It is no accident that you are holding this book right now. Behind the seemingly chaotic unfolding of your life, there exists a harmony where everyone has a special purpose and everything has a perfect moment. But if you'e stuck in the "joyless zone"--that place where joy cannot enter and pain cannot leave--you cannot yet see this harmony. You may feel as if you have "lost your marbles."

"There IS life after loss. It's just a different one." A decade of multiple traumatic events left Tonya Cunningham broken. In spite of her training as a grief counselor and doing all the right things, she fell into deep depression. The proverbial "lost her marbles" became reality in her life. But God led Tonya on a trek, a journey of healing. How could she ever rise from the ashes and regain the marbles of her mind? In her debut book, Tonya shares her story in hopes of helping others.

A first-of-kind book on marble collecting for beginners interested in learning about how to identify and value old marbles.

Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between “crazy” and “creative” in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers. Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Flagrantly manic and terrified that medications would cause her to lose creativity, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability while retaining her passions and creativity. Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the crazy artist, she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to “cure” an otherwise brilliant mind. Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forney’s memoir provides a visceral glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist’s work, as she shares her own story through bold black-and-white images and evocative prose.

This is the book weve been waiting fora story for children of parents with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In fact, I plan to buy a copy for all my loved ones, so theyll better understand what my life is like. It all depends on how many marbles are in my jar each daythe perfect metaphor for explaining the unpredictability and the ups and downs of Fibromyalgia and CFS. At the end of the book, Malott writes, a heart full of love is better than a jar full of marbles any day. Not only is this book informative and insightful, its a heart full of love in itself. Toni Bernhard, author of How to Be Sick A mom uses a brilliant jar-and-marble analogy to teach her son about her limitations related to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia. The book uses marbles, a toy all children are familiar with, as a measure of the mothers limited energy. Using a jar and some marbles, the author conveys difficult concepts in terms that children can understand. These concepts include taking preemptive rests to have more energy later, finding alternate ways to perform tasks that use less energy, and postexertional malaise. The concepts in the book are relevant to someone with one or both illnesses, and it can be applied to other physically limiting conditions as well. The book reminds the reader that although illness may limit a mothers activities, it never diminishes a mothers love for her children. The book is fun and yet realistic and will capture your childs heart.

Marbles evoke memories of childhood and simpler times; perhaps this is why they are collected with such enthusiasm! Marble fans won't want to go without this fantastic reference, which has been the standard collecting guide since its first publication nearly 35 years ago. Collecting Antique Marbles not only provides up-to-date pricing information, it provides collecting tips and advice on the hobby every collector should know. This long-awaited 4th edition provides a full-color look at the rarest and most collectible marbles in the world, aiding in identification and giving marble enthusiasts an eyeful of what's out there. A history of marble types and manufacturers is included in the book, as well as important information on spotting fakes and reproductions. A new chapter on Carpet Bowls joins updated chapters on German Swirls, Onionskins, Clambroths and Indians; Lutz; Sulphides and End-of-Day; Transition and Machine-Made, and many more.