Advice and Education Books

I read the book in one day. It was very engaging and I went through the whole array of emotions as I read it. Reliving alot of similar moments for I am a Mom with twin boys that have been diagnosed with ADHD. I love to read, however the books on ADHD that I have read have been of little value. As Robert shares his story and his perspective it helped me understand my boys even better. The book may not have all the answers, but it did share some of the discoveries that Robert made on his own. In order to find ways to improve their self esteem, it helps to understand how society tears it down. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand a person with ADHD traits.

This book was phenomenal!! It is the story of my life and I am glad I am not alone.
I encourage all adults who think or know that they have attention deficit to read this.
The book encouraged me to accept me for who I am and start my own chapter for ADHD in my own city.

The Little Monster: Growing Up With ADHD
The Little Monster by Robert Jergen is a great read! The book takes the reader inside the head of Dr. Jergen, who has ADHD, and lets the reader see and feel what is like to have ADHD. This story will both touch and delight you as you read it. Most importantly though, this book will both teach and give you hope whether you have ADHD or are a parent or teacher for someone who has ADHD. Dr. Jergen gives the reader workable solutions to everyday problems as well as other referral sources for parents and teachers. When Dr. Jergen entered into his doctoral program, he discovered and wrote this, "The question became, not how to "cure" my ADHD, but how to utilize it."

I found this book to be very useful in seeing the world from an ADHD child and adult's perspective. But the author seems to feel that the entire world needs to shift to accommodate what seems natural to him. It seems that everyone must tolerate and indeed celebrate behavior that makes life unpleasant and difficult for the non-ADHD person who has the bad luck to work with an ADHD adult.

I came away from the book feeling sad for ADHD children and their parents and their poor teachers who have delivered into their classrooms the "gift" of an uncontrolled child. And I am profoundly grateful that I don't work with an ADHD adult.

It would have been nice to read more about how the author tries to accommodate others and less about how the world must warp to fit him.

I highly recommend this book to parents, teachers and anyone interested in learning more about ADHD. I am actually currently taking my Masters in Special Education and this book was a wonderful source of information. It is a very powerful book where the author talks about his personal experience growing up with ADHD. All parents of kids with ADHD should read this book because after this experience they will definitely understand better their kids' behavior. I congratulate the author for sharing his personal experience and for showing through his writing how parents and teachers have a crucial role in developing kids' self - esteem

Timeless advice that saves a parent's sanity while preserving your little ones' integrity and self-esteem. Presents discipline in a positive manner and encourages parents to see the world through their children's eyes..if you can see a situation from someone else's point of view, it is much easier to understand and handle. Well, this teaches you to get down to your child's level. To work WITH your child rather than create adversarial relationships. Highly reccommended

The book arrived in a timely manner and was in excellent condition. It was what I was hoping for.

He advocates showing children by our example how to be kind and gentle, and yet powerful too. The only draw back is this book is weak in the area of sexual identity. His first version of this book is not like that. I do not agree with everything in this book, but most of it is so true. This book helps me parent my children and myself much more positively.

Ginott's "Between Parent and Child" played an important role for my family as I reared my daughter in the 1960's and 1970's. It is a thoughtful book that affirms the dignity of the child and fosters the parents' understanding of child development. My daughter will have her first child this summer and I purchased this book for her. It is relevant today as it was 40 years ago.

I can't say enough about how valuable this book is. If I could meet the author myself to get down on my knees and thank him, I would. He has given such wise advice about the importance of caring about children's feelings. He has taught me more effectively than anyone else in my life what it really means to respect other people. I try to keep his principles in mind every day when raising my three children, ages six, four and sixteen months. Demonstrating the fact that I care about their feelings has helped me tremendously in disciplining them. They are well-behaved and happy children (most of the time!) Excellent, superb. The wisdom is sound and deserves much more than a quick glance. The more time you invest in internalizing the principles, the more you will get out of it. I am forever indebted to Dr. Ginott!!

This is a book I'll recommend for everyone that wants to make it in life to read. It is a life changing book. I am bless tremendously by reading. I intend to buy more and give to my friends.

this is a book that everyone should read and students should be required to read before graduating from school. if we all followed these lessons, life would be a lot better for everyone.

I found this book to be both inspirational and educational.
Inspirational : I found myself connecting to Urban's life story and was inspired to do several of the excercises he recommends. The book is very well written and requires alot of introspection after reading. For every lesson, I found myself reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading. I read this with a pen in hand and jotted down thoughts as I read. After re-reading my thoughts on each section, I started to think deeply of what matters in my life and was inspired to think of my actions, thoughts, beliefs, etc. in a different way.
Educational: A great aspect of this book is the way Urban injects the works of so many other authors into his own. I found myself writing down the names and titles of many of Urban's cited works. His use of other's ideas to further explain and strenghten his own motivated me to further my knowledge base on the subject. For an author to actively tell the reader to go and look for other's insight only proves to me the author's good intentions and credibility.
Overall - I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for some help on the road of life. Urban does a great job explaining his 20 lessons, and he does an even better job in making the reader want to think about his or her own goals and rules of life.

