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Chestnuts: A True Story About Being Bullied
Is there a bully in your life that you don't know how to deal with? I had one too. It prompted me to write 'Chestnuts: A True Story About Being Bullied, ' a book outlining practical strategies for defending against bullies and resolving the conflict and aggression that often plagues victims of bullying. Inside these pages, I will take you through my own harrowing journey with bullies - from boarding school beat-ups, to violent attacks from crazed skinheads on the streets of London, to bullies in public school in America. In each chapter a reflection of my personal story will show you what I did wrong, and how you can actually defend yourself in this modern day and age. Find out: * How bullying is perceived by bullies, victims, parents and teachers * What goes on in the mind of a bully, and what you can do about it * How authority figures often make bullying even worse * The steps you can take to defend yourself, find help and heal from the trauma In 'Chestnuts: A True Story About Being Bullied, ' you will find out how to deal with psychological, emotional and physical bullying - and even what to do when one of your teachers is being a bully. Get this book now, and empower yourself to stand against the tyranny that oppresses you!
156 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2014
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11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 10, 2015
I feel I should start by saying that I only read this book because the author asked me to review it. I don't know why as I don't know him and am not well-known myself, but for whatever reason he sent me a free copy, so I read it. And the fact that I'd agreed to review it is the only reason I even finished it. This book is garbage.
The book is basically made up of two parts, although it switches back and forth between the two seemingly on a whim. The first is advice for those being bullied and their parents, the second is the narrative about the author's own childhood experiences.
The advice is probably the worst thing about the book, as it's completely without value at best, but probably actually harmful in fact. A mixture of common knowledge, stereotypes and misinformation. Ohanian repeats outdated ideas about the causes and nature of bullying and presents a very myopic view of bullies. He states repeatedly that bullies bully because they enjoy making others suffer, that bullies lack empathy, that bullies grow up to be psychopaths, etc. and sharply divides everyone into the distinct groups of bullies, victims, and everyone else. There is no complexity or nuance to this world-view at all.
He's also very repetitive, saying the same things over and over again, often pretty much the same words. And when he's not repeating himself he's contradicting himself or just writing meaningless nonsense like "assimilating refers to the state of being assimilated". I found myself having to skim read a lot because it was just so tedious and dumb.
The other part of the book is Ohanian's autobiography, and he really doesn't come across well at all. His tendency to identify people as bullies, victims or others, and his placing of himself into the victim group seems to make him classify any kind of conflict as bullying, and therefore anyone he has any kind of conflict with as a bully and a psychopath. Reading between the lines, I would classify Ohanian himself as a bully, and I'm glad he lives on a different continent to me because he'd probably beat the shit out of me for writing this.
That said, the narrative side of the book is somewhat interesting, and could make for an OK book, but probably only if it were written with a bit more self-awareness. Ohanian's insistence that he is the victim and it's everyone else who is always causing him trouble makes for a character that's impossible to sympathise with, and makes me suspect that if we were to ask his schoolmates what they remember about him they'd describe him as "that angry kid who was always getting into fights and going off at people for no reason".
The other problem with the narrative is that it meanders and jumps about a lot; He dwells on certain things for a while without making any real point and then suddenly jumps to some unrelated event, and often brings up facts and anecdotes that don't seem to be relevant to anything else in the book. The whole book has a very stream-of-consciousness feel to it and seems like it would really benefit from some drastic editing. But even if it were better written it would still be full of nonsense and bad advice. There's really no saving it.
The book is basically made up of two parts, although it switches back and forth between the two seemingly on a whim. The first is advice for those being bullied and their parents, the second is the narrative about the author's own childhood experiences.
The advice is probably the worst thing about the book, as it's completely without value at best, but probably actually harmful in fact. A mixture of common knowledge, stereotypes and misinformation. Ohanian repeats outdated ideas about the causes and nature of bullying and presents a very myopic view of bullies. He states repeatedly that bullies bully because they enjoy making others suffer, that bullies lack empathy, that bullies grow up to be psychopaths, etc. and sharply divides everyone into the distinct groups of bullies, victims, and everyone else. There is no complexity or nuance to this world-view at all.
He's also very repetitive, saying the same things over and over again, often pretty much the same words. And when he's not repeating himself he's contradicting himself or just writing meaningless nonsense like "assimilating refers to the state of being assimilated". I found myself having to skim read a lot because it was just so tedious and dumb.
The other part of the book is Ohanian's autobiography, and he really doesn't come across well at all. His tendency to identify people as bullies, victims or others, and his placing of himself into the victim group seems to make him classify any kind of conflict as bullying, and therefore anyone he has any kind of conflict with as a bully and a psychopath. Reading between the lines, I would classify Ohanian himself as a bully, and I'm glad he lives on a different continent to me because he'd probably beat the shit out of me for writing this.
