No comments about Autistics' Guide to Dating: A Book By Autistics, For Autistics and Those Who Love Them or Who Are in Love with Them.

5 comments about Raising Blaze: Bringing Up an Extraordinary Son in an Ordinary World.

1. I got this a) because I needed something cheap to make up the minimum for free shipping with a calendar order, b) because I have a special-needs (autistic) teenage son myself (who has a twin brother whom we were pressured to put in the same special-ed preschool class when they were young), and c) because I find parent narratives of special-needs kids to be much more interesting reading than the dry stuff written by professionals.
   I found Ms. Ginsberg's story about her son Blaze to be fascinating, and could readily relate aspects of his personality and behavior to characteristics in both of my sons (but different characteristics in each one). It's a shame that Blaze's bio-dad was such a jerk, but wonderful that he and his mom had such a wonderfully supportive (and charmingly eccentric) extended family. If there were an update chapter or two telling us what's happened to Blaze since the conclusion of this book (did the educational advocate find a better school for him? did he graduate from high school yet, or will he be receiving special ed services until he turns 21, or what?, etc.), I would have given this book a full 5 stars.



2. Great book, enjoyed reading it. Shows that we are not all the same and some of us can excel with a little bit of help.



3. What would the world be like if we all didn't want to stand in line, sit on our name at circle time, or refuse to eat sandwiches? I imagine that there would be some chaos in the world, but I don't think that the world would come to an end.
   
   This is the story of a little boy who walked to the beat of a different drummer, and his mother's struggle with the school teachers and personnel to hear the beautiful song that he was playing.
   
   The book gives plenty of insight on what it's like to be Debra, but we don't get much insight on what it's like to be Blaze. Of course, Debra wrote the book so it's only logical that we would know her better. I would have liked to have heard more about Blaze outside of school. What did he like to do at home, what kind of conversations did they have? Most of all, what is he doing now? Is he in high school, or being home-schooled? I'll just have to wait for the sequel.



4. I am not a doctor but from reading this book about Blaze, I suspect his problems are caused by a combination of the breathing problem at birth and thimerisol (mercury) in vaccines given to babies at that time. I tried to email Ms. Ginsberg about this but her web site was down.



5. Our society loves to pigeonhole kids, and the educational system is the worst. My own experiences with public schools led me to home schooling in the 1970s, which makes my mother a pioneer. Back then though people looked at her as though she had just arrived from Mars. I made the leap to private school at twelve. Twenty-one years, three books and a master's in professional writing later, I can see the educational system hasn't gotten any better. In its defense, the US educational system tends to squeeze the life and curiosity out of students and teachers.
   
   Even Debra Ginsberg, who spoke last year at the Palm Springs Writers' Conference, admits that she fell prey to the same blinders people often show towards kids who don't fit the "sit down and be quiet" mold in public schools. (The liberal elite expresses horror at the elitism of private schools while sending their kids to them, and horror at religious schools while ignoring the discipline and respect kids can receive.) She has difficulty with teachers offering diagnoses of "problem kids"---a valid point. but she has sympathy and respect for the teachers themselves. Principals are often portrayed as bad guys, but one principal of Ginsberg's son Blaze's school writes upon retirement:
   
   "It has been a real pleasure to know you and Blaze. I have appreciated the benefits of the positive approach your entire family takesm as each person helps Blaze to grow while making it clear that he is well-loved. You have done a great job of supporting him this year. He is in good hands as a member of your family."
   
   Single-mom waitress Ginsberg has a strong, loving family of eccentrics that make Katharine Hepburn's family (as depicted in "The Aviator") pale in comparison. Coming out of people who think outside the box (and yet know how to work the system), how could Blaze be other than extraordinary? Sure, he doesn't color inside the lines or sit in line, but the overwhelming positive embrace of his abilities and personality in this book shows that there is a place for everyone, even in a world where we can't see past the surface and glibness masquerades as wisdom. Ginsberg offers no excuses for her son; she doesn't ask for any pity or portray herself as a victim. This is not a whining memoir. She shows how her family helps Blaze to grow and to conform in the way that everyone has to ("Go along! Go along! Go Along!" mocks Henry David Thoreau in THE NIGHT THOREAU SPENT IN JAIL) for pleasant social interaction, but she also accepts and acknowledges that Blaze has a right to be different, e,g, not eating sandwiches. So do we all.
   
   There are marvelously funny, poignant moments in this book, and Blaze's poem "Breanna Crying" as well as his songs are not to be missed.

