1 comments about Miles to Go Before I Sleep: My Grateful Journey Back from the Hijacking of Egyptair Flight 648.

1. This is an incredible first person account of a woman who was the selected target of terrorists on an Egypt Air Flight because she was holding an American Passport. She was taken outside of the plane onto the top of the stairs and was shot in the head. Her body fell down the stairs onto the tarmack and she was left there for dead. People picking up her body unexpectedly discovered she was alive and rushed her to a hospital. The remainder of the story is of her amazing recovery coupled with personal tragedy and overcoming obstacles to teach herself to read again(she was able to do this based on her special education background/experience) in spite of her prognosis.

5 comments about Curing the Incurable.

1. It should be pointed out that this book was written before the DMD or CRAB drugs were used to help suppress MS. Chemotherapy is only used in aggressive relapsing-remitting MS and in conjunction with Copaxone now. Jacqueline Rigg wrote this book from her experiences with active MS, over 20 years ago.
   I found this book's recipes to be quite useful. I don't believe that there is a 'cure' for MS, but that it is best to examine all options.
   Personally, diet plus DMD has worked very nicely for me. However....this could have happened anyway.
   Sticking rigidly to a diet just because it has worked for someone else is very common and can be encountered in all diet groups, Raw, Vegan, Best Bet, Swank, Atkins, you name it, there will be diet evangelists and their devout followers.
   Diet is not a religion and it's time that people grew up about this. The same goes for medicine.
   When you live with a disease that can affect your body differently each day, you learn the hard lesson of living without absolutes.



2. In '97 I was diagnosed with MS. Someone told me about this book and I ordered it. Its a best buy with the best advise!!! A must read for anyone who seeks to listen to the inner self. Don't do as I did. Read the book and follow it. I wasted a lot of time before I finally followed it and my own inner self to wellness.



3. This was fantastic. my partner has been diagnosed with ms but chooses not to take medication. this book has helped both of us and has improved his symptoms no end. it is so good to read a book that isn't full of medical terminology but just states things how they are. easy to read, easy to understand and the recipes really do taste good



4. I thought this was a terrific book on using nutrition and related approaches to "heal" MS, primarily because Ms. Rigg does not advocate any one particular approach but rather emphasizes the need for each person with MS (or any other health challenge) to do lots of research and figure out what works best for him or her. Her emphasis on keeping a diary to record reactions to different foods and the inclusion of many recipes are both practical and useful ways to help the person with MS. After almost a decade with this disease, I am tired of medication and even more of insurance companies, and am committed to trying the nutritional approach to MS by starting a diary this week. Thanks Ms. Rigg!



5. Jacque Rigg dared to do what the medical establishment tells the patient is iether incorrect or ineffected... taking control of your own health and denying the establishment 16K a year to pay for harmful pharmacueticals. I agree whole heartedly with most of what I have read. I myself refuse to take the medications which cause tremendous side effects, often leading to a host of other illnesses and disorders. I have turned only to organic/living foods, magnetic matresses, yoga, prayer, nutritional supplements, acupuncture and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In a matter of four months, almost all of my symptoms have disappeared. This I know, is not due a "natural" remission, but my body's capacity to heal itself through proper nutrition and lifestyle. This is a wonderful introductory guide for those seeking to avoid the horrendous side effects associated with traditional "western" medicine. There are however several other natural protocols not included in the book that readers may also want to explore. Ironically, I am an Epidemiologist who teaches at a medical school, but who under any and all circumstances would follow Rigg's advise before taking the toxic medications which are currently available to MS patients. Thank you Jacque for a "true" contribution to the field of health. There are many of us out here who truly love and respect you for your efforts. Dr. Liza Molina

5 comments about Confessions of an English Opium Eater (Penguin English Library).

