| View Larger Image | This Common Secret: My Journey as an Abortion Doctor | Paperbackby Susan Wicklund (Author), Alan Kesselheim (Author)
| List Price: | $13.95 | | Price: | $10.04 | | You Save: | $3.91 (28%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | PublicAffairs | | Edition: | 1 Reprintst Edition | | Page Count: | 288 Pages | | Publication Date: | December 29, 2008 | | Sales Rank: | 249,990th |
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FEATURES | - ISBN13: 9781586486471
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Susan Wicklund was twenty-two-years old and juggling three jobs in Portland, Oregon, when she endured a difficult abortion. Partly in response to that experience, she later embarked on an improbable life journey devoted to women’s reproductive health, going to medical school while raising a daughter. It was not until she became a doctor that she realized how many women share the ordeal of unwanted pregnancies—and how hidden this common experience remains. This Common Secret is an emotional and dramatic story covering twenty years on the front lines of the abortion war. As we enter the most fevered political fight over abortion that America has ever seen, this raw and revealing memoir shows us what is at stake. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 30 reviews)
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Glimpse into a compartmentalized mind by Stuart Bensch  1 Stars
September 05, 2009
I bought "This Common Secret" to get a glimpse inside the mind of an abortion provider. But what I found was a bewildering mix of emotionalism, factual errors, and denial.
In Wicklund's world, her staff always acted exemplary. Abortion was always medically safe for the mother. Mothers never acted irresponsibly in getting pregnant. Businesses that offered alternatives to abortion were always deceptive. Wicklund's book is a memoir of how she wishes to remember her life.
Abortion is Wicklund's life. Everything else takes a back seat. This is evident in this book. I cannot gauge Wicklund's soul, but I can measure her words. In this book, Wicklund spends more paper lamenting the closure of her abortion clinic than the end of her second marriage. She missed most of her daughter's life while travleing to perform abortions.
Wicklund and her ghostwriter obviously didn't spend too much time checking simple, verifiable dates. The Supreme Court struck down the use of racketeering laws against ProLifers in 2005 in the case of Scheidler vs. NOW. Yet on Page 166, Wicklund says the ruling occurred in 2006. Abortionist David Gunn was shot on March 10, 1993. But on Page 84, Wicklund says this occurred on March 9th.
Wicklund repeats several biased and discredited sources. She parrots the thoroughly-discredited claim that that 5,000 women died each year of abortion complications prior to Roe vs. Wade (pg. 10). On Page 154, she cites a Congressional investigation headed by proabortion congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA). This biased study claimed that ProLife counseling services (Crisis Pregnancy Centers) were deceptive and harmful.
Laughably, the coauthor (ghostwriter) Alan S. Kesselheim found room to promote his own book "Water and Sky". Wicklund says she read "Water and Sky" and was "transported"... "I ached to be in that wilderness place." (pg 117).
Reading of her book wasn't a total waste of time. I'm a ProLife activist. I'm always looking for nonviolent ways to confront abortion. On Page 70, Wicklund said she hates ProLifers using her name, "My name in their mouths is always the most repugnant sound." Oh wow, thanks for the tip, SUSAN!
Abortionists can ply their trade only by mentally separating themselves from the consequences of their action and convinced themselves is "right". Wicklund did this every day while aborting babies. "This Common Secret" is just another example of Wicklund's denial.
I've read many proabortion books and have given high ratings to several. (Click "SEE ALL MY REVIEWS" above to see for yourself.) Those books took an honest look at the abortion debate. But Wicklund's book earned a low rating for her stunning denial.
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Amazing by AZ Book Lover (Phoenix, AZ United States)  5 Stars
August 17, 2009
This is truly an amazing book. I am an avid reader and have never taken the time to write a review before, but I felt I needed to after reading this book.
In this book, Susan Wicklund takes you through her experience as an abortion doctor over the span of decades. Susan is a hero in my book. The compassion that she shows for her patients is amazing, and the struggles that she and her family have to go through dealing with the anti abortion protesters are terrible. Also, the hurdles that the government & medical community place in the way of a woman choosing to get an abortion are ridiculous. All for a legal medical procedure.
I encourage others to read this book no matter what your stance on abortion is. It will open your eyes.
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Opened my eyes by Augusta Volstad (Mankato, MN USA) 5 Stars
June 22, 2009
Being a woman who has had an abortion, I highly encourage other women or anyone looking for some perspective to read this book. I found its truth empowering and inspiring. Wicklund truly reveals how common the "secret" of abortion is, the gray areas and difficulties facing both pro-choice and pro-life movements, and ultimately why keeping abortion safe and legal is of utmost importance. A moving story about one woman's passion for other women's lives.
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Amazing by H. Aitken (los angeles,ca) 5 Stars
May 13, 2009
Extremely helpful with dealing with the whole abortion taboo crap from a crazy religious branwashed family& ignorant people in society who have NO idea what its like to have an unwanted pregnancy but INSIST they get involed anyways...this book was LONG overdue and It's
a blessing that this book was written (finally). Thanks
Susan Wicklund for having the BALLS to do what was RIGHT. THANK YOU DR. for being there for woman and giving them a RIGHT to choose.
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Enjoyable and Informative! by Sarah Kelly (St. louis, mo) 5 Stars
March 01, 2009
I loved this book! It is a quick and easy read and it was hard for me to put it down at times. Susan did a wonderful job of recounting her experiences as an abortion provider, and thank goodness for people like her. I currently volunteer at an abortion clinic as a clinic escort, and it was very interesting to see the challenges faced by those working at clinics before such laws were in place to really protect clinic workers and patients. I think anyone in the pro-choice movement would love this book, and I think it would provide some education to the pro-lifers.
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