5 comments about Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life.

1. Christopher Reeves will continue to be an inspirtion to all of us, and will influence other genertions with his insight, and courge, of trying to make the public more aware of Spinal Cord Injuries.
   He was indeed, a 'real Superman!'
   God Bless his family for allowing us all to know him better.
   Fran & Dean Johnson



2. I just reread this book, and it brought back how much I admired Mr. Reeve and his bride. I really think this should be required reading to anyone that has had a spinal injury, or an amputation, just to show them that they are NOT the first to feel all these negitive feelings.
   
   A wonderful tribute to the Reeves in general.



3. In this little book, Christopher Reeve principally seeks to show the value of hope. He talks about the surprising progress he made in recovering as a quadriplegic after a terrible accident. (Long after doctors believed recovery was possible, Reeve began to show improved movement.) He also talks at length about the politicization of stem cell research and how that has likely stymied further progress on relieving many human disabilities. Despite his clear feelings on the issue, Reeve is sympathetic to people with deep religious reasons for opposing stem cell research, just not those who do so as political posturing.
   
   Along the way, Reeve talks about his brush with Scientology (a fascinating glimpse of a religion that's been so much in the news), his other religious searchings, his initial thoughts of ending his life after his accident, how he and his family have dealt with his quadriplegia, and his work as an advocate for health research.
   
   This is a quick and enjoyable read. Reeve's insights on the nature and role of hope will be strengthening to people who struggle with any of a range of issues from physical to emotional to spiritual. Reeve himself reads the unabridged audio CD version; I recommend it.



4. I picked up this book at my school's library and started glancing through it. It's possibly one of the most motivational and inspirational books I've seen! Reeve recounts all of his trials and how he learned to function again. Throughout it all, he stayed strong with his wife Dana, who supported him through everything. A must read!



5. Christopher Reeve died almost 3 months ago i am researching him and he fell off the horse and still survived and even though he was real hurt alot he cared of other people he was a good athlete and especially actor.He was a huge survivor.
   In Memoriam,
   Christopher Reeve

5 comments about Bill W.: The absorbing and deeply moving life story of Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

1. 
   Wilson was serially unfaithful to his wife Lois. Wilson 's affairs with women caused controversy and concern within AA and it was common knowledge in New York AA circles. His interest in younger women increased with his age, and caused Barry Leach and other friends of Wilson to form a "Founders Watch". People were assigned to keep an eye on Wilson during the socializing that followed AA functions and to separate and steer away those young women who caught Wilson's interest. Wilson, like many in his generation, could be sexist, but he was also "capable of treating the women who worked with him with dignity and respect". In the mid 1950s he began an affair with Helen Wyn, a woman 22 years his junior, "in duration, intensity and scope" this was different from his other affairs. Wilson at one point discussed divorcing Lois to marry Helen. Wilson with determined perseverance was able to overcome the AA trustees objections, and renegotiated his royalty agreements with them in 1963, which allowed him to include Helen Wynn in his estate. He left 10% of his book royalties to Helen and the other 90% to his wife Lois. In 1968 with Wilson's illness making it harder for them to spend time together, Helen bought a house in Ireland.
   
   In the 1950s Wilson experimented with LSD in medically supervised experiments with Gerard Heard and Aldous Huxley. With Wilson's invitation his wife Lois, Father Dowling, and Nell Wing also participated in experimentation of this drug. Later Wilson wrote to Carl Jung, praising the results and recommending it as validation of Jung's spiritual experience. (The letter was not in fact sent as Jung had died.)
   
   At a parapsychology meeting in the 1960s, Wilson met Abram Hoffer and learned about the potential mood-stabilizing effects of niacin. Wilson was impressed with experiments indicating that alcoholics who were given niacin had a better sobriety rate, and he began to see niacin "as completing the third leg in the stool, the physical to complement the spiritual and emotional." Wilson also believed that niacin had given him relief from depression, and he promoted the vitamin within the AA community and with the National Institute of Mental Health as a treatment for schizophrenia. However, Wilson created a major furor in AA because he used the AA office and letterhead in his promotion.
   
