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His Bright Light (Hardcover)

by Danielle Steel (Author) "I met Nick's father on his thirty-first birthday, on a sunny day in June ..." (more)

4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (166 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press (Sep 8 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385333463
ISBN-13: 978-0385333467
Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 13.5 x 2.5 cm
Shipping Weight: 409 g

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (166 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #203,034 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories:
#63 in Books > Health, Mind & Body > Mental Health > Manic Depression
#73 in Books > Health, Mind & Body > Death & Grief > Suicide

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Product Description

From Amazon.com

Like Kurt Cobain, Nick Traina lived for punk rock (his bands made two CDs, Gift Before I Go and 17 Reasons), succumbed to heroin addiction, and died of suicide. His mom, Danielle Steel, takes us through her 19 twister-like years with Nick in a memoir more affecting than her potboiler novels. Like his AWOL addict father, Nick had good looks, bad behavior, and a yen for the feminine. Five days before he died, he phoned a woman he saw in a centerfold and had a new girlfriend by nightfall. But his fun was ever haunted by manic depression. At age 11, he was a bed wetter who ate all the Tylenol and Sudafed in the house. He first considered suicide at 13, as Steel learned by reading his diaries after his death.

There is tension in this story--one doctor told Steel if she could get Nick to live to 30, he'd probably live a normal life span. (For example, Nick's troubled dad resurfaced, sober, soon after his son's death.) And Steel conveys a sense of the intelligence Nick used to conceal his learning disability, and the irreverent charm that alternated with irrational rages. Oliver Sacks has urged us not to ask what neurological disease a person has, but what sort of person the disease has got hold of. Steel gives us a vivid sense of the costs of the disease to a family--and of the person who was Nick Traina. --Tim Appelo

From Library Journal

The best-selling novelist on the lifeAand deathAof the manic depressive son she loved so deeply.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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I met Nick's father on his thirty-first birthday, on a sunny day in June. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

166 Reviews

5 star:		(115)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(12)

Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (166 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina, Aug 9 2006

By	Tami C Ryan (Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina (Paperback)

Clearly, Nick Traina was intelligent and articulate at a very early age and, even as a toddler, his mother knew he was different. But, try as she may, she couldn't get professionals to see what she saw in Nick. In his formative years, she saved hundreds of dark drawings and talked with psychiatrists and school officials, alike, but professionals believed that Nick's angry and aggressive behavior was due to the turmoil of an ever growing and changing family structure. (Steel had nine children.) The story that follows drives the point home - clearly - that no one knows a child as well as his/her mother.

"His Bright Light, The Story of Nick Traina", is the true story of Danielle Steel's eldest son, initially diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.) in early adolescence. The most troubling symptom of A.D.D. is that of acting on impulse and, for Nick, it was often with dangerous repercussions. Later, Nick was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder with atypical Manic Depressive symptoms. In the several years that followed, flurries of visits to psychiatrists and short-terms stays in numerous hospitals, each time, were met with frustration. Doctors were hesitant to label (and, hence, medicate) someone so young, but the ultimate diagnose was inevitable: Nick was Manic Depressive. Once there was an accurate diagnosis, the medication (lithium) made an immediate difference in the quality of Nick's life. It was then that he was most functional and successful.

Most alarming, though, is the fact that Manic Depression is lethal in approximately 30% of all cases. In his mother's words: "Nick was like a burning cigarette tossed into the dry grass at the edge of a summer forest. He was a forest fire waiting to happen, and while the conflagration began to burn, and the flames began to devour him, none of us could yet see it." Not uncommon for someone with Manic Depression was the fact that when Nick felt himself slipping into depression, he began to self-medicate, with near-lethal results. He had three failed suicide attempts before he was finally successful.

This reader found distraction early in the book when Ms. Steel consistently referenced future incidents, causing difficulty relating to, and focusing on, the then current events. Many times throughout the book, there were details that were repeated a mere two pages later, as if the author had forgotten that she just mentioned that particular incident. Additionally, there was a gross overuse of commas throughout and, many, many sentences that began with conjunctions and an uncommon amount of incomplete sentences. While to some, these things may seem insignificant, as a writer, this added to the distraction and confusion during the read. This reader was sadly disappointed by the lack of editing for an author of Steel's notoriety.

Still, Ms. Steel's story is wrought with the power of love, not only between a mother and her child, but also evident was the bond of love among siblings. Steel skillfully magnifies the frustrations, the feeling of helplessness, and that of the burdens felt by parents of a child with a mental illness.

Probably most disturbing - and enlightening - are Nick's journal entries included in this painful and moving story. Steel could tell the tale in thousands of words, thousands of pages, but none spoke as loudly or with as much clarity as these.

This book is an imperative read for anyone who knows of someone with a mental illness, loves someone with a mental illness, or who hopes to work in the field. "His Bright Light, The Story of Nick Traina", will stimulate and awaken the mind and, hopefully, bring compassion and understanding to its readers.

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5.0 out of 5 stars My 1st Danielle Steel Book...Ever., May 17 2004

By	Eric A. Klee "gapkid" (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina (Paperback)

I admit it. I've never read a Danielle Steel book. I've never been interested enough, although I know many people who rave about her. Her stories just aren't necessarily my "cup of tea." However, I was highly recommended this true-story book about her son's life by a friend of mine, so I decided to give it a try.

I got to experience DS's flair for writing and its conversational style. It was very easy to read and held my interest. Pages flowed into the next. I can see her widespread appeal.

Not only was the story sad yet uplifting, but "His Bright Light" helped me to understand manic depressive behavior intimately as DS learned it herself over the years. It was quite the lesson in psychology for those who don't want to get bogged down with or can't quite grasp the technical or scientific aspects of it.

I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to know more about the disease, her son's life, as well as DS's life. She provides some great autobiographical material for those interested. It's a quick read, and it'll be worth the effort, especially if you know someone with similar challenges in their own life...

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5.0 out of 5 stars His Bright Light, April 26 2004

By	smartnurse123 (Slidell, LA United States) - See all my reviews

This book is a true story written by Danielle Steel portraying the life of her son Nick Traina who was diagnosed with manic depression and committed suicide at the age of 19 yrs. Danielle Steel, a picture of beauty and strength, writes very candidly about the struggles she endured in raising him amidst a large family and a busy schedule. The book tends to be somewhat graphic, a little morbid, but might be very helpful for parents who struggle with difficult children or those suffering from mental illness in their lives. I appreciate Danielle Steel as an author even more after reading this book because of her willingness to share her true feelings and pain.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very stimulating
I read this book about five years ago and I still think about it and some of the things that happened in it. Read more

Published on Feb 14 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Touching, But Flawed
This is a very sad, very touching story about the suicide of the son of the author. Although the book is worth reading, I couldn't help noticing that Danielle Steel really isn't... Read more

Published on Dec 3 2003

3.0 out of 5 stars touching suicide story
This well-written story shares the experiences of one family with a Bipolar young man who ultimately commits suicide. Read more

Published on Nov 15 2003 by Sheryl Gurrentz

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book - but a very biased truth
If you're a manic depressive or a parent of a manic depressive - don't read this book for advice. You might relate, but it won't help you. Read more

Published on Oct 1 2003 by Elizebeth