Hammerhead 84: A Memoir of Persistence

by Brett Hartman

On his last day of high school Brett Hartman commits what at first seems like a harmless prank but later turns into the defining moment of his adolescence. Wracked with guilt and pressure from the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0975581007
• ISBN13: 9780975581001
• Release Date: June 2005
• Publisher: Graphite Press
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.

Customer Reviews

When the destination is the journey

Brett Hartman takes you on an unforgettable journey where you don't know whether the enemy is himself, the drugs, or the doctor who prescribes them. They all played a role in a real-life passion play and I enjoyed every word. It was written with a wonderfully personal point of view and told with an honesty and memory that was jaw-dropping. Thank you and congratulations for all the people you will touch with this account.

electrifying, thought-provoking

Read this book - it is powerful, absorbing, eye-opening, and stays with you.

Impressive

It takes a lot of guts to do what Brett Hartman has done, tell the world about a very personal experience that many people would feel shamed by. He has written a book not only about persistence, but how the power of family, friends and inner strength can be used to turn what for most would be a negative experience into a foundation for which he has built his professional career. The book is funny, sad, hopeful and certainly a wake up call for the psychiatric community. It should be a "must-read" for all students entering the fields of psychiatry and clinical psychology.

"Mental" illness?

I would like to make a statement that everyone should read this book and not just people that are in the mental health field or suffer with a mental illnes. Brett's journey is a story in itself and a very well-written one. I have believed in his theory for a long time now and having dealt with mental illness in my own family and have also worked within the system. I read this book in two days and could not put it down. It was his story and the way that it was written, was exceptional. I cannot say enough about what a great read this was. Please do not miss out on this book. You will be thoroughly pleased with the end result. Marcy Boynton

Highly Recommended

This book is excellent for anyone looking to understand some of the workings of the mental health system and schizophrenia from the patients point of view. Personally, until I read this book, I had mistakenly lumped schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder together as the same disorder. Now, I have a much clearer understanding of schizophrenia. As for the book, it is very well written. It just flows. It is easy to read and very interesting. I found myself having to remember that this was actually someone's real life and not fiction. I got very involved with the book and felt the ups and downs along with Brett. I found myself at times saying "Just shut up and it would all be better!" but having to remember that he wasn't capable of that thinking at the time. He is very much the hero-type figure of this memoir and you can't help but root for him. He portrays his own emotions so well that you can't help but make them your emotions. You feel the greatfulness and fondness that Brett felt for Penny, the admiration and appreciation of Rhonda, even the intense dislike of Greg and the constant frustation of not being in control of your own life and your own choices. Finally, to be able to experience his determination and to see him succeed and use his experiences as a stepping stone for his life and not just succumb to the disorder and give up trying was wonderful. He didn't let the disorder define who he was or who he wanted to be. I highly recommend this book. This was a very difficult period in his life and a very personal experience. Thank you for putting it out there for us all to share:)