   For Wilson, spiritualism (communicating with the spirits of the dead) was a life-long interest. One of his letters to his spiritual adviser Father Ed Dowling suggests that while Wilson was working on his book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions he felt that spirits were helping him, in particular a 15th century monk named Boniface.[18] Wilson believed that the living could communicate with the dead and kept a "Spook Room" in his basement, where he along and others would conduct seances with a Ouijiboard, as well as experiment with automatic writing. Despite his conviction that he had evidence for the reality of the spiritual world, Wilson chose not to share this with AA.
   One problem that any Christian will have with Alcoholics Anonymous is the organization's abandoning of the Bible. The Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, is their new Bible. Some members claim to still use the Bible; I sometimes hear a bit of lip service to the Bible like, "Keep the Big Book next to the Good Book," but you won't see a Bible at a meeting, and you won't hear it quoted. Everybody is carrying the Big Book, and all readings come from it, or from a similar book of daily meditations, also written by Bill Wilson and other members of A.A..
   
   In fact, reading aloud from the Bible at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings is usually forbidden. The Bible is considered "outside literature". Reading aloud at meetings from anything but A.A. "Council Approved" (and A.A.-published) literature is forbidden.
   
   In addition, A.A. has essentially abandoned Jesus Christ. The A.A. faithful believe that Bill Wilson is superior to Jesus Christ when it comes to dealing with alcoholism, and you will hear Bill Wilson quoted a hundred times more often than Jesus Christ. (As a matter of fact, I can't really remember the last time I heard Jesus Christ quoted in an A.A. or N.A. meeting...)
   
   The third edition of the A.A. Big Book does not contain the word "Jesus" anywhere, not even once. Bill Wilson raved constantly about "God", but didn't talk about Jesus Christ at all. There is one and only one mention of "Christ" in the entire book, and it is Bill Wilson's statement that before his hallucinatory experience on belladonna, his so-called "spiritual experience," he didn't have much use for Christ:
   
   
   With ministers, and the world's religions, I parted right there. When they talked of a God personal to me, who was love, superhuman strength and direction, I became irritated and my mind snapped shut against such a theory. To Christ I conceded the certainty of a great man, not too closely followed by those who claimed Him. His moral teaching -- most excellent. For myself, I had adopted those parts which seemed convenient and not too difficult; the rest I disregarded.
   The Big Book, 3rd Edition, William G. Wilson, chapter 1, Bill's Story, pages 10-11.
   Apparently, Bill continued to disregard a lot of that stuff even after he "saw the light," or saw "the God of the preachers", because Bill never mentioned Jesus or Christ again, not anywhere in the Big Book, not ever.
   
   The first edition of the Big Book contained one story, "My Wife and I," that contained a line mentioning Jesus Christ:
   
   
   Here were these men who visited me and they, like myself, had tried everything else and although it was plain to be seen none of them were perfect, they were living proof that the sincere attempt to follow the cardinal teaching of Jesus Christ was keeping them sober.
   That story was dropped from the second, third, and fourth editions.
   
   
   The word "God" appears in the first 164 pages of the Big Book (which William G. Wilson either wrote, co-authored, or edited) 106 times,
   the word "Power", as in "Higher Power" or "that Power, which is God" appears 22 times,
   the divine "Him" appears 26 times,
   and the divine "His" is used 15 times,
   but there is no mention of "Jesus Christ", not one single mention.
   Alcoholics Anonymous is not a Christian religion, no matter what some members like to say. It is a religion all right, in spite of the denials of the members who claim that it is only a "spiritual program." Alcoholics Anonymous is a Buchmanite religion. Alcoholics Anonymous is just Frank Buchman's crazy "Oxford Group / Moral Re-Armament" religion, only slightly edited by William G. Wilson and Dr. Robert H. Smith.
   Basically, Alcoholics Anonymous believes in and practices the teachings of Dr. Frank Nathan Daniel Buchman, another man who had little use for Jesus Christ, because he preferred his own beliefs and teachings to those of Jesus. Bill Wilson did not invent the theology of A.A. -- he merely copied it from Frank Buchman.
   
   In spite of that fact that Bill Wilson tried to hide the strong connections between Frank Buchman and A.A., Buchman's Oxford Group got three mentions in the third edition of the Big Book, while Christ got only one. (The first two mentions of the Oxford Group are in the Forward to the Second Edition, and the third is on page 218 of the third edition, in the story "He Thought He Could Drink Like A Gentleman".)
   
   For that matter, when you consider the fact that Jesus' first miracle was changing water into wine at a wedding party, there might be a real problem with Jesus being a member of Alcoholics Anonymous... (John 2:1 to 2:11.)
   