That said, the narrative side of the book is somewhat interesting, and could make for an OK book, but probably only if it were written with a bit more self-awareness. Ohanian's insistence that he is the victim and it's everyone else who is always causing him trouble makes for a character that's impossible to sympathise with, and makes me suspect that if we were to ask his schoolmates what they remember about him they'd describe him as "that angry kid who was always getting into fights and going off at people for no reason".
The other problem with the narrative is that it meanders and jumps about a lot; He dwells on certain things for a while without making any real point and then suddenly jumps to some unrelated event, and often brings up facts and anecdotes that don't seem to be relevant to anything else in the book. The whole book has a very stream-of-consciousness feel to it and seems like it would really benefit from some drastic editing. But even if it were better written it would still be full of nonsense and bad advice. There's really no saving it.
April 4, 2015
Full review Here The author, through the act of recounting his own experiences as a child, bring all aspects of bullying to the forefront. He extensively talks about the evil of bullying and the irreparable damage it has the potential to cause.
Well, first and foremost, I think that this kind of awareness and knowledge is very crucial for the kinds of environments that we are living in, given the increasingly aggressive behaviour of ids these days and their reluctance to comply with rules.
Cyber-bullying, verbal abuse have become so pervasive with the changing situations, and it has never been more difficult to penetrate a child's mind. This in turn makes this evil hard to conquer and counter. That said, we have other prevalent forms of bullying, say, at workplace.
This is one issue that has a gigantic bearing on one's emotional well-being, and yet remains ignored over other things.
It is the responsibility of each one of us to curb this menace: we all either have been, or are, or might be in the future: a bully, his entourage the victim or a spectator to bullying. The onus of its elimination lies on each one of us: and who can be better to start this awareness but a victim himself?
The author recounts his own traumatic experiences, and one can say that even if the kind of bullying we witnessed wasn't this harsh, it certainly had all its ill-effects even in the milder manifestations.
Now, this book's take on the issue is quite comprehensive, with a peek into the minds of both the bully and the survivor, as well as the spectators. And, personally, I opine, that reading this book is anyday better than reading some gossip magazine.
Since, the book covers all stages, possibilities, parties and scenarios of bullying, it might get repetitive, but then for a non-fiction book with a lesson, I don't think it more
Well, first and foremost, I think that this kind of awareness and knowledge is very crucial for the kinds of environments that we are living in, given the increasingly aggressive behaviour of ids these days and their reluctance to comply with rules.
Cyber-bullying, verbal abuse have become so pervasive with the changing situations, and it has never been more difficult to penetrate a child's mind. This in turn makes this evil hard to conquer and counter. That said, we have other prevalent forms of bullying, say, at workplace.
This is one issue that has a gigantic bearing on one's emotional well-being, and yet remains ignored over other things.
It is the responsibility of each one of us to curb this menace: we all either have been, or are, or might be in the future: a bully, his entourage the victim or a spectator to bullying. The onus of its elimination lies on each one of us: and who can be better to start this awareness but a victim himself?
The author recounts his own traumatic experiences, and one can say that even if the kind of bullying we witnessed wasn't this harsh, it certainly had all its ill-effects even in the milder manifestations.
Now, this book's take on the issue is quite comprehensive, with a peek into the minds of both the bully and the survivor, as well as the spectators. And, personally, I opine, that reading this book is anyday better than reading some gossip magazine.
Since, the book covers all stages, possibilities, parties and scenarios of bullying, it might get repetitive, but then for a non-fiction book with a lesson, I don't think it more
December 14, 2016
Bullying is a huge problem and growing worldwide and it is good to see someone tackle the problem in a practical, useful book.
Chestnuts is based on the author’s own experiences during childhood and later that of his son also being bullied.
Whether the abuse be of a verbal, physical or emotional nature, the book provides teachers and parents with clues on what to look for and solutions to dealing with the problem. It also deals with why bullies behave the way they do.
Being partly biographical helps the reader understand what the victim goes through and how the treatment first starts then escalates.
It is practical and outlines step by step ways of coping with the problem. It should be read by parents, teachers, those in authority and even children themselves.
Apart from his own experiences the author has researched his topic well and includes many references.
I found though that it was a bit disjointed the way it jumps from biography to solutions to the problem and not always in a connected way. Similarly, the advice for various target groups eg parents and teachers etc is not always grouped together logically.
Because I feel this book needs extensive editing to make it more readable and practical, I would normally only give it two stars. However, the subject matter and the advice is so important and relevant to today’s society I have given it 3 stars.
I was given free copy by the author for an unbiased review
This review is also on my website www.pam.id.au
Chestnuts is based on the author’s own experiences during childhood and later that of his son also being bullied.
Whether the abuse be of a verbal, physical or emotional nature, the book provides teachers and parents with clues on what to look for and solutions to dealing with the problem. It also deals with why bullies behave the way they do.
