Loving Rachel: A Family's Journey from Grief

I really enjoyed this book. It's written by the mother of a child who is discovered to be blind a few months after birth. There is very open talk about how this impacted her relationship with her husband and then four-year-old daughter, as well as other family and friends.

The mother, Jane, finds herself in a world in which she never imagined herself being. She shares thoughts that most people keep to themselves. Thoughts that felt very familiar when I thought back to my response to my own daughter's diagnosis of Down syndrome.

Rachel was born in 1983 and I found it interesting to see that while surely things have changed since then, the emotions are timeless. In that way, the book never seemed dated.

I never felt sad reading this book, though grief is interwoven through the story. I think that may be because I've been there and realize that it's just a natural part of the journey.

The one thing that bothered me a little was the author's apparent obsession with the fact that her daughter could be found to be "retarded." She mentions it many times. If this were one of those stories where everything just ends up being ok in the end and it's all wrapped up with a pretty little bow with a sigh of relief and an expression of, "Whew! We just dodged a bullet, huh?" then maybe it would bother me more. But, like I said, she's honest about how she feels and it is scary to be faced with the unknown, so...I get it.

Where this book ends, Rachel in the World begins. I'm interested in reading that one eventually.

I'd be glad to send out Loving Rachel to anyone who wants to give it a read.

Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story

Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb: Yes, the same Wally Lamb who wrote She's Come Undone (one of my all-time favorite books!) and I Know This Much is True. Wishin' and Hopin' is quite a departure from Lamb's earlier works. Set in a fictional Connecticut town, it tells, from fifth-grader Felix Funicello's point of view, of the months leading up to Christmas 1964. With a colorful cast of characters as Felix's family and his schoolmates at a Catholic parochial school, it's a quick, light read. Forgettable, but fun.

I had thought that maybe my 12-year old could read this when I finished it, it being told from a fifth-grader's point of view, but it's got some swearing and light sexual content that would leave me feeling like an irresponsible parent if I handed the book over to him ;) So, adults only.

My hardcover copy is up for grabs!

The Space Between Us (novel)

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar is set in modern-day India and tells the story of two women, Sera and Bhima, whose lives are separated by class, and yet interconnected by gender in an oppressive culture, as well as common experiences. Sera is a well-to-do woman living in opulent surroundings, but hiding the shame of a long, abusive marriage. Bhima is Sera's long-time domestic servant, who lives in a hut in the slums with her unwed, pregnant, orphaned granddaughter, Maya. Maya refuses to identify the father of her child and is ultimately forced to have an abortion. The story builds to a somewhat suspenseful climax, but falls a little flat in the end. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good novel. My copy's up for grabs - just say the word!

America according to Connor Gifford

America according to Connor Gifford is a nice series of essays on American history written and illustrated by a young man with Down syndrome.

They are short essays that get to the heart of the subject matter. Connor's love for American history and America is evident in his writings.

Sure, the drawings and essays are simplistic, almost childlike and naive, but I love the fact that he is able to distill the spirit of each of these events to its essence.

And I love the fact that a person with Down syndrome can grasp the basics of American history! If any parent has a child in school and the school thinks they should be in "life skills" instead of history class, just bring out this book!

This one's up for grabs, too!

Road Map to Holland

I read Road Map to Holland by Jennifer Graf Groneberg quite a while ago.

Don't remember the details of the book, but the journey is familiar. I remember not wanting the book to end (and I suppose technically it doesn't, since you can continue following at Pinwheels, although I think she is on a bloggy break at the moment).

Obviously as a parent of a child with Down syndrome I could relate to a lot of this book. Although the details are different we walk the same path.

I'm ready to pass my copy along, so this one's up for grabs.

(Can you see I'm getting burned out on these book reviews now, LOL. They keep getting shorter and shorter!)

This Lovely Life

This Lovely Life: A Memoir of Premature Motherhood by Vicki Forman is certainly popular in the disability blogging world.

It's the story of twins born at 23 weeks and the doctors refused the Do Not Resuscitate order. One twin dies and the other is multiply disabled.

It's told with brutal, heartbreaking honesty.

But it's not depressing. You can feel the mommy love she has for her surviving child, even seeking out alternative treatments.

As a parent with a child with a disability, I could certainly relate to many of her feelings.

Definitely worth reading. This one's up for grabs.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak was one of our book club selections. Technically, it's Young Adult fiction, for ages 9th grade and up. But it certainly doesn't read like YA!

The book is narrated by Death, which gives it a very unique voice. Death is working very hard during WWII.

The story follows a young girl Liesel who is living with a foster family in Germany. With this family, she learns to read and develops a love of books.

There's so much going on in this book -- her family hides a Jewish refugee, she steals books from the mayor's wife, she has a wonderful best friend Rudy. And Death narrates it all, trying to be detached.

I found the perspective of the war from the average German citizen's side interesting, since so many books are written from the Jewish perspective.

Recommend this book, and pass it on to your high school age kids, if you have them!

This one's up for grabs, too!