   I am reminded of a contemporary critic of Frank Buchman's Oxford Group, Pastor H. A. Ironside, who criticized Buchmanism by saying that it was not a Christian religion, in spite of Buchman's claims that it was, because everything in Buchmanism would still be possible even if Jesus Christ had never been born. The same thing is true of Alcoholics Anonymous. A.A. would not have to change one word of the official church dogma even if Jesus Christ had never been born. The sacred Twelve Steps of Bill Wilson do not mention Jesus Christ, and do not require Jesus Christ in order to work, and the Twelve Steps don't even require Jesus Christ to have ever existed.
   
   Neither are the Twelve Steps based on any of the teachings of Jesus Christ. (They are based on the teachings of Dr. Frank Buchman.)
   
   Alcoholics Anonymous simply has no need for, and no use for, Jesus Christ. A.A. worships Bill Wilson and Doctor Bob, not Jesus Christ.



2. I've been a "friend" of Bill and Dr. Bob since Christmas 1990, and have read a lot of material, both "conference approved" and other, and this biography of Bill W. ranks among the best, but it definitely gives the impression of being written from Bill's perspective.
   
   Fully half the book is devoted to Bill's childhood and early adulthood, through his marriage to Lois and up to the fateful encounter with Dr. Bob, and so this fleshes out that portion of his life. I was disappointed, however, in that the impact and devastation of Bill's many (and prolonged) drinking binges seemed somewhat minimized with regard to their impact on the lives of Bill and Lois as a young married couple. Perhaps Bill simply had a poor recollection of these episodes, as he was not in great condition to remember these things, and so these are not fully reflected in Thomsen's work.
   
   The latter half of Thomsen's book deals with better known AA history, but as a biography of Bill's life, my impression is this book glosses over the other human frailties of Bill, and so does not present as complete a picture as it could of this remarkable man. I think the reader would be more impressed with Bill's life accomplishments if more of his human "character defects" were revealed in this book.
   
   I strongly suggest also reading Francis Hartigan's "Bill W.: A Biography of Alcoholics Anonymous Cofounder Bill Wilson" to help fill in the deficiencies and areas not covered by Robert Thomsen. Hartigan's book better presents Lois Wilson's perspective, and more completely covers topics such as the terrible impact of Bill's binges on his business ventures and marriage, Bill's infidelities, his long periods of depression, Bill's exploration of the potential therapeutic uses of LSD and Niacin for the treatment of alcoholism, and does a better job, in my opinion, painting a more full picture of Bill Wilson.
   
   DD...GTM... RTBB



3. I am a long time member of AA, and knew quite a bit about Bill Wilson prior to reading this book. But I have found out so much more than I expected to from the book, and it is very well written. I can recommend this highly to anyone wanting to know more about the man who founded one of the most important organizations of the 20th Century.
   
   - John T, San Francisco, CA



4. Bill W describes how an extremely motivated, accomplished student, athlete and successful business man, became a hopeless alcoholic, experienced a spiritual miracle, became sober and founded Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill W is well written, with surprisingly detailed insights, into the childhood, psyche, motivations, influences and drives of a fascinating man. The author, Robert Thomsen, obviously performed extensive research, to obtain the extensive biographical information contained in this book. Bill's family history, numerous business successes and failures along with his gradual descent into alcoholism are described along with numerous attempts to control his binge drinking.
   
   The evolution of Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 steps, from the 10 step Oxford Group are chronicled, almost step by step, along with numerous controversies and dilemmas,confronting the founders as they learned how to work effectively with alcoholics and ensure the spread and perpetuation of their movement. The history of failed attempts to obtain corporate sponsorship for Alcoholics Anonymous and the adoption of AA principles including anonymity, self supporting groups and no opinion on outside issues are well described.
   
   Bill W suffered anxiety, panic attacks, depression and appears to have been hypoglycemic. He ultimately learned how to treat his alcoholism, depression and hypoglycemia nutritionally, with results surpassing his initial spiritual efforts. Would Bill W have become an alcoholic, if he had received adequate treatment for hypoglycemia, depression, and anxiety ? Unfortunately, his attempts to incorporate nutritional, medical and scientific advances into Alcoholics Anonymous were rejected by the International Board of Alcoholics Anonymous.
   
   Bill Wilson was living proof that "No matter how far we have fallen, we can use our experience to help others."
   
   Perhaps most importantly, readers will be able to perceive a higher power, at work, while they read this biography of Bill Wilson, which is also a biography of the 12 step self help movement.
   
   Steven Sponaugle
   Research Director, Florida Detox



5. Excellent and insightful look at a complex and fascinating visonary who helped changed the culture of the 20th century.

3 comments about Surviving Black Ice.

