Lost in the Shuffle by Robert Subby (1987, Paperback)

Subby has taken in and put down a very nice, very descriptive and very revealing interpretation of why some of us seem to be addicted to relationships, addicted to pleasing people (even those we don't know), and in constant need of others to think and feel good about us.

This book is for anyone who has felt the lack of ability to feel happy about themselves, incapable of finding true comfort or love with others, were abused as children, had drunken adults as parents, were ignored one too many times when they needed someone's love or simply don't feel they can be naturally themselves anymore. It's for those who were raised in families where parental role-models, faith in ourselves and others is limited, trust is an unheard-of way of feeling and talking to each other about how we feel is out of the question, this is for us.

Before even finishing the third chapter I bought a copy for each of my broken family members. After reading it they all called with very lengthy conversations to convey.

And unlike other books on the subject of co-dependency, Subby shows you many outlets and paths to getting out of the shuffle and back onto the road of being who you really are and want to be instead of taking you by the hand and telling you who you should be now like many books out there will. He approaches the subject, nails it, and then gives you the sense that you can be free of it from here out. Anything goes.

In a nutshell- It's fast; It's to the point; It's open-ended.