Crazy Love

Couldn't put it down

Although I liked the book because it's a page turner, and you want to know what is going to happen next, I could hardly stomach the writer. I almost didn't feel sorry for her. She constantly insults people of other races with her description of them. As if to say this should only happen to you if you are 'hispanic, black, homeless or grimy' and don't have money up the ying yang. I had to laugh in the description of herself saying she is 'blond' and her whole familiy is blonde. What does that have to do with ANYTHING!? I can't stand 'white' supremists of any kind and she acts like one in the entire book. And, I'm white and blond, so I think she should listen to what I'm saying cuz you know, I don't have black hair....sickening!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Crazy Love changed my life!

Crazy love changed my life. I heard Leslie Morgan Steiner on the radio and drove directly to Barnes Noble to purchase, and ultimately order this book. I have been with husband since I was in college. Combining the years of dating and marriage, we have been together 20 years. We have two beautiful little girls. My husband can be the most fun, smart, and loving individual...until he is angry. Until I read this book, which scarily mirrored my life in many ways, I would have never admitted (to any one or myself else) that I was in an abusive relationship. There were times when reading her written words that I felt suffocated, immobilized and often in tears. Her description of how people morph into an abusive relationship and why one must get out is precisely accurate and extremely helpful.

Ms. Steiner is a strong, smart woman that opened her heart to a man that had been hurt in his youth. Educated at Harvard, it took her years working in New York as a magazine editor, getting her master's degree and living as a working woman to recognize the man she loved was abusive. Originally, he was emotionally abusive which over time escalated to physical abuse. She did not fit the stereotype I had in my mind of a women that would suffer from abuse, which is why she describes that many smart, educated women stay in abusive relationships, they think they are strong and smart enough to "help" their abuser that they love. Ms. Steiner's ability to tell her story backed by facts... quite possibly saved both of our lives. This is the most compelling book I have ever read.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

why a person stays in a dangerous harmful (physically and mentally) relationship

Twenty-two years old recent Harvard grad, Leslie obtains a job at the magazine Seventeen. On the Manhattan train she meets a nice Wall Street investment banker thirtyish Conor. They begin dating and become engaged. Together just under a year, five days before their wedding, Conor smacks Leslie for cursing at her computer. She goes ahead and marries him, but he continues to hit her. She stayed with him for two years before deciding love was not enough because he will never overcome his violent Boston childhood. The final straw was a horrific beating in which he left her unconscious.------------

Mindful of a profound scene from the Charlie Sheen movie Good Advice in which the advice columnist answers a woman who asks what to do as her spouse is physically abusive but her family insists she has to save her marriage while the columnists insists she should save her life. This is an intense from the heart memoir that looks at the psychology of why "battered woman" even highly educated females remain in potentially deadly relationships when intellectually they know they must leave. Well written and extremely deep, some of the true life scenes described are so stunning, a reader will want to deny they happened as Leslie Morgan Steiner provides a powerful look into abuse and why a person stays in a dangerous harmful (physically and mentally) relationship. -------

Harriet Klausner

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Crazy Love Review

As a survivor of domestic violence, I have wrote on the subject as well. Therefore, I have to say I was unimpressed with "Crazy Love". I do not feel it is an uplifting book, instead I think the author sets a haughty example which can be rather irritating. I challenge her viewpoints on domestic violence and can't say I agree with much of her message. I have found in my soul-searching what is thought of as love, is actually fear disguised. There is no doubt a wealthy woman can find herself in an abusive relationship, but I do not care for the snobbish theme of the book. I had high hopes for the book but sadly it did not measure up. I do applaud the effort to bring domestic violence back to the spotlight though.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Excellent writing on a deeply emotional subject - but I did not like the ending.

I am someone who loves to read literature along these lines due to the fact that I grew up experiencing quite a bit of drama in my household. I have read Eat Pray Love, The Glass Castle, Hungry, The Quiet Room, Chosen by a Horse, and Prozac - all of which I would strongly recommend.
When I read this book, I was impressed with the honesty given from the Author about a most horrible experience. Leslie Steiner not only describes her first handout account of abuse but includes important psychological facts about different forms of abusive relationships and what they are stemmed from. This book is sad and frightening at time and I am sure there are woman out there who can relate to this woman. However, I did not feel like enough responsibility was taken in this relationship on her side. All to woman find themselves in these situation and end up playing the role of a victim to the strongest degree when what needs to happen is self evaluation. Why did I put myself in this situation? Why did I let it last so long? What I have been through in the past the led me here? These are questions that should not be answered with sentences that start with "He did this" "He made me" "It was all his fault." Once you figure out your role in these horrible situations you can move on with your life. It is not all the abuser's fault. Getting out of an abusive relationship is tremendous and I did not take it lightly, but self awareness is key to not having it happen again and at then end of this book - I here too much blame.

Looove ittttt!

This book is ammmmmmmazing! I lovve it soo much, i think everyone should read it.(:

One of my all time favorites

Great book, easy to read. Loved it, loved it!

Great Book

This book was very touching.I encourage more teenage women and young adults to read this book. my main goal after reading was to discuss this book with my daughter who is nine and my many nieces. I picked this book up to write a literature review for a term paper, but end up buying it to pass around to others. Hopefully it would save them from becoming involved in a domestic relationship.

Good

I really enjoyed reading this. You really feel bad for her for not knowing what was going on. I only read this book because I just wanted to know what goes on in their minds. Also to know what to do if I knew someone in this situation. Again I really enjoyed this book.

Very enlightening book

Our book club read this book after hearing Ms. Steiner's interview on NPR. It was a reminder to us all how easy it is to fall in love with another person's faults and take it as our own to solve.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Engaging

Gave this to my 18 year old daughter to read after I finished it. I think I would have liked more detail about how she was drawn in. But big picture - definitely illustrated how controlling people can isolate and encapsulate one into their insane world. Loved it from the perspective of the author's ability to extricate herself and continue onto a successful path.

Great book, quick read.

A deep look into an abusive relationship and a better understanding of what women go through in those types of situations.

Sticks with you

Great memoir. Stirring and disturbing, this book will haunt you. Crazy Love gives a wonderful, intimate account of what it is like to be in an abusive and violent relationship, and to be absorbed to the point that you can't break free, but know you must. It is interesting to see here how the abuse starts, and the cycle(s) that occur thereafter.

Kudos to Leslie Morgan Steiner for her honesty and bravery!

Read in 2 days....

Very powerful story.. Leslie is lucky to be alive. I couldn't put this book down.

Great read!

This book allows you to get a glimpse of what an abused woman goes through. It is an inspriation for any woman who has gone through this.

Very Good Book

I saw this book as a recommendation from People magazine. It was a real good book. I knew it was about an abusive relationship, but after reading this book I felt 2 things: sadness and relief. I was sad because stuff like this go on everyday, but you see them written out as someone's own personal experience you cant help but empathize with them, however I felt relieved that she was able to make it out of the relationship alive, when some women don't. It was well written, and compeling. It's unfortunate that this women went through that, but she was smart to write it because it will help women realize that even the smartest, nicest man can snap and hurt you when you dont deserve it.

Very Good....

You can't help but be drawn into this true story. You will have no choice but to call "Conor" a "retard" after you read this.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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