1. This book grabbed me in the first few pages and I couldn't put it down. It is a story of a man who overcomes all kinds of obstacles and pushes through to a new life. For friends and families of brain injury survivors it offers practical guidance and insight into the mind of the person struggling to find a way through some dark tunnels in recovery. From feeling like the "retarded little brother" to being accused of being "drunk" by folks who didn't understand...Fierce tells a tale of courage. Fierce talks about learning how to do many things that were once second nature including sitting in class learning how to write a check!
   
   One message that came across very clear was "don't give up!" Fierce has the ability to look at himself with both humor and hope and that makes this book both fun and easy to read.



2. Having survived a brain injury myself, I've read a lot of books on the subject. David's story is, by far, one of the better ones. It should provide inspiration for those living with this unfortunate turn of events.
   
   I agree with the other review I read about it being a good companion book to Brain Injury Survivor's Guide: Welcome to Our World. This book has detailed information about living strategies that make life with brain injury much more livable.



3. Fierce shows that brain injury doesn't stop life. Life happens whether you are ready for it or not. This book is a great illustration of living with brain injury and how it affects every little thing.
   
   David's "never give up" spirit shows through as he refuses to stay a victim and, instead, become a brain injury survivor. One of my favorite stories was when David and his physical therapist spent hours practicing a walking move so he could impress his doctor. The doctor, of course, threw a couple of monkey wrenches into the plan. It's quite humorous.
   
   This is certainly one of the better books about living with brain injury and is a good illustration of that unexpected and unwanted lifestyle. This would be a good companion book for Brain Injury Survivor's Guide: Welcome to Our World.

4 comments about Burned But Not Broken: For What Was I Spared?.

1. This is a book, that once you start reading it you won't be able to stop until you are finished. My husband and I each read it in a day. A very touching and inspiring book. A must read!! You will want to share it with all your friends and family like we have done.



2. This book is a must read for everyone -- but especially for are searching for hope within their own lives. This book tells Michael Nolte's story of courage, and hope, and faith. Why was he spared from death, when it can only be described as miraculous that he was saved at all? I have never read another book that provides in such detail what one must endure while relying on others for extraordinary care found in a burn unit of a major hospital. The author of this book should not be alive today! He was saved by two passing motorists -- his angels. His life has been changed forever; as has the life of his wife and children, family, and friends. This is not a light book that one can read in an afternoon; it is a book to be experienced and cherished. It is a book that speaks to your heart because the man writing these words lived this pain that we rarely hear about. WE are fortunate that someone who has survived the horrors of such a accident is not only alive, but is able to use all of his talents to share his story with others. Everyone who has had a loved one in a burn unit must read this book so you can understand even a bit about the pain they have suffered. All nurses and doctors in hospital nursing must read this book to help them get inside the heads of their patients. Michael is a great story teller. He writes with charm, with passion, with clarity, with directness, and yes, even with humor! There are laugh-out loud moments, and moments that bring you to tears. I highly recommend this book to all. You will be grateful to have learned of one man's journey to recovery -- with the help of his family and friends.



3. This is a book for everyone, but especially for students and people working in the health field. I am a nurse and I learned so much about the agony and pain of being in a burn unit for 2 months. I learned how important the wife/nurse was in getting Michael back to being himself. It is a miracle that Michael is alive. It took many many angels (the men who rescued him from the burning car, his wife/nurse, the health care professionals at the hospital, his daughters, his family and friends) over some years to get there. It teaches us how in a heartbeat our lives can change. Life is priceless and we should take care of our lives like a precious jewel. Thanks Michael for the lessons taught in this outstanding read. Rose P RN in MO



4. In this, his first literary work, Michael J. Nolte exposes the intimate realities of his life as it went from "Norman Rockwell" to a blazing inferno "in 1.8 seconds." A powerful and highly inspirational story of bitter pain and raw courage. A must read for anyone who has encountered suffering in their life.

1 comments about Adventures in Darkness: Memoirs of an Eleven-Year-Old Blind Boy.

1. Tom Sullivan has "seen" more in a lifetime of accomplishments than anybody I know (come on: how many folks do you know who've played Augusta, run the Marine Corps marathon, appeared on Carson, sold out Vegas, built a blessed family life ... you get the point). It's a breathtaking record that blows away the boundaries most of us assume apply to the lives of the blind or people with similar physical challenges. Adventures in Darkness is the story of seemingly smaller successes - it tells of his pivotal 11th summer, when Sullivan's fierce desire to experience life as a "normie" led him into a series of adventures that make for hilarious, uplifting and deeply affecting reading.
   
