5 comments about Under the Devil's Thumb.

1. From start to finish, I was deeply moved by Gessner's insightful and creative prose. This is perhaps the greatest book I've ever read. Thank you, Mr. Gessner, for making an invaluable contribution to contemporary American literature.



2. Though I enjoyed much of this book immensely, calling it a book would be a bit generous. Though its major theme of the importance of a person establishing connectedness to a place rings true, the disparate chapters and their topics do not lead to a book that is greater than the sum of its parts. It stands better as a series of essays. Some chapters are full of the overwrought musings of an overly sentimental tree hugger, others are just too downright giddy and reek of so much gosh gee willikers amazement as to be pure drivel. There is also a narcissistic tone to the book that detracts from many of the aithors very moving and genuine observations. However, other sections ring so true that they should be lifted straight out of the book and put on a travel brochure. Mr. Gessner is at his best when waxing eloquently about the past (his own or anyone else's) or when he is on his bike ( a kindred spirit with this reviewer), but when he drifts into reflections on the zen of the moment it seems just too drippingly forced for this rreviewers taste.



3. It sounded good. And I could relate to parts of it, as a recent transplant to Denver and having just experienced the deaths of close relatives. But the pomposity was too much. Some interesting stuff, but a lot of disorganized rambling. It feels like Gessner is just trying too hard to write the book he wants to be so proud of. The word "narcissistic" pops up a lot in the book. Totally appropriately. Does the guy mention beer in every single essay in the book? Yes, David, you're cool - you carried beer along on your hike.



4. After 143 pages of drinking in the great outdoors, on page 144 David blunders onto the idea that he might be an alcoholic. Gee, dyathink? This book sounds like work of a man who desperately wants his words or his life to mean something big. He must refer to "personal myths" a dozen times in this book. He uses an incident where he leaves his sick, laboring wife behind on a x/c ski trip, only to "rescue" her and carry her pack near the end as a launching pad into an essay on heroism and heros (a title he doesnt claim, but one gets the sense he thinks he deserves). Oh puhlease! David is obviously well-read and I think he has potential when he writes about something other than himself. But his personal essay is too personal, he is too shallow for me to care about his character, and he never does anything interesting to write about (unless you call ski-drinking interesting). His essays of "place" about his affection for his new home in the west ring hollow to me, as if he desperately wants to believe what he has written. The book has its good moments, he occasionally turns a few good paragraphs when he is talking about something other than himself. But they seem like window dressing when viewed in the context of the whole. This was a hard book to finish because I just didnt care.



5. Found this to be an ejoyable read. It fits on the shelf next to edward abbey and bill bryson quite nicely. I recently read an essay by David Gessner in Orion - Learning to Surf - find the article online and read that if you want a quick taste of the superb writing gessner is capable of. I found this book to be close to that level of greatness; no "desert solitaire" but thoroughly enjoyable. I don't understand the previous reviewers abhorrence of beer - those contradictions contribute to a rich life. But fair enough, if you are the type who will occasionally negate your lightweight hiking gear by packing in a bottle of wine to share around the campfire, you will love this book.
   Be Well,
   Art

5 comments about Right Address ... Wrong Planet: Children with Asperger Syndrome Becoming Adults.

1. This is a very personal story of a family dealing with the struggles of a teen/young adult who does not quite fit the definition of "normal". For any family dealing with this in their lives, this book is a good read. However, the descriptions of the teen in the book did not lead me to believe that he has Asperger Syndrome. This is somewhat addressed in the book in the early chapters while the parents were trying to find an appropriate label for their child. If your looking for something specific to Asperger Syndrome, I would look elsewhere. If, however, you would like to share in the experiences of a family who struggle and want the best for their child, this is a good read.



2. Gena Barnhill does an excellent job pulling back the curtain and letting us see inside life with (and as) an Asperger child growing into adulthood. As an adult dealing with the disorder, raising a son with it, I found myself looking both in a mirror and a crystal ball.
   
   Barnhill's down to earth, real life writing style lets you in where you really feel you know the principals.
   
   The book is not (and is not meant to be) a medical or psychological manual. It is human and real and gives a real world view of what the disorder is and how it affected Barnhill's son, and her family - and how they dealt with things. A very interesting and useful read.



3. This has its good and bad points. First the good, which is this author's candor in life with a son who has Asperger's Syndrome (AS), which is the spectrum partner to autism.
   
