I would be concerned about anyone who could read this book without difficulty. I had to pause frequently and just breathe to compose myself, and still feel sick to my stomach when I think of what she endured. It is a horrific story and yet beautifully written. Jaycee Lee Dugard is an extraordinary young woman and courageous in the extreme, not only because she survived her ordeal with compassion for herself as a victim and hope for the future, but because she tells her story in unflinching detail and with an unusual degree of introspection and analysis. It is astounding to learn that she does not hate her tormentors, that she does not want that type of negativity in her life (echoing the sentiments of many notable survivors of torture, extermination camps, extreme abuse, etc.) Amazing. What was done to her absolutely defies imagination not only the sexual abuse and physical neglect but the extreme isolation, manipulation, and mind games. And she helps us clearly understand why she was unable to escape even after she was granted a degree of freedom. She is a hero and we all have something to learn from her story.

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