5 comments about Joni (Spanish edition).

1. I first read Joni in 1977, when I received it as a H.S. grad present. Having been born with disabilities due to German measles, I could identify w/ Joni a wee bit. Frustrations, anger, questions, etc. Yes, I could identify a little bit w/ her. But as I read her book, all I could think was "Wow!!" I certainly didn't have a problem now, did I? God most certainly used her in ways I could never imagine. I am SO thankful that Joni allowed God to use her in all the ways that He has. I know that I have benefitted from Joni and her organization's generosity. Thank You, Lord, for allowing the rest of us to learn so much from her!! May Ken and Joni Tada continue to be a blessing to so many people, and in return, be blessed themselves. Thank you, Joni, and thank you, Ken, for being who you are.



2. This book is an inspiring story of a teenager left paralyzed from the neck down after a diving accident, and how she finds the strength through her faith to go on living.
   
   Joni Eareckson came to national attention through her artwork, which she painted with a brush held between her teeth. It was a stunning image, her interview with Barbara Walters, the realization that someone left completely paralyzed could find a way to go on with her life.
   
   Joni's true life story has given hope to millions of people in the twenty-five years since it was first published.



3. Mary Anne Maxwell, RN Fort Myers Florida.
   I read "Joni" as I was graduating from Nurses training, and was doing a Rehabilitation Focus in Detroit, Michigan. Joni has touched my nursing interaction with clients, realizing that all clients are precious to God, and the cranky ones, have something to teach me, that is sometimes deep inside them. I have learned to accept them as they are, and invite them to grow, and to keep in touch with many thru the years. I went on to be a Hospice Nurse applying many insights of Joni's books to helping those who share their journey of chronic disease, and death. Joni is an inspiration to those who seek to give their BEST to others in their detours of health.



4. Our mother used to read us children's books every night, so we were surprised one night when she started to read to us from this book. We loved it almost at once. I don't think I'll ever forget the impression that was made on my mind when we read about Joni's story and her experiences. Even as a little child, I could understand her faith in God and how if I had my own troubles, that would help me too.
   
   This has got to be one of those books that is a rare treasure that many people don't find. It is an excellent book and a heartwarming story of faith, determination and hope. I'd reccomend it to anyone, especially to parents who want a good book to read with their families. It may not be as exciting Harry Potter, but the lessons I learned from it still help me each day!



5. This is one of those few stories that never leave you. Even after you have read the book, closed it and put it on the shelf, the story remains and you can't get it out of your head. A bright, energetic, full-of-life girl goes diving into the shallow water - an act that will forever change her life and ultimately change the lives of millions of others.
   
   Suddenly, this athletic, independent young girl is trapped in a body that will not move. Paralyzed from the shoulders down, she finds herself no longer independent, but fully dependent on the care of others for the simplest of tasks. Things we take for granted like wiping away tears, blowing your own nose or brushing your hair - now on someone else's time table, not your own.
   
   Understandably, this turn of events shakes her faith as she shakes her mental fists at God for dashing all her hopes and dreams for the future. Failed romances, rocky friendships, family heartaches - Joni holds nothing back in this insightful view into her world.
   
   Through her emotional and spiritual failings, the author shares her growth and understanding of God's plan for her life and the lives of others. Using her mouth to draw and paint, the author became an established artist long before people realized that the artist whose work they were admiring was completely paralyzed and unable to use her hands. This revelation thrust her into celebrity where she has been able to make more of an impact on the lives of others than she would have ever been able to have accomplished prior to her injury.
   
   Through her charity, Joni & Friends, the author has provided for wheelchairs for the disabled around the world and opened the doors of opportunity to wheelchair bound people everywhere.
   
   I've seen the author on Larry King a few times and always wondered, "how does that woman keep smiling and keep such an upbeat attitude?" It is hard to imagine a worse fate than what she has endured since her accident, yet after reading her personal account of her life since that fateful summer in 1967, the reader understands exactly why she smiles and truly has joy in her life. I picked up this book thinking it would be 'interesting' and nothing more - I was delightfully surprised to find this to be a page-turner I could not put down. Even though I've finished reading this autobiography, I doubt I will ever truly put this book down. This is a story that sticks with you long after you've closed the back cover.

2 comments about People With MS With the Courage to Give.

1. This book can change peoples lives!
   
   Highly reccomend, also the BIG read, her first book The Courage to Give.
   
   If you have any type of adversity or illness or know of someone who is suffering, this is the cure to help them get going.
   
   Positive energy creates wellness, so do these books.
   
   A standing ovation to Jackie Waldman...Thank you so much!



2. Words cannot describe the impact this book had on me after reading it. Author Jackie Waldman has compiled twenty-four of the most inspiring and touching stories of people with MS, and the effect the disease has on both the person with MS and their families and friends.

   I purchased this book because my husband Anthony Zaremba was one of the featured people in the book. As I read the profiles of the others, my emotions ran through a gambit of highs and lows. At times while reading the book, I filled the pages with my own teardrops, and often laughter, as I read of the fortitude and courage that the people in this book exemplify.

   If you know of anyone with MS, or if you have MS, place this book on your "must read" list. Best of all, Jackie Waldman's proceeds from this book are being donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Thank you Jackie! I give this book five stars!!

1 comments about Witness To AIDS (Autobiography).

1. In WITNESS TO AIDS, Edwin Cameron, a white South African judge discusses the AIDS pandemic in that nation and the world from both the political and the personal for he is a gay man living with AIDS-- and a very brave and compassionate one. Cameron understands totally that he is a lucky man because of the color of his skin and his relatively affluent position. He is able to afford the drugs that keep him alive but are out of the reach of most black Africans.
   
   Mr. Cameron (should I refer to him as judge?) is brave in that he has always spoken out against racism, is not afraid to challenge President Mbeki, takes on the greed of drug companies, makes the comparison between the Holocaust denial and AIDS denial and speaks openly and honestly about his own HIV status. For example, he discusses how he became infected in one unprotected sexual encounter "during Easter 1985."
   
   Altough the writer covers a tremendous amount of ground about AIDS in Africa and quotes many facts and figures, he is best when he makes the disease personal with experiences from his own life or naming the names of others with HIV/AIDS. One of the most moving passages from this fine work is about Cameron's telling his 78 year-old mother that (1) not only was he living with HIV but that (2) he was about to go public with his status. "I brought the conversation around and spoke gently to her. . . After a moment she glanced at me and quietly murmured: 'I thought as much, my boy.'" Though at first distressed by this new knowledge, she soon, however, began wearing the "red, furled ribbon of AIDS solidarity," until her death two years later. Mr. Cameron also discusses with candor his impoverished childhood, his being sent to a children's home, the accidental death of a sister and his father (an alcoholic) attending her funeral, having been given special dispensation from the warden where he was serving a year's sentence in prison for car theft. He acknowledges that being sent to a first rate school changed his life of poverty forever.
   
   The writer's perception of the AIDS epidemic in the United States is a bit rosy. He seems to believe that the disease is kept at bay because of the drug cocktails readily available and affordable here. While certainly no comparison can be made between Africa and the U. S., not everyone here has access to drugs, either because they cannot afford them or there are not enough free drugs for everyone. The book also suffers from repetition. Since Mr. Cameron is an attorney by profession, this is probably an occupational hazard as it is not unusual for barristers to repeat themselves, particularly if they are arguing their case before a judge and/or jury-- in this case, the reader.
   
   WITNESS TO AIDS, nevertheless, contains a wealth of information on the subject of AIDS in Africa and ought to have a very wide readership. Every page comes alive with both the writer's passion and humanity.

5 comments about Who Lied and Said We Left the Garden of Eden? Memoirs of a Homeless Man.

1. My wife Kathy is a counselor for women in a drug rehabilitation program and she frequently tells me about the addictive personality and how relapsing is all part of the recovery process. As she has said many times, it seems that on average for every foot the recovering clients move in the right direction, they step back 10 inches.
   Martin is a man who grew up in a stifling religious environment and was physically abused. His response was to skip school and become heavily involved in drug abuse, which led to his intermittently living on the streets. In order to support his varied habits, he engaged in thievery, prostituted himself and one of his wives even worked as a prostitute while they were married. It would appear from the last section that he has turned his life around, although it is clear that his recovery is still a tenuous thing.
   His life as he describes it is so typical of the addict, going in and out of rehab, spending relatively long periods of time living clean and then suddenly plummeting back down into the abyss. From his descriptions, it is clear that he is very lucky to be alive; it makes you sad to realize that there are many similar stories that will not be told because the principal character is dead.
   There is a message in this book, although I am not sure there is a lesson. The message is that it is possible for the addict to quit using and become a "regular" member of society. However, they need a great deal of help and they are never truly recovered. A lesson implies some form of completion, which is something the addict never truly does.



2. It's hard to review memoirs, because we the readers are dealing with the facts of somebody's life. But I find it very easy to review this memoir, because scarcely half of it is autobiography; the rest is a jumbled mess of philosophical and theological ruminations that, like a hummingbird, flitter and skip all over the garden without ever really landing on anything solid.
   
   Unlike certain other memoirs I have read recently, this one has the advantage of carefully balanced elements of disgrace and recovery. The author narrates his slide almost like poetry, as his attempts to defy his parents' repressive Christianity hurl him into drugs, crime, and extremes of self-destructive behavior. Then he comes out of this tailspin, partly because the law requires it and partly because true love makes him want to be a better person.
   
   I really liked the lyrical quality of the first half of the book, the memoir half. Rather than reading like somebody's Alcoholics Anonymous testimony, it used classic storytelling techniques to arrange revelations and build characters for maximum impact. I really wanted to enjoy the whole of this book. But then I got to the second half, and it was like my bucket sprang a leak.
   
   Martin wants to say a lot about God, life skills, perseverance, and the healing ability of a human soul. But suddenly he lacks his organization and impact from the first half. The writing becomes choppy and sprawling, full of two- and three-page chapters that read like notes for a longer treatise. Suddenly there are almost no human characters, just the author and his thoughts.
   
   And what strange thoughts they are, too. His philosophy is a loose syncretic mix of early Christian tradition, Utilitarian philosophy, earth religions, Desiderius Erasmus, Da Vinci Code-style speculation, the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, and assorted happy thoughts. He quotes many thinkers and theologians, which makes him seem well read. But as his book goes on, I realized most of his statements were not sourced and had little context. I suspect that, if he's well-read, it's mainly in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
   
   Martin cites six sources, but his facts are so loose and general that it looks more likely he did his writing after a ninety-minute Google search. Some of his facts are not correct. For instance, if Christianity was changed, it was changed before Constantine; the canon process began before Constantine's birth and ended after his death. Lucifer is a Latin term, not Greek, and the story comes from the book of Isaiah, not Greek myth. The name of Jesus is the Greek form of the Aramaic Yeshua and the Hebrew Joshua, and has nothing to do with Zeus. And Hinduism was the national religion of the Indus River valley, which a quick map check reveals is not in the Middle East, and it has never had a missionary program to other faiths. On these things Martin is just wrong.
   
   And that made me go back and think over the first half of the book. It didn't look as good in the rear view mirror. He claims his parents abused him, but he never says how; he only singles out a succession of stepfathers. Strike one. He makes exactly one mention of a sister who made his life miserable, but she merits half a paragraph and is never mentioned again, just an orphaned thought. Strike two. And though he claims that his loving, loyal animals made his life on the streets worth living, they just disappear from the story when their narrative role is filled by his future wife.
   
   Strike three. You're out.
   
   This book could probably have been made better with the help of a capable editor. The author needed someone to point out certain wobbly inconsistencies. Consider: though his life as a male prostitute is important enough to merit mention in the back-cover copy, it takes up a combined total of less than six pages in the book. Martin says he learned a great deal about human sexuality from this experience, but he never mentions it between pages 29 and 106. An editor could have warned him that was too long between setup and payoff.
   
   Likewise, though he claims to have solved his substance abuse problems once and for all, the story ends with him admitting he's been clean and sober for three years. But only two or three pages earlier, he admitted to falling off the wagon after six years of sobriety. An editor would have warned him that he needs to say something to prove this time things are different. Because I can't say that's so based on what he's written here.
   
   This book is not out-and-out bad, but it also isn't good. And it's a quick read, so if you want to ignore my advice, you'll only be out a few short hours of your time. But that's the warmest recommendation I can bring myself to offer. If the best I can make myself say is that it doesn't totally suck, then it's probably not worth your $12.95 or your limited reading time.
   
   Good job getting your life together, Daniel. Congratulations on moving from destitution to a loving family. But as a writer, you need to reel it in and to seek advice. Then things will really pop for you.



3. For those readers who purchase this book subtitled 'Memoirs of a Homeless Man' expecting to find a prolonged excursion into the seamy, smarmy aspects that surround the lives of the many homeless people we encounter on our cities' streets - a 'tell all' about just how grim life as a homeless person can be - then this book may disappoint. This is a not a down and out tragedy about a fallen man, though those aspects of writer Daniel Martin's life are patently clear here, but rather this is a book about hope, about finding some answers to universal questions the hard way - through the fog of drugs and alcohol and physical abuse to the ultimate light of recovery. But that summary doesn't do Martin's book justice either: this is a book that must be read to leap into the enlightened realm of finding balance that Daniel Martin so willingly shares. It is a book well worth your time to read and then share with friends who hopefully will continue the message.
   
   A true story here, Daniel Martin reflects on a family life that was disruptive to say the least, a life that was bogged down in Hell and Brimstone fanatic religious zeal, pushing him to escape into the arena of drugs, addiction, crime, and homelessness at the tender age of 18 years. Failed 'relationships' (including marriage) and lack of follow-up during his several bouts of sobriety began his pattern of downward spiral, doing everything including selling his body to support his habit. But throughout this period of his life he passed through some supportive people's lives that left an indelible influence on him and eventually served as fodder for reevaluating his previously warped view of the universe and the presence of spiritual sense to what had always appeared to be a chaotic world.
   
   Part II of this little book is devoted to Martin's now happy life as a clean and sober - and enlightened! - individual. He questions the image of God as held by fundamentalists, a God that can reign the breath of Hell as the threat for not committing to a rather narrow path of living behavior. Some of his courage to find the 'truth' at the core of all religions came from his participation in recovery groups, and some came from his studies and observations of human behavior, informed as he has become from exploring the bottom of the trough to survive and succeed in finding happiness in a world he struggled to create. One interesting aspect of the current mind of Daniel Martin is his altering the words used to address a supreme being, moving from 'God' to 'Creator Spirit' to 'Mother Earth'. And once Martin has talked us through his journey to light he tugs at the reader to find the courage to accept that we as humans are all sacred and programmable. 'We are all sacred and programmable human animals, not the wretched sinners some of us were raised to believe we are. Even when it comes to those of us who, like myself, have behaved badly on more than one occasion, with enough desire, anyone can change. Of that belief, I am living proof. What I've learned is that we're all perfect and innocent products of our education, upbringing, life experiences, healthy relationships, or the lack thereof. But it is up to us to either use those experiences for our betterment, or as an excuse for our misery.'
   
   It is this sort of homespun but well-written philosophy that makes Daniel Martin's book and message important. He sees the desperate need for harmony in the Universe and especially on our abused Mother Earth. And he leaves his past history as memory-joggers to encourage us to program our lives in a positive manner. 'It's then that we will be able to decide between what is good and what no longer creates harmony in Paradise - building upon the positive and releasing the negative.' Daniel Martin has wallowed in the dirt as a homeless person to climb up to Paradise, a place where he believes we all can be if we heed his wise and caring thoughts. Grady Harp, October 08



4. Daniel Martin's autobiography is at once heart wrenching, funny and sprinkled with good advice. He has travelled a road riddled with pot holes. Detoured by misguided religious fanatics and bad choices. In his book, Daniel examines himself as we all should and has learned that regardless of our past we can be grateful for where we are. I thank him for sharing and hope that the truth will set him free.



5. I couldn't put this book down. It tells the story of a young man who had a rough time of it and through many learning experiences and (some good, some not so good) tells the story of his growth toward spiritualism. Daniel, you have got it!! I'm proud of you and hope that many others read this book and find your wisdom a benefit to them.

3 comments about One in Three: A Son's Journey into the History and Science of Cancer.

1. In one of the most stimulating and informative books you will ever encounter, Wishart provides the clearest possible description of: a)what cancer is, i.e. from the first aberrant cell mutations to the eventual metastasis that eventually kills us; and b) the hundreds-year old history of approaches to treatment and prevention. Interwoven throughout is the poignant gripping story of his revered father's ordeal with prostate cancer to which he succumbs within about a year of its first diagnois -- a tortuous saga that prompted Wishart's investigation into cancer's history and prognosis for cure. I was left with both unsettling awe and despair after I put down this book: awe at the many genius scientists Wishart depicts who have achieved near-miraculous breakthroughs in cancer-remediating drugs; despair over the seeming impossibility of ever eradicating a disease which the author traces to the "constant bombardment" throughout life sustained by every one of our "ten million million cells"; during our lives there are "100 million million" cell divisions and "for cancer to begin there need be only one malignant cell that copies itself in a chaotic and uncontrollable way; with every duplication its dangerous characteristics are passed on to its offspring and a single aberration becomes a cluster, then a lump, then a tumor." It was especially sobering to learn that the dying man's prostate tumor origin was completely undetectable until his autopsy, a PSA screening test within months of his death yielding an absurdly false negative result of just 1. In sum, be prepared on reading this book to conclude that outliving cancer is as likely as winning the lottery year after year after year. If you ever fantasized about dodging the cancer bullet, you will think twice, but that could be just the insight you need to make the most out of every remaining minute you have!



2. Very good example of technical writing. Very detailed exploration of the history of cancer medicine. Left me with many questions on the emotional aspects.



3. The book seems highly commended (per back cover)on the scientific side, on which I am unqualified to comment. It tells a good personal story, into which the author combines the history of the science & medicine of cancer.

3 comments about Why Doesn't She Just Leave?.

1. Wow! This book got me inside Lisa's heart and soul, and showed me what it's like to be an abused woman. Now I understand what they go through. It's a real eye-opener and a very readable book, just like reading somebody's diary. I recommend it highly!



2. This is the story of a capable intelligent woman staying in the abuse. Not until her child is severly abused does she find a way involve the police.

   The book did not help me understand why women stay it just made me angry. I am angry that she stayed and in the end never tells other women how to get out where to get help. I was also angry that in her case as in others that I am closer to therapists did not help just enabled the abuser with more and better excuses to abuse and means to tear down the woman.

   If you are looking for a way to help a friend or family member in the situation this is not the book for you. It has nothing that tells you how to help. I read the book in hopes that I would be able to give it to a sister to inspire her to find a way out. I read it first and I am glad I did. What it showed is that the situation could be worse that abuse should be tolerated. Additionally the moral of the story is that a woman can not, should not, is incapable of getting away.

   If you are wanting to know what it feels like to be the woman in that situation, then this is the book, for anything else find something else.




3. This book is essential reading for anyone who has a friend or family member unable to leave an abusive relationship. It's title highlights the frustration those of us on the outside feel while the destructive situation continues. It is a diary of one persons struggle to free herself and her children from such a debilitating relationship. It is an eye-opener for those of us who have not had such experiences, and an inspiration for those who are now struggling to free themselves from an abusive relationship. In addition, it provides invaluable insight for those who work with people like Lisa as they struggle to free themselves and their children from physically and/or emotionally abusive relationships.

5 comments about Absent Memories: Moving Forward When You Can't Look Back.

1. "Absent Memories", is a great read. Our existence can change in a day. Rebecah may not have intended to become an advocate for people with memory problems, but she is. I wish this author continual success.



2. While reading Absent Memories, I had to pause several times to absorb what the author went through. After five hours I finished. This is one of those books that once you start you can't put down.
   
   Until reading this book I never really thought much about memory. I took it for granted. When I thought about it, I recalled that when family members get together past memories always come up. When friends gather memories of the good old days are hashed over and over again.
   
   It was hard to imagine not being able to remember my parents, or how much fun my brothers and sister had growing up.
   
   I was amazed by how quick she had to learn how to make a living, let alone cope with a strange new world. She lived alone but couldn't remember her past work experience or education. I can see why there would be fear and panic. It must have been horrific to wake up each day with such feelings.
   
   Absent Memories helped me to understand that people with disabilities are ordinary people like everyone else and are capable of doing anything if given the opportunity and support.
   
   This a very well written book and a must for all to read.



3. A facinating book that reveals insights into patterns of human relationships we all learned as children but to which we no longer attend. But what happens if those patterns are suddenly removed?
   
   What if your diplomas and certifications suddenly become meaningless; you can't remember anything you were taught? References to Watergate, Nixon, the Beatles, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in, hold no memories and no meaning. Yet, for a strange reason you can't recall, you have those albums and tapes.
   
   Worse, you're shown a stanger and told the man is your father, but you can't remember him? More mystifying is his emotional attachment to you! Sisters you can't remember seem upset with your past, lost to you, though they obviously remember. And you can't even miss growing up with your father or sisters just like you can't miss the guy or girl you didn't marry at school; because you have no memories of something that didn't happen. How do you grieve over something you can't recall?
   
   For this author, Ms. Propst, all of the above is not only true, but honestly discussed. The author shares her questions at each phase of her sometimes difficult re-education. After all, at 47, she was as inclined to believe there was a "free lunch" as not. She soon found plenty of unscrupulous people willing to teach her.
   
   The writing is tight, the prose short but sprinkled with the occasional verbal garnish. "Crises will march into our lives like Huns bent on destruction," is but one example. The read is shorter than you might think at 120 pages, but very intense as you almost constantly view her world from behind her "new" eyes.
   
   In fact, this story reminded me of the Jason Bourne movies - suddenly you wake up and can't remember who you were. And Ms. Propst found adult reality and re-education almost as fast, difficult and sometimes cruel as the CIA trying to reel in a rogue agent. Inspiring, insightful and ultimately optimistic, this book deserves a home in most libraries.
   
   Brad R. Leach



4. I enjoyed readiang Absent Memories. I am always amazed when I learn about a unique obstacle someone has had to face. Beki's story is a moving testament as to how such obstacles can be overcome. It makes one look at one's own life obstacles and how they can be dealt with in a more positive way. Absent Memories is a good reminder that persistence and faith in oneself can overcome most any difficulty.



5. Absent Memories
   
   What would it be like to wake up one morning and discover that the door into the memories of your past was closed to you...not just closed, but locked? It is hard to imagine such a thing.
   
   "Absent Memories" is a profile in courage. It is the chronicle of one woman's effort through tenacity and force of will to "just get on with it" when there was no foundation of experience to build on.
   
   It is a march done in fear and trembling; but done with humor and joy at each new find. There in lies a tale with lessons that all of us can learn.

5 comments about The Question of David.

1. This was a very heartwarming story. Reading this book gave me insight to Denise. It's truly amazing everything her and Neil went through to adopt David. I thought it would be an "OK" book, but I was wrong. It was fantastic. I couldn't put it down. I reccomend this book for everyone, as everyone will find something in it to relate too.



2. I think this is one of the best books I have ever read. The author does a great job of taking you into her world. This is a must read for anyone with a disability who has ever been told they cannot do something. Also a must read for those without disabilities to see that the abilities of people with disabilities are limitless. I look forward to future books by this talented author.



3. Denise made me both laugh and cry - somethimes at the same time. This is a WONDERFUL book about determination, ingenuity and grit all combined with a non-stop sense of humor. Denise shows us how it is possible for people with severe disabilities to thrive dispite society's limiting attitudes. I loved the book.