   Every child has felt alone, misunderstood and deeply conscious of not belonging. For most of us, it's a transitory part of growing up that hopefully leaves us with humility and empathy as character traits, and shallow enough scars that we're in no way disfigured. We know that the blind experience entirely another level of separation. We know, but with the mixture of embarrassment about our own good fortune and an unwillingness to delve into anything that might sadden us, too often we may hesitate to pick a story about someone who lives with a disability. So here's the good news about Adventures in Darkness: it's a tremendously fun read.
   
   Sullivan's tale will feel familiar to every reader, but it's his storyteller's artistry that has you racing through the book, connected to the common smells, milestones and challenges of growing up, and to the special sense of how indomitable this particular human spirit was and is. What separates Adventures in Darkness from the "up from the bootstraps" mainstream is that it is a good story, well told and from an unexpected perspective. Sullivan is blind; he will make you see. You'll see his deeply loving and disastrously damaged parents; and most of all, you'll see a real kid. Tom Sullivan, as a boy and as a man, has a crushing disability ... and he deals with it. With humor, without pretense, and acutely conscious of human limitations well beyond his blindness, Tom Sullivan makes us share his conviction that while he may have unusual talents and a frightening handicap, he is deeply connected to each of us.
   
   At 11, in the summer that propels him into Adventures in Darkness, Tom Sullivan learns that each of us is independent, dependent, and interdependent. We are defined by what we bring to the world and how we deal with others, and the sighted no less than the blind find ourselves depending on others. It's a lesson of a lifetime, and you'll seldom find it more convincingly or enjoyably brought home.

5 comments about George & Sam: Two Boys, One Family, and Autism.

1. As a psychologist who works with children with autism, I have read many of the books written by parents so I can have a better understanding of their experience. Many of the books focus on some of the alternative treatments and how one or another "cured" their child. This is not the case with "George and Sam". Charlotte Moore does describe treatments that she has tried, and discusses the pros and cons of the outcome in a realistic way. She doesn't expect to find a miracle cure, just treatments that can improve her boys' quality of life. She wholly accepts who they are. She doesn't lead the reader to believe that if they try a particular treatment their child will be cured. I believe this is a great book for parents, especially those who have a child that is newly diagnosed.



2. I read this book because Nick Hornby recommended it in his book, "The Polyphonic Spree." (By the way, Hornby's novel, "How to be Good," though not about autism, is an entertaining read). Hornby has a son affected by autism, so he has insight into the subject.
   
   I don't agree with everything Moore writes, but I found this memoir to be very real and moving. She discusses the CF GF diet, but isn't a zealot about it, which I appreciated. She uses ABA, whereas we use Floortime in our family. She's anti-inclusion, whereas my son attends a school with an inclusion program.
   
   This book shows what it's like to live with autism. The author has a sense of humor, which makes it readable. I could identify with her gradual awakening to the fact that something was wrong. I appreciated her worries about what will happen to her boys after she's gone.
   
   Moore says her sons are "autistic through and through," which is to say, there are not "normal" boys inside, struggling to get out. I think this is an important view to have represented, because there are a lot of miraculous recovery stories out there, and the truth is that sometimes, recovery doesn't happen. Recovery makes for a more dramatic story, and probably sells more books. But there's a place for truthful accounts like this, too. I resonated with it.



3. I have a 3 yr old autistic son who moved from severe to mild with a lot of intervention. I have read a lot of books, and I was particularly interested in this one because I had heard so many positive things about it. I am glad that I did because overall, I really liked the book. I found her accounts of her sons to be filled with love, honesty, and sometimes even humor. She is an amazing woman to raise 3 boys alone (she's a single Mom!), and two of them with autism. I give her a lot of credit. I give it 4 stars though instead of 5 because while I liked her accounts, I think she made some pretty odd assertions. Some of it has been mentioned already in the reviews, and some not. I just hope that people read it with an open mind - that her assertions on autism is just that of a Mom with two autistic boys, and they are not always...accurate. Regardless, I highly recommend this book.



