Twenty case studies explaining how to gently deliver a range of life's most awkward messages while causing minimal harm. Life constantly requires us to give other people some hugely awkward messages: that we don't love them anymore; that we do love them (though we're not meant to); that they smell a bit; that they're fired; that we're furious with them (though we adore them) or that their music is too loud... Often, out of embarrassment, we just stay quiet. Occasionally we explode. And typically, we stumble about, looking for the right words - dreading that we didn't find them and thereby causing more hurt than we should. This is a book to help us locate the best possible words to get across a range of life's most difficult messages. With twenty case studies drawn from relationships, friendships, work, our families, and social situations, we are gently shown what we might - in an ideal world - find ourselves saying to make our intentions known while causing minimal harm. We are guided, among other topics, to how best to end a relationship, how to make it up with a child, and how gently to let down a friend who wants more. We laugh, we recognize our troubles - and we're introduced to a range of deeply empathetic ways to navigate some of our most acute social dilemmas.

"This memoir tells the story of a man's deterioration from Alzheimer disease from two perspectives. His daughter, an English professor at Caltech, describes her father's dementia, using her expertise in language and literature as a way to frame his loss of words, spatial orientation, identity, behavioral decorum, and memory. The physician, an academic neurologist at the University of California at San Francisco, explains the science behind Alzheimer disease using his expertise in neurology, articulating to a general audience how dementia assaults the brain"--

Showing someone you care begins with Finding the Right Words Here you'll find: • More than three dozen ways to say "Happy Birthday" • Welcoming words for new family members...even pets • Thoughtful condolences for personalizing sympathy cards • Congratulatory wishes for weddings and anniversaries • Helpful hints to simplify card-sending • A monthly calendar for birthdays and anniversaries ...and more, in this book of indispensable phrases for all occasions. You'll never be at a loss for words again!

"For everyone who needs a hero or loves a good story, here is an inspiring collection of personal revelations from more than 100 remarkable men and women who share a moment when words changed their lives"--Jacket.

A Warm and Practical Guide to Writing the Perfect Card Message Are you at a complete loss for words when a birthday card or congratulatory card circulates at the office? When was the last time you mailed a "thinking of you" card to a faraway family member, just to say hello? What should you write to a grieving friend? How do you comfort a colleague in a time of need? Every greeting card needs a personal, handwritten message to make it complete. In this comprehensive, encouraging guide, journalist and lifestyle expert Sandra Lamb offers a wealth of advice, inspiration, and examples for anyone who wants to add the perfect personal touch to their card messages---as well as anyone who wants to know the etiquette of when and what to write. Something as small as a heartfelt message on a greeting card can help remedy our hectic, e-mail--dependent lives. Lamb provides tips and sample messages for every occasion under the sun, both happy and somber (thank-you, birthday, birth and adoption, condolence), and explains the meanings of possibly unfamiliar holidays and religious rituals to aid in the writing of appropriate messages. This personal, indispensable guide will help you rekindle the joy of putting pen to paper and truly connect with loved ones and friends.

Teaches readers the right words and strategies to communicate comfort in difficult times.