1. I recently learned that Thomas De Quincey attended my school, although this is a fact that is not prominent in its promotional literature (having the distinction of being the alma mater of one of history's most famous drug addicts not being high on the list of items deemed likely to attract the attention of well-heeled parents seeking a school for their precocious ten-year olds). This is a drug memoir of sorts, but it is washed in a romantic aestheticism that distinguishes it from the familiar gritty and sordid morality plays of more recent times. De Quincy sometimes comes off as an erudite version of the charcher played by Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting. Entertaining stuff, if a little dry in places.



2. Thomas De Quincey was a contemporary of Wordsworth and more importantly in terms of comparison, Coleridge. He writes that Coleridge and he met several times and in one instance they perused some Parnesi prints together. Whether on not they were both high at the time, De Quincey doesn't reveal. However, given the tenor of the tangent upon which De Quincey expounds, it is certain that at least he was using, and given Coleridge's history, he probably was a well. Why do I cite this incident? Because it is one of the few points in the narrative that is memorable. As someone interested in literary figures, the image of two 19th century literary hop-heads grooving-out whilst staring at Parnesi prints (you should look up Parnesi on the web - a definite precursor to M.C. Escher)is just plain marvelous.

   Unfortunately, that, and a few paragraphs depicting some truly macabre nightmares are the only noteworthy incidents in this book. Too often, De Quicey's labarynthine riffs doen't really lead anywhere. His writing style in some ways can be compared to another of his more illustrious contemporaries, Thomas Carlyle's. Both go in for elongated Latinate constructions, with modifier upon modifier and dependent and independent clauses ad infinitum. Carlyle, however, can pull it off. His great wit and energy of mind holds the center of the thought together, even as the rest of his sentence veers off into Baroque space. De Quincey is not an adept enough magician to perform this trick.
   
   De Quincey's subject is himself. His mode of writing in this instance is primarily that of a diarist. This leads to comparisons with some other English diarists of note. Two that come immediately to mind are Defoe (A Journal of the Plague Year) and Pepys (the most famous of all). De Quincey doesn't hold up well in comparision. Defoe's journal is interesting because his subject matter is compelling, he's a great journalist (conveying to our mind's eye the events he depicts), and he gets to the point. Pepys is wonderful because he provides us a full panorama of life in London in the latter half of the 17th century. De Quincey is so absorbed in his solipsistic self-examination, that we as readers aren't even allowed to come up for air, much less see anything around us. That would even be permissable if the narrator were like Proust's Swann, who is at least likeable and self-effacing. Not so De Quincey. He interupts his own narrative on countless occasions to tell us what a splendid scholar he is and (to borrow a phrase from Ophelia) "what a great mind is here o'erthrown." He peppers the text with words like "heautontimoroumenos" to indicate that he is learned in Greek. Throughout the narrative, he is in way to big a hurry to impress these points upon the reader, instead of allowing the reader to judge for him/herself.

   If you want to know what it's like to be a junkie, read Burroughs. If you want to read some painfully constructed English prose, give this one a go.
   BK




3. Confessions of an Opium Eater, almost entirely autobiographical, has a great many words of text but fails to say much of anything. Worse yet, it suffers form the greatest of literary afflictions....want of interesting writing.

   Confessions has the appeal of listening to the incoherent, unorganized ramblings of a thoroughly bland speechgiver. He gives fits of lucidity to his story, in the form of making a point, only to derail it into some meaningless anecdote or philosophical pondering that leaves you wondering what his original point was to begin with.

   The sum of his story is he began taking opium to alleviate the pain from a stomach malady and through increased use and increasing dosage became an addict. Little insight is given that would be relevant to understanding modern day drug abuse. However, much of the physical effects of opium abuse related by the author are common to the hell of chemical abuse suffered by today's addict.

   I cannot remember the last time I fell asleep reading a novel but I did so 4 times while reading Confessions from sheer boredom. The unimaginative use of his obviously well developed vocabulary coupled with a story that ultimately goes nowhere made reading this book a most unbearable, tediuos chore.




4. When I first heard of this book, I thought that it was a work of fiction. Given my basic knowledge of the Victorian era, I didn't think anyone, much less a writer, would stand up and talk about addiction. Alas, I was wrong, but do not regret reading this in the least.

   Although this book is short, about 70 pages for this edition, it is not as quick a read as you would think. His vocabulary can be quite extensive and to fully understand him, you have to have his background in Greek (the language and mythology) to understand his allusions. His writing seems to approximate a conversation with a very intelligent, but distracted, person. Many of these sentences (especially in the beginning) are quite long and filled with commas and colons. It is like the intelligent person trying to tell you something important, but as he speaks, he is not sure that he is being clear, so he adds little phrases to try to illustrate his point more effectively as he leans forward earnestly in hopes of adequately trying to prove his point.

   Within this piece, he talks of his background and why he started taking opium. He debunks many commentaries on opium use and explains why. DeQuincey also mentions other famous people who took opium (or laudanum). Lastly, he tells of some of his dreams which were "enhanced" by his opium taking. After reading these descriptions, I find myself looking at the work of Coleridge in a new light, and even the fictional character Sherlock Holmes.

   I would recommend this piece to any wanting a better understanding of DeQuincey and his time.




5. De Quincey is an exceptionally honest writer. Yet, while remaining honest, he manages to express his thoughts and emotions in beautiful words. While reading this book, one feels as if they're having a personal conversation with De Quincey(no doubt, a one-way conversation), and it becomes easy to develop a love and admiration for the guy. Moreover, it is interesting to hear a first hand account of what life was like in the early 19th century. It is not hard to see why this book is a classic. Read it, its short.

2 comments about Lightning at the Gate.

1. A respected authority on the use of guided imagery to heal, Dr. Jeanne Achterberg writes an engaging story about her harrowing and year-long journey through physical pain and spiritual darkness into wellness.
   
   She uses her suspected diagnosis for ocular melanoma - a rare and potentially deadly cancer of the internal layer of the eye - as the literal and symbolic theme to anchor a story that is part thriller, memoir, medical mystery, self-help resource and alternative medicine advocacy.
   
   In about 50 short, distinct chapters, Achterberg guides the reader through the impact of this catastrophic disease on relationships in her "orbit" - self, others, the alternative healing community, as well as with the mainstream medical profession.
   
   Achterberg, as reflects her background, credits shamanic and prayerful influences with healing her eye. Unfortunately, since her diagnosis was never medically confirmed, it's not possible to establish that cause-effect relationship.
   
   This lack of perspective reduces her compelling story to a largely anecdotal account. The promise of alternative healing to transform people's lives has not been realized on a broad scale due to the lack of cross collaboration between the alternative and scientific communities. Achterberg was uniquely positioned to bridge the alternative/mainstream divide. Instead, a story of triumph uncomfortably comes across as an "us vs. them" contest
   
   However, Lightning At the Gate is the only book out there that talks about ocular melanoma from a personal perspective. For many diagnosed with this cancer, that's the only story that really matters. For more information about this rare cancer, please check out the See A Cure Foundation website found at seeacure.com



2. Jeanne Achterberg breaks the mold of illness memoirs and healing tracts with her searing honesty, wit, fresh prose style, insight, and sheer spiritual brazenness. What a joy to read, a powerful investigation of the sorrowful, tough, often elevating experiences of this wounded healer going deeper to try to heal herself, and the personal losses and gains that occur along the way. Bless her for being so nakedly honest in sharing the hard truths about her marriage and personal life in a way that doesn't make the reader feel like a voyeur but like a dear friend who needs to know about the intertwined tentacles of her life as she lives it, and as she tries to extend and expand it both by turning within and by reaching out. Actherberg helps us understand that illness can be a metaphor; it all depends on what metaphor we construct, what truths it holds, and what we do about it.

5 comments about Brooke Ellison Story, The: One Mother, One Daughter, One Journey.

1. 
   I believe this was a terrific book. It was filled with excitement when Brooke graduated form Harvard University. This book was one of those books where you always wanted to know what is going to happen next. I learned that even though you are paralyzed you can still be a straight A student. I do recommend that all people will love this wonderful non-fiction book because it describes a great biography about a 7th grade girl named Brooke and her mother Jean that led the way for her.



2. Brooke Ellison's magnificent achievements, both because and in spite of her disability, can't help but inspire the reader. Her biography is both a tribute to her and to her loving family, especially her mother. I didn't find the story lacking because it didn't discuss her daily life and limitations in depth; I think perhaps she wanted to maintain SOME privacy in a life that of necessity has sacrificed so much of it, and the whole point of her story is that Brooke is not defined by her disability. I think the true tragedy of her accident was not that she was so severely changed, but that we were all so nearly robbed of a remarkable and gifted human being. I wish Brooke and her family well, and hope to see her on the speaking tour. Five stars for an inspiring story.



3. Brook Ellison really could be an inspiration to us all.Her positive outlook and her "go get em" attitude really is inspiring. That said, her mother Jean is a phenomenal women. I cannot imagine getting up everyday,7 days a week,24 hours a day at 4;00 am to bath,dress,feed,and groom another human being. Would I do it for my daughters? Of course,but it is easy to say that when you are not in the same situation. Let's face it,we have all griped about having to drop them at friends homes,going to pick them up at school when they are sick etc....This woman is one to definitely be admired. The other day I was on a message board reading all these nitwits gush on about a certain mobsters daughter and how much they admire her...WHY??? I posted about this book and this extraordinary woman, truly God blessed Brook with having Jean as a mom. I also think she was blessed by all the sacrifices her brother,sister and father made as well to make her dream come true. Brook's sister stated in an interview that the movie does not have their Grandmother in it and they should have, as she was the one who cared for the rest of the family when Brook and her mom were away. Jean is truly a modern day hero. God Bless the whole Ellison family.



4. This biography/autobiography was amazing. It pulls you in right from the beginning and keeps you there. It is a sad book, but it has happy times and it can make you laugh and cry. The Brooke Ellison Story was very well written. Each chapter switches back and forth from the daughters' perspective, to the mothers' perspective. It was absolutely wonderful.
   
   On Brooke Ellison's first day of seventh grade she was hit by a car on her way home from school and left paralyzed from her neck down, and relying on a respirator for her every breath. This story tells how she made it through, and 10 years later graduated from college.
   
   Reading this book has opened my eyes to reality, and what happens almost every day to people around the world. Reading this book, on how she lived was astonishing. All the things Brooke accomplished even though she was paralyzed, was amazing.
   
   "Try to imagine being in a chair with your feet bound and your hands tied behind your back. Then imagine being on a machine that gives you thirteen breaths per minute and doesn't allow you to sigh, or take a deep breath when you feel you need one. Then imagine never being able to use the bathroom or shower when you want to, to brush you teeth, feed yourself, scratch an itch, or wipe your eyes if you need to cry. Imagine never having any privacy, not being able to be physically intimate, or never being able to hug someone when you really want to. Compound that with sleepless nights when you are unable to breathe, equipment failures that threaten your life, and wheelchair malfunctions that leave you stranded in bed. Then put yourself in one of the most rigorous academic settings in the world and ask yourself to read thousands of pages of text without being able to turn the pages; attend lectures, seminars, and labs in all kinds of god-awful weather, study, prepare papers, take tests, and then do an original independent research thesis, submit it on time, and ultimately defend it. That will just start to scratch the surface of what it's like for Brooke." - Jean Ellison
   
   I recommend this book to people who enjoy books that reach out to you and drag you in, only letting you go when you finally decide to close the book. Books that you say you're going to stop, but then you find you are ten pages later already. This books brings tears and laugher, and is wonderful.



5. I like the reviewer "Martina" found the book inspiring yet also believed that it could have provided more depth to the
   day to day experience of what it is to be a quadripalegic. Mrs. Ellison only gives the readers a glimpse of this experience when she talks about how Brooke has to be suctioned each day and turned to avoid bedsores. Maybe like "Martina" I'm gross for wanting to read about such information, but I as well like to take away new information and understanding from the subjects I read about. I would still recommend this book and the movie as both are inspiring and a true testament of how with great desire a person can achieve their dreams.

5 comments about The Ride Together: A Brother and Sister's Memoir of Autism in the Family.

1. The authors call this a "memoir of autism in the family", but a more telling tag line would be "memoir of a family". Their autistic brother Dave is not the focus of the memoir as much as one could have hoped for. Especially the sister's prose pieces are a bit more concerned with her own reactions and feelings than with Dave himself. Paul Karasik is a bit more focused on Dave, but also with Paul himself as more or less the main character. When you finish reading you know more about Paul and Judy than you know about Dave. That said it's a well written and drawn book, and if you pick it up to read a brother and sister's memoir of their family (which is interesting enough in itself), you won't be disappointed. But if you pick it up to read about "autism in the family", you'll be disappointed. HWI



2. This is a truly outstanding book. Siblings Paul and Judy Karasik tell their life stories as relates to their brother David, who has an especially severe form of autism.
   
   Born in 1948, David appeared to meet developmental milestones within normal limits during the first year of his life, save for speech. In beautifully, brilliantly drawn comic-style illustrations, his younger brother Paul depicts family scenes with David and then only sibling, younger brother Michael going to a doctor's office while David awaits his verdict. David receives a multitude of antiquated diagnoses given the times including aphasia.
   
   Judy and Paul, the two youngest Karasik children chronicle the parallels of their neurotypical development alongside of that of David. Unable to stand changes to his routine, David insists on "putting on TV shows" wherein he "interviewed" politicians and copied the format of televised interviews. When crossed, he would self stim and even hit his own head, screaming out names of television characters. He also liked to list the names of the neighborhood barbers and seemed to derive comfort in anticipating his haircuts at their shop. The barbers had established a bond with the Karasik family and would step up to the plate for their father when he suffered his final illness in 1992.
   
   Other challenges crop up in their family. The Karasik children's maternal grandfather and his daughter, their aunt move into their home in 1969. Their aunt, severely debilitated and profoundly retarded after suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage in infancy is installed in one room and their grandfather has the study. An angel of a nurse named Dorothy White cares for the pair as well as the Karasik children.
   
   To ease Dorothy's work load, a night nurse is hired. When Judy comes home one night and finds the nurse watching television, ignoring her grandfather's anguished cries and dismissing them, the first person she calls is Dorothy. Like the Cavalry, Dorothy rushes over to the home to resume caring for the pair. The night nurse's departure is expedited and rightfully so after her callous inattention to the patients' needs.
   
   Dorothy again steps up to the plate for her ailing charges. She insists on having them move into her home where she and other members of her family can care of them. This arrangement worked well until a fire destroyed her home in March, 1978 killing both patients, another relative who lived in the home and injuring Dorothy's husband. An electrical short from a television in an upstairs bedroom caused the fire and sadly, the patients perished from smoke inhalation. Luckily, the Karasiks were able to rally around Dorothy and her husband's side and continue a circle of love. Dorothy sounded like a genuine angel.
   
   The professional and personal Long & Winding Roads of each Karasik are gently chronicled. Readers come away with an enriched sense of life with multiple challenges - severe autism; sibling questions; elderly relatives' needs and sadly, the death of a parent. The comic illustrations by Paul Karasik add much to the book and some are such beautifully moving accounts, such as the early one about David's diagnosis and later, the death of their father that they might make you cry. The final comic strip in this book is also quite moving indeed. Dorothy's kindness is also extremely heartwarming.
   
   There are funny parts. Paul's middle school prank, as he drew many years later; Paul and David going to the Three Stoogeathon in their neighborhood theater and the HILARIOUS story Paul drew about that movie trip might make you laugh. I love that!
   
   Judy describes watching the movie "Rain Man" on television. Although the movie is never mentioned by name, it is plain that it is the movie she references. In her words, it is a movie about somebody "with an autistic brother" who lives in a residence; can tell how many matches are in a box and who is taken out of his residential facility to travel the countryside with his neurotypical brother. Although I didn't care for "Rain Man," I found her comments about it in relation to her brother very interesting.
   
   David was enrolled in residential facilities that were unsatisfactory and day programs with varying degrees of success. In 1995 when their mother, then widowed 3 years decides to sell the family home and move into a smaller place, the sad and frightening truth about David's then current placement emerges. Mother and siblings band together and find a good program that will meet David's needs.
   
   This book really touched my heart. I hope other readers will enjoy it and find it as moving as I did.



3. "The Ride Together" provides a unique illustration of living
   with--growing up with--autism. The book gives voice like nothing
   else to the personal impact of autism on family members in ways not ordinarily considered. For example, a youngster wincing when his friend casually uses "retard" as an epithet. Or mom patiently explaining why it's fair that one's brother doesn't have to clean his room "because everything else is so hard for him." There are escape mechanisms one must develop in order not to be overwhelmed--one poignant example being the adoption of avoidance strategies in adolescence so the girl you want to date won't actually come to your house. The format of the book combines clear, unsentimental prose and graphic novel form, enhancing its message in the way that poetry lends added meaning to ordinary words and phrases.



4. What a unique and astounding experience this book is. The authors tell the story of their autistic brother in a way that made me shake my head in wonder. Alternating chapters of prose and graphic/illustrated text paint a portrait of such power and poignant insight that neither method alone could ever achieve. For me, it was like when, after instumental music has taken us as far as it can, the vocal chorus kicks in in Beethoven's Ninth. As I read (and re-read) this book, I found that the chapters were almost conducting a dialog with each other, with "prose" chapters challenging the "words-and-pictures" ones, and vice versa, each chapter upping the narrative ante. Because the format alternates as it does, our brains are constantly challenged and engaged, and we get to know David and all the members of the Karasik family in wasy that make it unlikely that we will soon forget them.

   A stunning achievement.




5. Although the format is indeed innovative; interspersing cartoon chapters with prose, neither type of chapter had enough substance to make it worth reading. The book had a very interesting premise (which made me buy it), but I was disappointed that it was so loosely tied together and undeveloped.

5 comments about Here and Now: Inspiring Stories of Cancer Survivors.

1. I am a patient currently going through treatment for stage 4 Lymphoma, and this book was SOOOOOOOO depressing. Yes, it tells it like it is, and sometimes you don't need to hear that. And if that's what the book is about it, it shouldn't be listed as "inspiring", because the only thing it inspires me to do is give up the little hope I have. My copy is holding a lovely spot in the trash.



2. If you are looking for another most inspirational story about a cancer survivor, read Tapestry: The Journey of Laurel Lee. CBS turned her hospital journal into a movie several years ago. Tapestry is her entire life story - it is filled with laughter, tears, hope and grace.



3. I am a cancer survivor and a personal coach for cancer survivors (rle444@yahoo.com). I have recommended this book to all of my clients. The stories tell it like it is: the good, bad and ugly. It's so important for current cancer patients to see the possibilites through the angst of having cancer and cancer survivors to have examples of the various tribulations and exhilaration of "cancer after life." cancer (little "c") is what you have, not who you are. I thank the authors for this beautiful and powerful evidence of the human spirit.



4. Everything the earlier revieiwers have said is true. This book inspired me to live my life more fully. You do not need to be a cancer survivor to be touched by these stories. They are stories about being human, and being ALIVE.



5. What characterizes this book is its intellectual and emotional honesty, and in that spirit, this reviewer acknowledges he knows one of the authors.

   The book tells the stories of 38 cancer survivors-38 very different individuals with very different stories to tell about how they first learned of their cancer, how they coped with it, how it changed their lives, how they face the world now.

   There is no false sentimentality, there's no polyanna, no posing. This is truth, not always pretty, but real. The two authors, themselves cancer survivors, have produced something that is greater than the sum of its 38 brief narratives. There is a powerful cumulative impact on the reader that lingers.