   Now, the bad points. The young man featured in this book was not correctly diagnosed until he reached adulthood. As another reader on the US review boards noted, it does not appear that much had been done for the young man during his boyhood except express disappointment, dismay, disillusionment and disgust over his behavior.
   
   Once the diagnosis of AS is in, the young man's behavior is taxed on his sensory neurobiological condition. Instead of taking proactive steps in working with him to conquer his social difficulties cognitively, dismay over past insensitivities to his behavior and wailing and lamentation appear to underscore a good portion of this book. And, as another reviewer on the US boards noted, I, too would hate to think that people just learning about AS would use this book as "the" approach to take for all people on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum. There are many approaches to take, such as ABA; floor time; social stories/scripts and playacting social scenarios and working cognitively with the person so they are taught the social mores and norms.
   
   The topper for me was when AS was called a developmental disability. That is just not true! AS is NOT a cognitive NOR a developmental disability, which implies delayed milestones. AS is a sensory neurobiological condition that shares a place on the autism continuum. It is a form of autism that affects sensory integration and processing and, to a certain extent language. However, people with AS are seldom delayed in speech development. What upset me the most was the author's erroneous claim that people with AS outgrow it, which simply isn't true. People with AS learn to cope and compensate and try to camouflage social difficulties and remain baffled by certain social codes and norms, but AS is not something one outgrows. I'm tired of erroneous claims like this because they raise people's hopes, but are grossly inaccurate. I also don't think that kind of thing speaks to tolerance or acceptance.
   
   Skip this and read Jerry Newport's "Your Life is Not a Label - a Guide to Living Fully With Autism & AS," "Solutions for Adults with Asperger's Syndrome: Maximizing the Benefits, Minimizing the Drawbacks to Achieve Success" by Juanita Lovett and "Loving Mr. Spock: Understanding an Aloof Lover - Could it Be Asperger's" by Barbara Jacobs far more helpful and informative for adults with AS. There are better narratives by parents of children who are on the a/A spectrum, such as Cammie McGovern's stellar work about her son Ethan. I want more good books for adults with AS, but I don't feel this is one.



4. I am truly offended by some comments such as, "Unfortunately, this family doesn't have the first clue about what AS actually is." This is absolutely not true. I can attest my family has done a lot for myself. Therapy is not the ONLY answer here. Seeing a shrink is only a piece of the puzzle. The people that have rated the book with 1 star are totally out of line. If you want to pay money for therapy then go ahead and waste your money. If you really want help get then try some medication with some good old-fashioned disipline. Seek help from others as my family has done so. God Bless :)



5. Just to set a few of the participating veiwers straight, Asperger's Disorder is recognized by the American Psychiactric Association as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder. One can refer to the DSM IV-TR- a comprehensive book on specific criteria for qualifying diagnoses, used by psychologists and other mental health providers, and published by the American Psychiactric Society-to access the definitive criteria for establishing the existance of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Asperger's, in particular.

2 comments about A Mother Held Hostage.

1. Got this book. . . One of my favorites--one that helped convinced me that I was ready to be a father. The mom in the book went through hell--worse than anything I could have imagined (and this is not a novel. It was a real account of her experience with her son). Yet, I felt a strange conviction that this is what being a parent is about. For, I don't think it was ever meant to be easy. Those who choose to go into parenthood with their eyes open are the kind of special people who give unconditionally, despite how much of a thankless job, at times, it may seem.
   
   This book was not some miracle tale. The outcome of the story in the book was far from a happy ending. In fact it was tragic. However, there was just something about the journey that this woman went through that resonnated with me and with my idea of parenthood.



2. Barbara Borntrager's book is an honest, open and straightforward look at living as a family with someone who has a mental illness. It "tells it like it is" and also shows how love and inspiration can help you survive. It is a wonderful tribute to her son. We know so little still about the human body and mind even today. When something is wrong and so poorly understood what a frustrating, trying circumstance that can be. This book is about love in the highest degree because sometimes that is all you have left to keep you going. Wonderful, wonderful book!

1 comments about The Best of Both Worlds: (A Not-So-Silent Life).

1. I feel the same exact understandings and feelings of Deaf culture being a CODA. This book is excellent.

5 comments about I'm Sorry You Have to Be Here.

