Book Review of Please Forgive Me, I Forgive You

The book, Please Forgive Me, I Forgive You by Mary Elizabeth Taylor is one of the most difficult stories I have ever read. Liz's traumatic tale begins with her being brutally raped and beaten when she was just five years old. From there, things just get worse.

As a teenager, Liz turns to drugs as a way to cope with the difficulties in her life. She gets into a lot of trouble and at one point is put in a facility where she is molested by the person who is her care taker. Once released from that situation, Liz continues to do drugs as a way to escape the hell that her life has become.

Liz turns to crime as a way to support her drug habit. She is arrested and thrown in jail and then prison countless times. In the book, Liz posts all the mug shots taken during her numerous incarcerations. The progression of her drug use is horrifyingly depicted in these photos as she steadily gets worse.

None of the jails Liz is incarcerated in offer much in the way of rehab. At one point, Liz decides to use a suicidal amount of drugs, but she doesn't die. Instead, she seeks out help and eventually kicks the habit. This is where the happy ending part should come in, but instead, Liz is faced with a number of very sad realities including the death of her sister and the death of her mother. Amazingly, Liz stays drug free during this period.

Liz was one of a few fortunate people who were able to break the terrible cycle of drug abuse and jail. I applaud how forthright and honest she was in this account. Please Forgive Me, I Forgive You is a story of true resilience. My hopes and prayers go to Liz – I wish her all the happiness life has to offer!