Raising Myself: — A Memoir Of Neglect, Shame, And...

A central focus is how early neglect and abuse created deep-seated shame, making her feel "unlovable and rotten inside".

The book follows her through a "minefield" of childhood characters—including religious fanatics and child molesters—and her struggle to avoid falling into cycles of crime or self-destruction. Raising Myself: A Memoir of Neglect, Shame, and...

and Amazon highlight the book's "brutal honesty" and its message of hope for fellow survivors. A central focus is how early neglect and

described it as a "gut-wrenching, cleareyed coming-of-age memoir" with clean writing that serves the heavy subject matter. including physical and emotional neglect

Engel recounts severe hardships, including physical and emotional neglect, being sexually abused at ages four and nine, and being raped at twelve.