Awards

• Commended for Independent Publisher Book Awards (Health & Nutrition) 2008

Overview

This is a powerful memoir that challenges the prevailing view of autism and disability. Savarese tells the true and incredibly moving story of his severely autistic adopted son. The child, abandoned by his mother to the Florida social service system, was routinely abused by his foster family. This abuse inflicted severe mental and physical damage on the boy, whose autism was seriously complicated by the trauma. Under the care of Savarese and his wife, the boy is now able to attend school and has been able to communicate effectively through writing, demonstrating a mastery of expression which was thought to be far beyond his capacity.

Full Product Details

9781590511299

Table of Contents

Reviews

Publishers Weekly Savarese writes with passion and humor, careful to include extensive excerpts from DJ's typing, so readers get a sense of his remarkable growth. Library Journal ...readers will find the elements documenting the foster care system worthwhile. The Autism Acceptance Project Newsletter This is... a story about what life is all about: trial, error, perseverance, and faith in people. Faith in love. Ralph, Emily and DJ give us that, and much more. Booklist Savarese's careful melding of memoir and passionate advocacy for the disabled informs and inspires. GQ That [Reasonable People] manages to avoid both polemic and clich is reason enough to applaud. Newsweek By the end of Savarese's moving memoir, DJ is in sixth grade and getting all A's at regular school... They think well-respected, tested-as-normal kids are the OK-to-teach ones, writes DJ [in the book's final chapter]. They forget these lost kids. Perhaps this book will help others remember they are more than worth the effort Body+Soul A moving memoir, it calls for living with conviction in a cynical time.

Publishers Weekly <br>Savarese writes with passion and humor, careful to include extensive excerpts from DJ's typing, so readers get a sense of his remarkable growth. <p>Library Journal <br>...readers will find the elements documenting the foster care system worthwhile. <p>The Autism Acceptance Project Newsletter <br>This is... a story about what life is all about: trial, error, perseverance, and faith in people. Faith in love. Ralph, Emily and DJ give us that, and much more. <p>Booklist <br>Savarese's careful melding of memoir and passionate advocacy for the disabled informs and inspires. <p>GQ <br>That [ Reasonable People ] manages to avoid both polemic and cliche is reason enough to applaud. <p>Newsweek <br>By the end of Savarese's moving memoir, DJ is in sixth grade and getting all A's at regular school... They think well-respected, tested-as-normal kids are the OK-to-teach ones, writes DJ [in the book's final chap

Author Information

Ralph James Savarese Poet, essayist, translator, and scholar, Ralph James Savarese teaches American literature and creative writing at Grinnell College. He lives in Grinnell, Iowa.

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