The Mud People: A Parable of Recovery

Laney MacKenna Mark is my great aunt.And in the book the sister refered to as Reene was my grandmother, so for me this book ment more than it would to the average reader. But if I were to look at this as an regular person I would still rate it the same. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone..

As an avid reader of many, many books on healing of emotional and physical abuse, this little book, The Mud People is one of the finest little books I have ever come across. I have continually recommended this book to many people who have suffered emotional and physical trauma from parents and family. It is so profound in its story of a little girl who had a small inner voice who kept nudging her, reminding her that she had worth and value. Having the courage to leave the tribal-minded thinking of her abusive family and begin a journey that would lead herself to her own true worth. When you first pick up this little book and start reading it you might be tempted to think that it was a childrens book, written for children, but I assure you it is for adults. It brought tears to my eyes as I read the story, and made me appreciate the courage it takes to leave an abusive people and claim value for oneself....and the expected anger and rejection that will follow from family and parents when they realize they can no longer control or dominate. The book makes powerful yet subtle insights about the tribal thinking patterns, the family history of abuse from generation to generation, and the courage of one child to break the rules of abuse and leave it behind. It will help those who have grown up with cruel and insensitive parents and family. It will help those of sexual abuse and it will confirm and support that inner voice that speaks to many of us which says....there must be a better way, I must have self-worth and I am willing to risk finding it, even if it means leaving people who are not willing to journey with me into healthy-minded relationships. Read this little book....it will help you.

I am Laney's youngest sister and have suffered from the emotional and verbal abuse referred to in her story. Her book was able to put in words something that was buried deep and locked tightly inside of me since childhood. It is my hope that many wounded survivors will find their way to this book of gentle healing and journey out of the darkness into light and life.

As a friend of the author and fellow "survivor", I found this story both motivational and enlightening. Laney has a way of story-telling that gets to the heart of the matter, and, at the same time, speaks to so many people on so many levels. I have suggested this book many times to my clients (I am a psychotherapist), and I have had person after person come back to me and share how much The Mud People touched their lives. A true delight, and a cache of wisdom from which we could all benefit.

I myself have not experienced physical or sexual abuse but have known fear and the desire to step into the light.The Mud People made me laugh and cry and feel the strength and courage Kaila mustered to speak the truth and begin to heal. I recommend The Mud People to the young, the old, those who have experienced abuse, and to those who have not. In fact, if there were an operating manual for being a human being, The Mud People belongs in it. I loved it!Read it and buy it for everyone you care about.