4. I want to thank Charlotte Moore from the bottom of my heart for writing this wonderful book about her two sons with autism. I have read many, many accounts of life with autistic children, and never have I read one I loved this much. I loved it because Moore accepts her children, finds them lovable and fascinating just the way they are, but that doesn't mean she doesn't do all she can to help them. She just isn't doing it to find a "cure". She doesn't waste time worrying about why---why autism struck her twice, what caused it. She doesn't cast blame or ask for sympathy---she just describes, and does it so well! I've never read another account about how hard Christmas is for children on the autistic spectrum. My son has Aspergers Syndrome, and is quite high functioning, but Christmas has always been a nightmare for him, for just the reasons this book talks about---surprise presents that bring with them an expectation of a certain social response are not his idea of fun! I've taken to telling him in advance exactly what we will give him.
   
   I also was struck by Moore's writing about imagination and autism. It's not that kids with autism don't have an imaginary life---it's just that it's a lot like their real life---not much social content. My son has a whole imaginary world, and has for many years. You would think it would be interesting to hear about, but it's not---mostly he tells me about things like the population density there, the major imports and exports, the state of the transportation system---the same things that interest him in the real world!
   
   I hope Moore writes more books about her sons. I would love to hear more about them as they grow up. I also hope that anyone who loves someone on the autistic spectrum will read this book, and learn from it. I know that even after 12 years of hands-on experience with my son, I learned a lot here. Thank you again, and all my best wishes to your family, Charlotte!



5. As a mother of two sons with Autism I thought I had read all that I could on the subject. Charlotte Moore however has produced a book that I would have loved to have written myself. She does not dwell on cures and pity for her situation ,but gives a gritty un apologetic account of the life of her family. We often hear about cures and programs for improvement, ms moore however tells it how it is. I love my children where ever they may be in their development ,. Often things i read on Autism have made me feel inadequate , not so in this case. Ms moore brought out her sons beauty and fun side aswell as making no apology for the stress and sometimes peculiar ways that families effected by this dis order learn to cope. Well done from one "auty " mum to another . i have reccomended this book to family , friends and professinals.

5 comments about Eric.

1. I read this book in adolescence and it has stayed with me since then--over 20 years. I have thought of Eric's story many times over the years, especially now that I have my own son. I think that I will read this book again and add it to my permanent collection. It is very touching albeit very sad.



2. Eric is the heartbreaking, inspirational true story of Eric Lund, a seventeen-year-old boy who is diagnosed with Leukemia just days before he is set to leave for college. This book is a memoir written by his mother, Doris Lund, about Eric's unwavering will to survive, and about how his cancer affects not only himself, but everyone around him.
   
   When it's a story about a terminal illness, there can be no unexpected twist. As soon as I read the description on the back cover of the book, I knew basically how it was going to start and how it was going to end. But it's what happens in between that makes Eric Lund's life so interesting. What makes him different than many whose lives have thrown seemingly indomitable obstacles at them is that Eric refuses to give up. Even when the doctors, despite their greatest and heartfelt efforts, can offer only ominous warnings, it doesn't prevent Eric from living his life to the fullest. In this way, Eric isn't just the tragedy of a boy whose life deteriorates little by little. Instead, it is the motivational story of a man whose confidence, positive outlook, and exceptional will to live bring hope and joy to everyone around him.
   
   Of course, Doris Lund doesn't leave herself out of the picture. A lot of the book is focused on her own hopes and fears instead of Eric's, on which she can only speculate in many instances. She is also honest about her rocky relationship with Eric and the difficulties that they sometimes had communicating, which is something that most teenagers and their parents can relate to. I couldn't help noticing that there are places in the book where Doris Lund interrupts the flow of her writing, perhaps with a misplaced or awkward metaphor, but then she quickly remembers that this story is beautiful and memorable on its own without too many fancy words and phrases to distract from it.
   
   Even if you don't usually read this kind of literature, I still recommend Eric. It may be depressing, but it's not cynical, and it leaves you with the kind of hope that Eric held on to his whole life.



3. I have probably read this book 8 times since it first came out. The first time I read it was shortly after my brother had been diagnosed with a form of leukemia. This book is a wonderful tribute by Doris Lund to her son, and I highly recommend it to anyone.



4. This story is just a good read, and such a testimony of a young man struck with lucemia, his spirit his valor...emotions are stired to beyond words.



5. I hate to be the skunk in the five-star garden party, but I remember reading, or rather trying to read, this book when in high school some *cough* 20 years ago. I could barely get through it. Apparently I wasn't alone, because someone else had graffitoed on the (soft) cover, "This book sucks. Don't read it."

   Sometimes I think there should be a moratorium on grieving parents writing about their dead offspring. Aside from one brief moment when Lund catches her son checking out girls in a hospital corridor or waiting room, I don't remember a single aspect of Eric's personality aside from "Mama's Little Angel." And although my memory is vague on this, I seem to recall the book contains a fair amount of delusional mumbo-jumbo about "God's will" ('scuse me while I barf).