1. Lois Bhatt's 1st book, an honest, funny, poignant, and informative account of her bout with breast cancer, is a gem. Ms. Bhatt's writing is filled with extraordinary detailed observations, but not the irritating kind; she points out things she remembers seeing, hearing, tasting, but in a natural way that flows with the story and forms an image, a sound, or a taste, in the reader's mind. And this is a story, not a dry recitation of her experience, but a welcoming invitation to re-live the experience, the good, and the bad, with the author and her family. I could not put it down.



2. Thank you, thank you to Lois Bhatt for writing this book detailing her experience with breast cancer. Lois manages to be funny and humane while dealing with difficult facts and sharing invaluable information. Even if the reader has not been diagnosed with breast cancer, chances are someone close to her has been, or will be. Read Lois Bhatt's well writted book to gain some understanding of fighting the disease. Learn why you should never say,"HHooow aaarrre you?" to help friends and loved ones who are facing it.

   I stayed up one night until I finished the book because I just didn't want to put it down.




3. Reading Lois Cappetta Bhatt's touching story of her experiences with breast cancer was so well written and so moving, that I couldn't stop reading it. I lost my own mother to breast cancer four years ago and it brought back many memories for me. It felt like I was reading a letter from a friend, especially her reflections on how her illness affected her relationships with her children, husband, friends, acquaintances, strangers and also her spiritual struggle. She has such a strikingly honest style of writing. I couldn't help but admire her for her candor as well as her courage. I plan to give the book to two of my girlfriends (also mothers of young children) currently battling cancer. Kudos to Ms. Bhatt for her searing portrayal of triumph over this dreaded disease.



4. This wonderful book was like having a friend with me through chemotherapy. It was honest and funny. I'd recommend it to anyone dealing with a cancer diagnosis or facing chemotherapy.



5. I'm a 29 yr. old mother of a 2 1/2 yr. old and a 1 yr. old, and I've been diagnosed with breast cancer. A woman I work with came across this book at her ob/gyn's office and passed it along to me. This was the best book so far that I've read on the subject of breast cancer. It was so good, that I read it over the course of 2 days! I searched high and low for books that I could relate to. I wanted to read something written for young moms with small children, battling breast cancer, and there is nothing out there, except this book. Although the author is 10 years older than I am, her children are the same age as mine and I could relate to so many of the situations that she talks about in her book. The book was very easy to read, it didn't contain a lot of big medical words that were hard to understand, it was very straight forward. She basically walks you through her experience and adds a touch of humor here and there.
   I went out of my way to go to a book signing that Lois Bhatt was speaking at, to meet her, and thank her for writing such a good book, and she was a warm person that took the time to speak to everyone that wanted to talk to her at the book signing. I recommend this book to anyone that is a parent, and that's battling breast cancer. It's an inspiring book!

1 comments about Breakdown Lane, Traveled: An Anthology of Writings on Madness.

1. It's a remarkable set of stories. The author is in remission after decades of severe illness, and looks back at her own past. The stories, individually, range from the comical and embarassing to dark and disturbing. As a collection, they seem to form a research notebook, trying all the different ways to make sense of the facts of her life. There seems to be a lot of truth in each story and a lot of fiction. It's not always clear how much of each, but I don't think that really matters. If you have any empathy at all, it's not an easy read. It may well be worthwhile, though.
   
   //wiredweird

1 comments about The Pits and the Pendulum: A Life with Bipolar Disorder.

1. The Pits and the Pendulum is an memoir by Brian Adams. I originally read this for a psychopathology class in college, but in retrospect I can realize it can also be useful to other readers. To those interested in how a severe case of bipolar I disorder can affect one throughout his life, this book provides plenty of insight and is an interesting enough read as well (some memoirs in psychopathology can be quite dry sometimes). To those suffering from bipolar disorder (manic depression), you may find Adams' life experiences, troubles, triumphs, and all in between to be familiar.
   
   Adams' recalls building birdhouses during a manic episode--slamming his hand with the hammer accidentally yet continuing to work through day and night, going without sleep or very little sleep for weeks. The effects on his jobs and the risky investments that are not uncommon with bipolar sufferers are both discussed. Struggling with the deepest of depressions, suicidality, and with the ultimate highs of mania provides for an interesting if not provocative read.
   
   This is an example of a book read for class that I decided to keep rather than get rid of or sell used. It proves worthy of additional reads and as an excellent example of a memoir in bipolar disorder to those with any vested interest in the field.

No comments about The Week the World Heard Gallaudet.

No comments about Life After a Head Injury.

No comments about Helen Keller: Selected Writings (The History of Disability Series).