I got this book as a present for my husband for Christmas. We always try to keep some positive reading around. He enjoyed it very much and has since passed it along to a friend. It's a very cost-effective but impactful gift and a simple, useful read.

As you read this book you find yourself growing with it.
20 simple lessons to follow. the overwall lesson is to learn to enjoy life .. and you will

Alan did a great job with this book. Not only did it help me to understand the mistakes I have made with graduate school but it also helped me to take a good look at my life. I needed help and after I read the book it was like I had a better outlook on life.The book was very easy to read. What I liked most about the book was was how the author told his story and the stories of others. It was interesting, informative, sad, and sometimes even amusing. Great Book.......Would like to see more of Alans books come out.

This is a great reference book to have on your shelf. It is honest, straightforward, and very easy to read. In fact, it took me about two hours to read. However, don't let the brevity of the book decieve you. this book is packed with advise from every thing to enhancing your application to the final defense of your thesis or disertation. Since I've been to graduate school, I can say that the author talked about every issue you will need to know about to be successful in graduate school. I would even recommend this book to students who have not finished their graduate education. It should be required reading for anyone wanting to get into graduate school.

Being a college students, Mr. Paredes book was very helpful to me. I have plans to futher my education but wasn't sure where to start. Now, I have the help of this book. I have already shown this book to my sister-n-law who is filing out college applications, she loved it too!

This books feels like an abridged version of Getting What You Came For. It's very short so you can finish it pretty quickly. This book didn't provide me with the depth that I was really looking for. Also, I found the writing to be quiet poor. The author's tone was rather encouraging. He repeated several times that you do not need to be extraordinary smart to receive a PhD. He also provided lots of precautionary personal tales. After a few chapters, though, you will start wondering how many friends the author has and why they all seem to be making such terrible mistakes that eventually result in their leaving their graduate program.

I enjoyed reading this book and finding out that I have it in me to SUCCEED in graduate school. I thought grad school was only for the cream of the crop, not average people like me. I wish I would have known what grad school was like sooner because I would have tried to get in a long time ago. The most interesting aspect of this book was how the author weaved his story and the stories of others with facts about graduate school to tell a tale that was interesting, informative, sad, and sometimes even amusing. I thought the author gave commen sense advice to what seems to me most aspects of graduate school (although since I've never attended, I don't really know). Another very interesting part of this book that I haven't seen in other books, and I've been reading a lot lately, was the section entitled "History of Graduate School" This section gives you when, where, why, and how graduate school got started in general and how it got started in the United States. I could go on with other positive statements about this book, but I guess I'll cut it short and just say that, all in all, this was a very informative book and one that deserves high marks.

Inspired by a potato on her kitchen table, Esmé Raji Codell wrote this book to let parents know that just as a potato is "plentiful and versatile" (p 3) so too is children's literature. She states that this is a "recipe book" to give parents ideas for how to incorporate children's literature into their child's life, whether it be as a "main course or a sustaining side dish" (p 3).

The book is divided into nine main parts. The first part is an overview for parents of why reading is important. Codell uses research, theorists, and practical first-hand experience to give parents an understanding of the importance of reading and a basic knowledge of some of the lingo that educators use when discussing reading. She then moves on in parts two through eight to share ideas for how to incorporate reading into your child's life in a variety of different formats and using different types of literature. The ninth part, "Storytime Central", shares lists of recommended books for a variety of different topics not previously mentioned.

Looking through parts 2-8, you will find ideas for encouraging children to read both with a parent and on their own. Using humor and personal anecdotes, Codell shares a plethora of ideas ranging from simple (sit down and read a book) to complex (organize a "parade of books' for your community). For each idea she gives examples or tips for how to actually do the activity. These ideas are coupled with lists of recommended book titles. Pictures of actual book covers are found throughout each section, enticing the reader to go find a copy and flip through the pages for themselves. Also found throughout are sidebars and boxes containing book reviews and "Dear Madame Esme" questions and answers.

The main strength of this book is its lists of book titles. The lists of books in each part are a resource that can be utilized by parents and educators alike when searching for quality children's literature. Codell covers a wide range of topics such as math, history, science, folk tales, breakfast, mysteries, and baseball. In addition to these topical lists, there is a list of all of the Newbery and Caldecott award winners among the appendices at the back of the book. Also at the end are detailed indices that are broken up by author, title, and subject which allow for ease in finding information among all of these lists.

