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If Not for The Love of Others...
I wrote my life story to show others who are abused that despite all the darkness, there is light. If they hold on and persevere, someday, "They will soar on wings like eagles." This book is also my way of honoring the people God sent into my life when I needed them.
My life was intense. Since I'm not one to sugarcoat anything, there are chapters in this book that some may find disturbing. Many of the stories may shock you. Others may make you angry or sad. Whatever the case, although the names have been changed, every word is the truth as I remember it.
Eight of us lived in a three-room cold-water walk-up in an inner city. My father was disabled, but he never took a handout. He was an honorable man who struggled to provide for us. He didn't know about the abuse until I was thirteen.
My mother was addicted to a prescription that contained opium. As a child, I suffered physical, mental, and sexual abuse, starvation, and torture by her hand.
With the help of Divine intervention and the ghost of my grandmother, I survived the abuse and ducked Death's scythe ten times.
The chapters in "If Not for The Love of Others" chronicle that journey.
My life was intense. Since I'm not one to sugarcoat anything, there are chapters in this book that some may find disturbing. Many of the stories may shock you. Others may make you angry or sad. Whatever the case, although the names have been changed, every word is the truth as I remember it.
Eight of us lived in a three-room cold-water walk-up in an inner city. My father was disabled, but he never took a handout. He was an honorable man who struggled to provide for us. He didn't know about the abuse until I was thirteen.
My mother was addicted to a prescription that contained opium. As a child, I suffered physical, mental, and sexual abuse, starvation, and torture by her hand.
With the help of Divine intervention and the ghost of my grandmother, I survived the abuse and ducked Death's scythe ten times.
The chapters in "If Not for The Love of Others" chronicle that journey.
372 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2024
1 person want to read
About the author
Antaeus
38 books8 followers Antaeus lives in Central Florida (USA). He is the award-winning author of "The Prepared Citizen," a three-book series on how to react to, and avoid, dangerous situations and active shooter attacks.
In addition to nonfiction, Antaeus has also published Sci-Fi, action/adventure, and fantasy novels.
Antaeus' poetry and short stories have been published in numerous magazines such as Gravel, Ariel Chart, The Lycan Valley Press, Trampset and Armarolla.
Antaeus' favorite quote is: "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read." By Groucho Marks.
Antaeus' website is: http://www.Antaeus-Books.com.
In addition to nonfiction, Antaeus has also published Sci-Fi, action/adventure, and fantasy novels.
Antaeus' poetry and short stories have been published in numerous magazines such as Gravel, Ariel Chart, The Lycan Valley Press, Trampset and Armarolla.
Antaeus' favorite quote is: "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read." By Groucho Marks.
Antaeus' website is: http://www.Antaeus-Books.com.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 22, 2025
Five Big Stars
I was recently given a copy of IF NOT FOR THE LOVE OF OTHERS and I was hooked from the first page. This author’s writing is so easy to read, it’s deceptive. I could not help being drawn in to his unbelievable story.
Cleaning toilets at a bar when he was only seven years old, are you kidding me? I understand helping out the family, but cleaning other people’s waste in a bar—as a little kid? That’s downright horrific. But he did it to help his disabled father and his siblings. And he did it gladly. In fact, he met a lot of unforgettable characters in that bar. One of them, Whisker Lickins, was a homeless Merchant Marine vet with a wooden leg. The author’s dad was a good man who allowed Whisker Lickins’ to eat hardboiled eggs at the bar, for free. It was his stories that prompted the author to join the Navy.
Other characters were just as memorable. Like the Italian gangster, Nunzio, who was his street father and mentor, and Mrs. Munson, the kindly librarian who instilled in him a love of reading and learning.
Unfortunately, there were many other people in our author's life who nearly killed him. In addition to his drug addicted mother, who abused him mentally, physically, and sexually, (and made my blood boil), there was also a pedophile priest who should have been locked up for the rest of his miserable life. I wanted to scream when the author got a beating for reporting him. Especially after the “good” priest was transferred for trying to help.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. I loved this book even though I hated what the author went through. Obviously, he survived, but it took the help of the Navy, his grandmother’s ghost, his third wife, Divine intervention, and I suspect, one extremely strong will to live. It seems a miracle Antaeus survived and found the courage to chronicle his pain—and his achievements—for the rest of us to read. If not for people like him and books like this, how would we ever understand?
I was recently given a copy of IF NOT FOR THE LOVE OF OTHERS and I was hooked from the first page. This author’s writing is so easy to read, it’s deceptive. I could not help being drawn in to his unbelievable story.
Cleaning toilets at a bar when he was only seven years old, are you kidding me? I understand helping out the family, but cleaning other people’s waste in a bar—as a little kid? That’s downright horrific. But he did it to help his disabled father and his siblings. And he did it gladly. In fact, he met a lot of unforgettable characters in that bar. One of them, Whisker Lickins, was a homeless Merchant Marine vet with a wooden leg. The author’s dad was a good man who allowed Whisker Lickins’ to eat hardboiled eggs at the bar, for free. It was his stories that prompted the author to join the Navy.
Other characters were just as memorable. Like the Italian gangster, Nunzio, who was his street father and mentor, and Mrs. Munson, the kindly librarian who instilled in him a love of reading and learning.
Unfortunately, there were many other people in our author's life who nearly killed him. In addition to his drug addicted mother, who abused him mentally, physically, and sexually, (and made my blood boil), there was also a pedophile priest who should have been locked up for the rest of his miserable life. I wanted to scream when the author got a beating for reporting him. Especially after the “good” priest was transferred for trying to help.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. I loved this book even though I hated what the author went through. Obviously, he survived, but it took the help of the Navy, his grandmother’s ghost, his third wife, Divine intervention, and I suspect, one extremely strong will to live. It seems a miracle Antaeus survived and found the courage to chronicle his pain—and his achievements—for the rest of us to read. If not for people like him and books like this, how would we ever understand?
Displaying 1 of 1 review