Reunion & Boy Alone

Reunion by Therese Fowler

This author was a first for me. She has written another novel besides this entry. Her writing is reminiscent of Elin Hilderbrand (Blue Bistro and Barefoot among others).

This is the story of Harmony Blue, a 19 year-old, unmarried, pregnant girl giving birth in a narrow bed when the story opens. She makes a difficult decision about the baby and her life changes in dramatic ways.

Later on in the story (after achieving success) she seeks to find the baby she gave up so long ago, not fully recognizing the ramifications of the search.

This is a gentle story about a young woman discovering who she really is.

Ladybookbug!

Boy Alone by Karl Taro Greenfeld
Sometimes you pick up a book because you like the cover, or the title or the author and sometimes you don’t know why you pick up a book until after you’ve read it—this is the case with this book.

Boy Alone is billed as a memoir and that it is. It’s the continuing story of Noah Greenfeld, a child born with autism. It’s also the story of Karl Greenfeld (Noah’s older brother) and his journey from childhood into manhood.

This story affected me profoundly. Although I’ve never had a great deal of interaction with an autistic person, several have crossed my path. This story made me want to know more about this affliction. While I recall having read A Child Called Noah in college this book gave me insight into what it was like being the sibling of an autistic person and what day-to-day life was like.

This book also gives a historical record of the treatment or lack thereof for persons with autism. It speaks openly about the controversies surrounding different modalities and the frustration of people caring for these individuals.

Greenfeld points out that while early intervention is a catch term and several programs focus on the young autistic person, autistics do grow up and he believes they are forgotten in the process.

Although the author has had a rather raucous adolescent and early adult period, he admits it would be wrong to blame his experiences totally on his brother’s affliction. Rather he takes ownership of his bad choices.

Throughout the telling of this story with all its heartache, frustration and disappointment, one is still reminded of the stalwartness of the power of love and what one family is willing to sacrifice for the sake of a child.

Ladybookbug!