   What I was left with was a recognition that all of the very intense personal experiences these people had, making each one of them so very special, ultimately makes them very ordinary, just like you and me. And the scary, diagnostic names of their cancers also become strangely ordinary in their hideousness.

   These survivors tell us about themselves very simply; they demystify themselves. And they demystify the pathology of cancer. Ultimately the reader gets to see beyond the emotional fall-out of confronting cancer--the fears, the feelings of hurt and unfairness, of rejection, of loneliness, and so many more.

   This is a fine book. I'm sure it will have special meaning for both cancer survivors and cancer victims alike. But just as importantly, for many of us who are neither of these, it also helps us better understand ourselves. "The proper study of mankind is man," said Alexander Pope. You might adapt that truism to the study of mankind through this book.

No comments about Perfect: Anorexia & Me.

5 comments about The Mind Tree: A Miraculous Child Breaks the Silence of Autism.

1. I give this book 5 stars!
   
   From the moment that my son was diagnosed as Autistic, I searched for books that are written by Autistic individuals because I wanted better insight and there's no better insight than from the one who walks the path themselves. Tito not only gave great insight, he amazed me with the most beautiful poetry that I have ever had the priviledge of reading.
   



2. I have read this book 4 times, bought 7 copies to send to all my family. I have a non-verbal child with autism and this book has given me insights into what his life is like. It is so inspiring you can not put it down! Tito is such an articulate writer that I sometimes need to re-read his book to catch all the different meanings his words have said. Actually some of his poetry reminds me of great prophets in the Bible, that need to be studied, considered at every angle, and deeply absorbed. Thank you Tito for all your inspiration! Keep it up!



3. My son has autism and uses a high-tech communication device. This book challenged me to look at the world from my son's perspective and helped me better understand this disorder. It also proves that individuals without verbal communication can still have a lot "to say".



4. I've only read one other book about Autism. That was "Speed of Dark", which was fiction from the point of view of an autistic. It provided fascinating insight into the viewpoint of an autistic, but again it was fiction. It is worth noting that the author was the mother of an Autistic.
   
   I digress. Onto the book "The Mind Tree". I feel I should tell people what this book is actually going to be like. I would have liked to give the book 3.5 stars, but alas there is no option for it. So, I gave it the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars. This is because I know how remarkable it is for someone with such severe Autism as Tito to have written the way he wrote so articulately. That having said, the reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because Tito's prose can be hard to read. Not that it isn't readable--he's actually quite articulate at times--I just found myself doing a LOT of double-takes on certain sentences that I had trouble reading.
   
   The "story" (for lack of a better term) is basically a description of the events of Tito's life as he remembers them. He remembers a great deal, which is impressive. He also does a pretty good job of explaining why he couldn't do things like converse or focus, as well as explained some of his behavioral oddities. For instance, he describes his nervous rocking and/or movement of his arms as "flapping" and explains that he did this because if he wasn't moving, he lost "track" of his body and couldn't "feel" his hands, arms, etc.
   
   This could actually be a good book to read if you have a severely autistic child, or otherwise have a severely autistic person in your life. I think it would help to better understand the world through their eyes and why they behave the way they do. I found the book, overall, a bit dull and I found myself spacing out at times. It really is more or less just an account of how he went from doctor to doctor, from city to city, with his mother in an effort to find him some help. I've always felt that autists really were "normal" people deep down, but that something prevented them from communicating, behaving correctly or properly dealing with social situations, and Tito's words are a fascinating look into exactly how that feels.



5. I loved Tito every moment I read the book and have immense respect for the dedication, persistence and effort of his mother Soma. She seems to be a very strong woman to handle it all alone. But I have to mention this that I hated the part where Tito writes he was hit hard until he paid attention. I have seen and heard of many successful people who cannot ever forget their childhood abuse by their parents even though they were for good reasons.This is a very wrong concept used earlier and is not encouraged any more by many many people these days. Even though hitting might prove right for some reason it does a permanent damage to one's inner self.

No comments about The Week the World Heard Gallaudet.