Shattered

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tells it like it is - Rated
I got throught this book in no time! if it confirmed one thing it was 'I have the same illness as the people described here'. it is the only book i have read which really explains how it feels to live with this illness, and is therefore helpful in putting into words what we want to tell loved ones friends and services about how this illness affects our lives. this is not wallowing in self-pity, this is validation and empowerment.

I would add however that although this book has its own important and truly valuable place in the literature on ME, it may not be the best book to read if you want a good general book on the condition. it is not a self-help manual (although there are some positive stories in here) and had i read it at an earlier stage in my illness when i was still far from understanding what was happening with my body i don't know if it would have hit the spot. A good general book on ME is the one by DR Ann Macintyre. CBT (mentioned by another reviewer), is helpful for some but is not a cure for ME - consider it a helping hand to better understanding your self and your illness and indeed this can assist towards recovery for a few. Personally I have tried CBT with an excellent therapist and found it interesting and somewhat useful but I am not the slightest bit improved in my ME! I think it has given me a more positive outlook however and better understanding of my illness.

Illuminating misunderstanding of ME - Rated
The review from the reader from Leeds displays, yet again, the relentless misunderstanding and maligning that ME sufferers have to face - the very misunderstanding that Lynn Michell's book illuminates so movingly.

A leading ME researcher estimates that only 6% of ME sufferers ever fully recover and that up to 25% can remain severely affected for life.

I can only guess that the reader from Leeds may have had a milder fatigue syndrome cured by CBT and exercise. I conceed that if you are newly diagnosed or mildly affected 'Shattered' might not be the best ME book to start with. However if you are among the many who are long term affected; if you have tried countless ways to get better without success, you will hear your own voice in the stories in this book.

When people failed to recover from Polio, no one implied that it was their own fault. ME is no different.

Great to read the truth for a change - Rated
I'm not an ME sufferer, but know a good few, and this book chimed with what their experiences have been like. It's refreshing to have a proper medical sociologist like Lynn Michell analysing key elements of the life experiences of a group of people, and bringing these elements together sensibly and cogently in a whole book. So different from the personal stories we hear so much about (usually by "recovered" patients with something to sell), or the normal blanket refusal to believe that these people really are ill. The inclusion in the book of a forward and research appendix by the biomedical research charity, MERGE, adds to its credibility. What's clear from this book, and the reactions to it, is that ME is a "dustbin" diagnosis with lots of different kinds of patients thrown in, unwanted and unhelped. Some of the ones with pure fatigue might be "cured" by so-called postive thinking, but most are physically ill, in pain, and have a hell of a time. Whether people like or not, these patients are out there in their thousands. Thanks to Lynn Michell, this tragedy has been brought to the attention of the world.

A Must Buy! - Rated
I recently bought this book, I have suffered with M.E. for 7+ years, this book really brings home the reality of M.E. It gives sufferers validation and understanding, in a world where such is so lacking. I think it would be especially good for those who are skeptics about M.E. and for anyone who wants to know what our lives are really like.

You MUST buy this book - Rated
Whether you have M.E, know someone who does, care for someone with the illness or even if you're a professional, this book is a must have.

Telling it like it is, this book REALLY will show many people the real truth about what a nightmare M.E is and how not only does it affect you physically but can change you in so many ways.