for the past twenty five years has been the wrong approach you have made me aware that all the physiological and psychological areas of my stammering have to be addressed over time. I am 39 years young so I know now I can enjoy at least the second half of my speaking life if I let go of the need to be perfect."
Eva Nolstron.
Norway
"Hi Michael,
The tear stains have long since disappeared from the pages of your book, I found it so moving from my perspectives, I cried for the little boy who ran away from school, I cried for the missed opportunities, and for the man who always carried a pen and paper in his pocket. “I cried for me as I relieved my pain, frustrations, anxieties and disappointments."
Michelle Rochford
Tipperary, Ireland
"Michael, last night was a miserable rain soaked night here in Dortmund Germany, I took you to bed at nine o’clock hoping to read a few pages from your well written book before I fell asleep, at four thirty in the morning I removed you from my tear stained pillow, emotionally wrecked, full of joy for you and Monica, so many emotions over just a few hours, and still today as I write this I am thinking of you."
Brigitte Credo.
Dotmund, Germany.
"I can never thank you enough for what you have done for me Michael, thank you for the guidance and support when I most needed it, your book has taught me to never give up on anything, you are an inspiration to me and so many others.
Michael, just a quick note to say what you done in writing this book will stay in the memory of those who read it for a very lone time, I was as you say challenged by stammering for thirty years, I know what it is like, what it feels like, what it felt like, I will never forgot. The people who work with people who stammer should listen to you, read your book, for I have never read a book that understands stammering so well, we should appreciate you even more for leaving us into your private life, not many people are willing to do that."
Seamus O’Connell
Galway, Ireland.
"Hi Michael, Our dad has had a stammer all his life, we gave him a present of your book for Christmas, our dad is sixty six years old. Dad started to read your book on Christmas Day, he finished it on Stephen's Day. After reading it, for the first time ever he spoke to us all as a family about his stammer, Dad cried, Mum cried, their four adult children cried. Dad said the book was such a mirror image of himself it was unreal, Dad has not been well for sometime, your book has really given him a lift, if you are ever down Kerry way, you will be made very welcome in our home, we would love to meet you."
Brosna Family
Kerry Ireland
"Michael, Thank you for the book, it gives me great strength to read what you have achieved. I always thought that I would speak the way I do now for the rest of my life, no lasting relationships, no children, no career, reading your well written book has changed my outlook on all that. You are indeed an inspiration, thank you."
Trevor Watson
Manchester, England
"Michael, My mum and I met you in Croatia two years ago at the international stuttering conference, we attended your workshop where we got a pre edition of your wonderful book, both of us are speech therapists, we recommend your book to all of our teenage and adult clients, the feedback from it is very powerful, support groups are using it to discuss what you have written, so many positive things are happening because of it."
Kay Tahylor
New Jersey, USA
“Without doubt this book should be in every primary and secondary school. In fact it should be anywhere there might be children or young people who stutter”
K Grant School Principal and Teacher
“Being the daughter of a stutterer and a school teacher this book resonates with me on many different levels.”
T.Maher, Primary School Teacher
