His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina

by Danielle Steel

Book Overview

At once a loving legacy and an unsparing depiction of a devastating illness, Danielle Steel's tribute to her lost son is a gift of life, hope, healing, and understanding to us all.

"This is the story of an extraordinary boy with a brilliant mind, a heart of gold, and a tortured soul. It is the story of an illness, a fight to live, and a race against death.

I want to share the story, and the pain, the courage, the love,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385334672
• ISBN13: 9780385334679
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: Delta
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.17 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Bright Light

I am sorry for what Danielle went through, but seems like from the beginning, there should have been something done. No, I do not have a child with this condition, so I haven't experienced anything so severe. I know she was told that there was nothing wrong, but she lived with Nick and saw things from birth. At 1, 2 and 3 I'm thinking it may have been easier (not the right word) to help him. Danielle said she wanted to give Nick his privacy but when he would seclude himself in room. She could have found those journals earlier. All those years and she never went in his room. My deepest condolences to the family.

The Story of Nick Traina

My mother has been wanting this book for a long time and I was so pleased to finally find it in large print. She has begun reading it and despite the tragic story is really enjoying it. She is a big Danielle Steel fan and has read many of her books. I am going to read the book myself and would like to submit my own review later. Thanks very much.

triste enfermedad

La enfermedad mental en un familiar es bien triste.Y mas si la persona es tan joven.Este libro es de suma ayuda para personas que como yo tenemos un familiar maniaco depresivo en la familia.La lucha es bien fuerte y necesitamos hacer todo lo mas posible para evitar perdidas tan jovenes en manos de doctores que realmente no conocen nada de enfermedades mentales.

Close to home

His Bright Light touched very close to my heart and my own experiences. I too have a son with ADHD and tendicies of anger and mild depression, although not as severe as Nick's. This book helped me realize I was not alone in my every day struggles to help my son and those around him to understand this disorder. The struggles with school, family & friends is difficult & frustrating as they just don't seem to understand that this disorder is very real and connot be controlled because you want it to be. I recommend this book to everyone not just those that deal with depression and ADHD. Through this book I fell educators and bystanders could learn a great deal of insight to this disorder and in turn hopefully become more aware and develope a better understanding of those afflicted with it, thus being more patient and able to deal with them in a appropriate manner instead of labeling them as incorrigable kids/adults. Most are, as Nick was, very loving and caring individuals who just need a little more patience and encouragement then others. Thank you Danielle for writing this touching story about your son it will be a book always found on my shelf, read often and recommended to all.

Required for anyone who loves someone with mental illness

I've never read any of Danielle Steele's fictional novels, but I flew through this account of the life of her son, Nick Traina. His struggles with Bipolar Disorder, and her heartbreak are heartwrenching, but as the mother of a child who lives in the same tortured world, I am inspired by the strength of Nick's dreams, his family's love, and his mother's creativity in her unending search for appropriate resources. This book is filled with personal letters, poems, and song lyrics. There are lots of photographs of Nick and his family punctuating many of the chapters. This is an intimate book. Ms. Steele has opened her heart here, even though it was probably painful. She says in the forward that one of her reasons for writing this book was that she hoped she could educate people about this often-fatal mental illness. That was certainly a worthy goal, and this is the only book I've seen which deals with the trials of Bipolar Disorder in CHILDHOOD. She's managed something else, in my case, however. The Story of Nick Traina made me feel that, if Danielle Steel could survive her son's white-hot dance with life, so can I face whatever years lie ahead for my daughter and our family. It wouldn't matter if this book were poorly written, which I don't believe it is; this is an inspiring, diary-honest, easy-read. It's full of practical, creative suggestions for living with a mentally-ill child. It's about remembering to look for rainbows after devastating storms. It's an unforgettable eulogy of a beautiful young man. It's a book every teacher, minister,medical professional, and library should own.