Being partly biographical helps the reader understand what the victim goes through and how the treatment first starts then escalates.
It is practical and outlines step by step ways of coping with the problem. It should be read by parents, teachers, those in authority and even children themselves.
Apart from his own experiences the author has researched his topic well and includes many references.
I found though that it was a bit disjointed the way it jumps from biography to solutions to the problem and not always in a connected way. Similarly, the advice for various target groups eg parents and teachers etc is not always grouped together logically.
Because I feel this book needs extensive editing to make it more readable and practical, I would normally only give it two stars. However, the subject matter and the advice is so important and relevant to today’s society I have given it 3 stars.
I was given free copy by the author for an unbiased review
This review is also on my website www.pam.id.au
January 7, 2015
“Do not be split between who you are and who people want you to be... Somewhere in the world, there are thousands of people who are just like you. There is no urgency to find them right away. But you must be willing to connect and share who you are with people...”
-page 29
I don’t usually quote from the books I read but as soon as I read that paragraph I had the strongest impulse to record it immediately. It’s just so damn true! I wish I could have said this to my thirteen-year-old self.
Chesnuts is a wonderful, informative read. Part autobiography and part social commentary, the book was well-referenced with everything from journal articles to blogs and community websites. I found it difficult to read in parts because bullying and the horrible pettiness of some people makes me so angry. I read it in bouts, and I’m glad I did.
Highly recommended reading for parents, teachers, children, and anyone who would like to understand more about themselves and their peers.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-page 29
I don’t usually quote from the books I read but as soon as I read that paragraph I had the strongest impulse to record it immediately. It’s just so damn true! I wish I could have said this to my thirteen-year-old self.
Chesnuts is a wonderful, informative read. Part autobiography and part social commentary, the book was well-referenced with everything from journal articles to blogs and community websites. I found it difficult to read in parts because bullying and the horrible pettiness of some people makes me so angry. I read it in bouts, and I’m glad I did.
Highly recommended reading for parents, teachers, children, and anyone who would like to understand more about themselves and their peers.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2015
Chestnuts: A True Story About Being Bullied is a comprehensive book that addresses the ever increasing issue of bullying. Readers will learn what it's like to be a victim as well as steps that can be taken to conquer bullies and the anguish suffered at their hands.
The author, who was a victim of bullying, shares his painful experiences. He changes from a happy child who loves to learn into a child who only seeks to get through each day. He struggles to gain help from authority figures, who sometimes appear to be bullies themselves. The challenges faced by the author are effectively used as teaching tools to enlighten readers and aide in ending the suffering bullies inflict on their victims. The book reiterates that victims must report bullies, but also provides tips to outsmart them. This helps victims to invoke their inner strength and ultimately overcome the bully.
Chestnuts: A True Story About Being Bullied is a thought-provoking, eye-opening book. It is a good read for anyone facing the tragic epidemic of bullying.
The author, who was a victim of bullying, shares his painful experiences. He changes from a happy child who loves to learn into a child who only seeks to get through each day. He struggles to gain help from authority figures, who sometimes appear to be bullies themselves. The challenges faced by the author are effectively used as teaching tools to enlighten readers and aide in ending the suffering bullies inflict on their victims. The book reiterates that victims must report bullies, but also provides tips to outsmart them. This helps victims to invoke their inner strength and ultimately overcome the bully.
Chestnuts: A True Story About Being Bullied is a thought-provoking, eye-opening book. It is a good read for anyone facing the tragic epidemic of bullying.
January 2, 2017
Bullying is such an important topic, and I'm glad that Mr. Ohanian was brave enough to speak out about his experiences. There are a few things I liked about this book. For example, just speaking out against bullying is a good thing. It's important to read about and understand the dynamics of bullying so you can hopefully prevent or stop it. However, this book needs extensive editing. He did cite articles from his research, but since he is not an "expert" on the topic (besides living through it), I wasn't sure if the advice he was giving was his own philosophy or best practices determined by experts. Because of the editing it needs, I would normally give this book two stars; since it is an important topic and I think it has potential, I'm giving it three stars. You may read my full review on my book blog: www.the-readathon.blogspot.com.
July 8, 2015
The title says it all and the author has added his sense of delicacy in crafting the emotions of a victim{Bring back tons of memories if you have been bullied back then} and what inspired me to read further is the key role of fighting back against those individuals.I was given free copy by the author for an unbiased review and I thoroughly recommend parents and children to read. Gilbert Ohanian has brought out a fantastic book with his life experiences and hopefully the book does its job by reaching out to the crowd of confused Child and anxious parent.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2015
As a bullying survivor not only did this book call out to me in a way but it reached within me to show that not only is it a part of my life but one that has made me stronger. It was also an eye-opening look into the aspect of why...I wish this book was around when you was younger.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews