The Bottom Line
Edited by Kyra Anderson and Vicki Forman; 202 pages. Subtitle: Perspectives on Parenting Children on the Autism Spectrum
In thirty-three essays and poems about the experience of parenting kids on the spectrum, this lyrical collection covers everything from early childhood to adult issues, from resilient hope to resigned acceptance, without ever giving in to anger and despair -- or maudlin heartstring-tugging, either. You'll find plenty to smile over, think about, and reflect on, and maybe some good writers to follow, too.
Pros
- Graceful writing on subjects close to our hearts
- Meaningful for any parent of a child with special needs, whether on the spectrum or not
- Avoids the anger, grief, and zeal for a cure that often marks autism memoirs
- Most of the entries are short enough to read when you have a few moments to breathe
- Find a writer you like here, and there's probably a book or a blog to follow up with
Cons
- If your experience with autism is all about anger and grief and cures, you may miss that here
- Readers looking for specific help and advice won't find it here
- It would have been nice to have the contributor bios with each essay instead of at the back
Description
- Foreword by John Elder Robison
Preface by Kyra Anderson - Part I: Notes from Autism's Edge
"Label Everything" by Anonymous
"Notes from Autism's Edges" by MothersVox
"Guilt, Denial, and Videotape" by Mama Mara
"Birthdays" by Kristen Spina - "Finally at Three: Two Words Put Together" by Grey Brown
"Middle Earth" by Drama Mama
"How to Talk to an Autistic Child" by Kimberly F. Farrar
"A Child Blinks" by Janet Kay - "The Refrigerator Mother Club" by Chantal Sicile-Kira
"Watching My Son Watching Sleeping Beauty" by Anjie Kokan
"Sometimes, Never" by Susan Segal - Part II: String Theory
"String Theory" by Emily Willingham
"Evolution of a Fairy" by Carolyn Walker
"Live via Satellite: A Parenting Journey" by Mary McLaughlin - "Flood Plain" by Bruce Mills
"The Wages of Autism" by Kristina Chew
"Proverbs 13:24" by Aileen Murphy
"No Pity" by Maggie Kast
"The Stone" by Barbara Crooker - Part III: And the Shoes Will Take Us There
"As Great As Trees" by Ann Douglas
"Other Child, Other Mother" by Cheri Brackett
"100 Percent" by Leslie Quinn
"Navigating Autism" by Christine Stephan - "Driving Down the Road ... and Growing Up With My Asperger's Child" by Susan T. Layug
"Heart-Shaped Rock" by Kyra Anderson
"You're Adopting Whom?" by Ralph James Savarese - "Oh, the Community" by Veronika Hill
"The Mother at the Swings" by Vicki Forman
"And the Shoes Will Take Us There in Spite of the Circumference" by Bobbi Lurie - "To Persevere" by Ralph Savarese
"The Visit" by Laura Shumaker
"Is There Anything Else We Should Know?" by B. E. Pinkham
"The Family Gangsta" by James Wilson
Guide Review - Book Review: Gravity Pulls You In
I remember, back before parenting books started to consume my every reading moment, how much I enjoyed books of essays like this one, literary works that offered glimpses into other lives in words that were moving or funny or just a joy to run my eyes over. Gravity Pulls You In, a collection of essays and poems about autism, is one of those blessed books that satisfies me both as a literature major and lover of well-written nonfiction and as a parent always looking for information and sympathetic experience.
Though inspirational in their way, these aren't the kind of vignettes that reach into your chest and manhandle your heartstrings. Along with sentimentality, they avoid the extremes of grief, anger, and zeal for a cure that often mark autism memoirs. The stories deal with issues from early childhood into adulthood, and not all of the endings are conventionally happy, but I enjoyed the love and appreciation shown toward individuals with autism even in the midst of confusion and disappointment and significant struggles. Whether your child with special needs is on the spectrum or not, you'll most likely find these situations familiar and meaningful.
Slip this one in among all those heavy important special-needs books in your reading pile. It will give you a nice break, and strengthen you for the work ahead.
