The Anti-Romantic Child LP: A Story Of Unexpected Joy (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
While the author's perspective of the complexities of our imagined children versus the reality of who they are is a valid and wells stated one, it does a disservice to our children to dismiss individual challenges. There is nothing wrong or broken about a child with autism. This book read to me like a huge triumph over tragedy. Thousands of children with these kinds of learning differences do very well in the world with a lot less drama. Author and one-time literature professor Priscilla Gilman wishes for her newborn son Benjamin the playful, highly imaginative childhood she herself enjoyed growing up. But soon it becomes apparent that Benj suffers from a developmental disorder, one that prevents him from fully engaging in the sort of creative and expressive play Gilman herself once experienced. I imagine most would-be parents entertain fantasies of what their future child will be like, what character traits they will inherit, how their personalities will take shape over time. This book is largely about the disconnect between our expectations and reality; it’s about a mother’s longing for an ideal, magical childhood full of wonder and joy – and the crashing realities that come when life doesn’t exactly turn out the way she had hoped or imagined. By talking openly about her struggles with her son’s disability, Gilman shows others facing similar struggles and/or dramatic changes within their own families how best to cope, move on and learn to find the joy and love from even the most difficult of situations. I am not a parent, but I am a lover of Romantic poetry and Wordsworth in particular, so it was the literary aspect of this book that first drew me. Having said that, I do think structuring the prose around Wordsworth’s poetry proved to be a bit of stretch in certain places – sometimes, the lines fit well with the author’s ideas, other times not so much. But in the end it wasn’t Wordsworth’s poetry that left an impression on me; rather, I was blown away by Gilman’s sheer capacity for love and her own emotional growth development, and I found her and Benj’s journey really inspiring.
What do You think about The Anti-Romantic Child LP: A Story Of Unexpected Joy (2011)?
Just diving in to the e-book...and returning to goodreads. Can't wait to read and report!
—kili
I enjoyed it. Insightful peak into one woman's approach to dealing with a "special" child.
—Karen