4. This book is a touching look at motherhood and all of its challenges. As a first time mother, I related to the same feelings of inadequacy, doubt, hope and elation that Denise so poignantly describes. My hat goes off to the Jacobsons who share their aspirations and who serve as an inspiration for all parents and parents to be whether they are disabled or not.



5. The Question of David should be required reading for all adoptive and prospective adoptive parents. Their disabilities notwithstanding, the Jacobsons took on a huge responsibility with unlimited risk by adopting a child thought to have disabilities of his own. I laughed and cried and ached all through the story. As an adoptive parent of a child with ADHD, I found Denise's struggle with day-to-day issues an inspiration. How does she do it? Cheers to the Jacobson's and to David!

5 comments about Life As We Know It: A Father, a Family, and an Exceptional Child.

1. This book is an ambush. The author uses his son's disability as a platform to rant about social ills which have been visited upon us by overbearing social conservatives and religious fanatics. Still, I felt compelled to read on, in grim fascination--which turned to alarm at Berube's egregious misrepresentation of the Catholic Church's teaching on birth control. Such a disingenuous slap compromises his credibility on almost every other subject he treats in the book.
   Still, being the parent of a child with Down syndrome, I waded through the morass in hope of finding some merit. And I found it in the author's discussion of the value of inclusive education in chapter 5. But even here, the terrain was arduous, requiring considerable resolve in order to plow through his treatment of Dawkins, Darwin, Rawls, and Kant, among others.
   I checked out a book titled "Life As We Know It: A Father, a Family, and an Exceptional Child." The book I read would be better titled "Life As I Know It: A Father, A Filibuster, and An Exceptional Ego."



2. I had expected this book to be a memoir about a boy with down syndrome, I thought that it was a dramatic story with lots of emotion. Instead it's simply a book discussing in great depth about biology and genetics. It discusses the reproduction process and mitosis and goes on and on on the topic of genetics. The book later goes on to talk about abortion and whether or not it should be allowed, and many other related debates. While I found the discussions about genetics and abortion to be relatively interesting, I don't understand why the book is based around it. This book is not so much a memoir as it is a biology textbook in disguise. if you want to read a biology textbook then by all means, buy this book. However, if you would like to read a touching memoir about a boy and his life with down syndrome, then try a different book, because as other reviewers have said: this book is not what it claims to be



3. I read this book as a pediatrician wanting to gain insight into my patients and their families. I really enjoyed the descriptions of raising their child. However, I found the philosophy and policy analysis a little too long winded and less helpful.



4. Berube writes a compelling book about his struggles to remain true to the parent/child relationship with his son who is diagnosed with Down's syndrome. Berube's book does a nice job of showing a different side of Downs syndrome - one where a child is a child, not someone (thing) to be feared, locked away or pitied. He writes clearly about the pressures to medicalize his son (meaning talk about him in the ways doctors would) since the medical world is such a part of their history with him. He tells of how he and his wife work to maintain decisions that are respectful of the child they are raising. Berube does a great job of explaining medical processes while also telling where they fall short, how they apply differently to different people and how he can continue to see others' points of view and wish more people could see his. Berube brings up big issues like abortion and (public vs private) health care to name a few. He relates his personal feelings to larger social conditions like how our society treats people with disabilities (which is not very well). This is a must read for teachers, doctors, nurses, and infact everyone, since we, as a society, need to work on seeing disabled people as people.



5. This book works best as memoir. Berube is very moving when he describes the first years of his son's life. I too am the father of a boy with Down's syndrome and can vouch for the clarity and truthfulness of the account. The book's many digressions into politics and philosophy could put off some readers, but most of them are well-worth reading and pondering. I only wish they hadn't interrupted the flow of the personal story. The only sidebar I really disagreed with was the one on abortion. It was too strident (Berube is pro-choice), especially coming from someone well-placed to see both sides of this issue. That said, I would recommend this book to any parent of a mentally retarded child, or, for that matter, to any citizen concerned about the place of disabled people in our society. I hope Berube writes another book ten years from now and lets us know how Jamie is doing.

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.