   If you want to read a superb book by someone who lost a child to cancer, read "Death Be Not Proud" by John Gunther. That book preserves every quirk of his late son Johnny's wry sense of humor and considerable intellect, and actually makes you regret that the son didn't live to take up the father's pen. Not only that, but Gunther deals with hard questions of mortality and loss without resorting to the kind of sticky sentimentality you'd expect from Oprah or the "women's channels" on cable TV. Cripes, even Marie Killilea's books about her handicapped (no, NOT "differently abled") daughter Karen are better than Lund's book.

   The entire genre, for obvious reasons, is for the most part manipulatively mawkish, but that's what sells, I guess. If you have an "I Believe in Angels" bumper sticker on your car, Thomas Kincaide "paintings" on your walls, and every CD Whitney Houston ever recorded in your music collection, go ahead and order "Eric." You'll cry your eyes out and write a five-star review.

5 comments about Spelling Love with an X: A Mother, a Son, and the Gene That Binds Them.

1. While informing us about Fragile X Syndrome, Clare Dunsford reminds us in a distinctive voice that much more than genes binds us. Her well-told tale captures the complexity of competing realities running through most of our lives -- identity, vocation, family, faith, parenthood (and the profound difference between motherhood and fatherhood), friendship, support, loneliness and love. So we laugh, cry and rejoice with her as she recounts the frustrations and surprises of her childhood, romances, career and parenting experiences. Her references to classic literature make manifest the mystery encountered in human differences no matter the time or culture, a mystery best understood in the binding of body and spirit despite the fragility of either. "Spelling Love With an X" is a classic love story. Dunsford's X is her and her family's cross (a cross that marks others' lives in other ways) and is only made bearable in anyone's life by Love which is more Divine than human. Her story offers hope to all of us who want to live and love well.



2. As a parent of a son with Fragile X who is a couple of years younger than Ms. Dunsford's son, J.P., we've experienced the despair as well as the joy she writes of. Her story is beautifully written and shines with the love we have and hope we need for the future for our adult children. She is able to describe the charming, witty character of her son in a way that rings true for parents of children with Fragile X. It's her own story as well. Life as a carrier of Fragile X has its own challenges - ones you might believe are your own character faults - until you find out, at whatever age, that you are a carrier and that the personal battles you've fought for so long are the result of a genetic defect you were born with. The science is helpful. The research is hopeful. Parents, family, carriers, friends should read this book to get a good look at life with Fragile X.



3. This book is still with me. Those are the best kinds of books, I think, the ones that you remember well after reading them. I think it's because "Spelling Love With An X" resonates beyond its specific circumstances. It's not just about Clare Dunsford and her son, but in some way every parent and child. Or, really, every relationship. As Dunsford wonders aloud at one point in the book, since her family carries the gene, is it possible this or that relatives slight eccentricity is really just an extremely mild manifestation of Fragile X. In other words, most brain disorders are merely exaggerations of characteristics we all understand to some degree. We are all on a spectrum of varying consciousness and need. As a result, Dunsford's exploration of the extreme challenges she faces with her son are more than just a faceless "case study." They do what literature should do at its best. They make her and her son's situation universal.



4. Clare Dunsford's book is an unusual blend of personal memoir and scientifically researched information drawn from a mother's poignant journey raising a child with Fragile X. Dunsford's book blends poetic elegance with important up to date information about her son's genetic condition, a useful read for anyone living or working with children or adults with any developmental disorder. As a special educator who is also an avid reader I was fascinated. Further, I learned of the relationship that this disorder may have to autism which has touched my extended family and of the hope that the future of medical research holds for all those affected by developmental conditions. Ms Dunsford tells her story with strong emotion and wonderfully crafted writing but does not stray from her goal of sharing the knowledge base she has been accumulating over the 21 years of her charming and interesting son's life.



5. Clare Dunsford's book is a moving, beautifully written story about her and her son JP's journey with Fragile X, the most common inherited cause of mental retardation. Dunsford defly weaves science, poetry, and wit through her personal story. This book will resonate with anyone who has a child touched by Fragile X, autism or any other cognitive or genetic disorder. But this book's reach goes far beyond the world of Fragile X. Anyone who loves memoir or who is interested in exploring the depths of a mother's love, a family's interconnectedness, and the human soul will discover they can't put this book down.