This book is not an exhaustive list of all of the quality literature available today, but it is definitely a huge springboard for launching into the wonderful world of children's literature. Codell encourages reading as often as possible beginning from the day children are born. By reading with children she says that you are doing something for them "that is not only fun, but essential, important, and lasting" (343).

This book is loaded with great ideas! I school my children at home and love to find any type of book activities to encourage reading. There is so much in this book. I was checking this out at the library and renewing it until I reached my limit on renewals so I would take it back and then request it online again. I finally bought it.

This book is packed with great ideas, methods, and resources to inspire children and parents for reading activities. My family enjoyed it very much. It clearly brought up my son's reading interest. Day after day, he has read a lot and has become one the best readers in his class from below average. He often ranks high in the Beestar weekly reading program (a nice web site http://www.beestar.org). I'm very happy with this book. I highly recommend it.

I thought it was a book on how to get my child to read, to enjoy reading. The title is deceptive. Instead, its a book advertising other books and it doesn't even tell you what the books are about or for what age group. A total waste of money!!!

I am very pleased with this purchase and found it to be a great value. I didn't realize what a huge book I would receive and I am thrilled with the information crammed inside. There are so many wonderful ideas with book lists galore. I have actually carried this book around my public library looking up different recommended titles! This is a wonderful book for both parents and teachers and makes a perfect gift!

I wish all college students would read this book. Provides insights and truths about the real world of work. Great examples of individuals who have navigated the world of work, and struggled with their careers. How do people decide on careers, is it okay to change, what if I'm not certain about what I want to do, what if I don't like what I'm doing. This could save many students a great deal of frustration when sorting out their career plans.

Others have written good reviews so I'll keep mine short. This is an excellent book, in part because it's very readable (you don't feel you're being lectured). Also, the lion's share of the book is personal stories of Liberal Arts grads finding their way into career paths, with plenty of ups and downs. If experience is the best teacher, this book gives you the benefit of 30 other people's experience. Highly recommended!

As a sophomore in college, I'm almost to the point of entering the "real world." But instead of feeling unprepared and anxious about this process, I am actually looking forward to it. This is entirely due to Smart Moves, and I cannot even begin to emphasize how much this book has already helped me - even though I'm still 2 1/2 years from graduation!
What really makes this book a pleasure to read is it's format. At the beginning are extraordinarly helpful pieces of advice on what to do in and once you graduate from college. Next, the book goes on to provide real-world examples of people who are enjoying their careers in just about every major field. Smart Moves chronicles their stories while not only including their successes, but their mistakes as well.
At home, my mom and my 17 year old brother looked through the book while it was laying down on the coffee table. They both loved it. Here is what my mom had to say:


"Your purpose in life is not to find yourself...it is to create yourself."
My son, a student at Duke University, received this book from the University the summer between his freshman and sophomore years. He asked me to read it, and I was delighted to find it offered, through biographical examples, some truisms that we had been trying to explain to him.

1. Follow your passion; your happiness and enthusiasm will attract the money you need to survive.
2. Be willing to work hard.
3. It doesn't always matter what you major in, there is a good chance you will change careers several times in your life.
4. Every job you have will teach you something about yourself and give you the experience to make yourself available for the next opportunity.
5. Remain open and flexible.
6. Remain curious and research-oriented.
7. Use your summers between school years to take internships or volunteer in the areas of your interest.
8. Explore the career counseling center early during your undergraduate years.

I felt the lively and entertaining writing style of the authors, Sheila Curran and Suzanne Greenwald, made this book a fun and informative read for both undergraduate students and their families.

Beth Zarian, author, Around the World with Historical Fiction and Folktales.


Once again, I'd recommend Smart Moves to anyone who has an open mind!
-Paul Zarian

A refreshing and timely read for every recent college graduate. Curran helps job-seekers (and their parents!) understand the challenges - sychological, cultural & socio-economic - facing every graduating liberal arts major. Her years of experience counseling the best and brightest of the country's youth has taught her a simple truth - happiness is in doing what you love to do.

What's so fascinating is the complete relevance it has to the day-to-day decisions that my 22-30 year-old peers are making every day. I can't tell you how many times I have felt compelled to share the "Smartest Moves" chapter with colleagues who find themselves "disenchanted,"
"disengaged," or otherwise, with their current career path.

Every college graduate should read this book - and so should their parents.

A college sophomore at Duke University, NC, I received a copy of 'Smart Moves' over the summer, at a time when I was extremely confused over which major I should choose, which career path I should follow etc. That was, until I received this book.
Through the stories of 23 other students, all ranging in a wide variety of careers and fields, I have realized that the next 3 years of my life will be about finding out what my passions are and where my interests for the future lie, rather than about working my way towards a preordained career goal on a predetermined path which I might regret later on in life. Several of my course selections and internship plans are now being reinforced after reading this book.
Smart moves has been a really useful eye-opener and myth buster for me, and I highly recommended to all students in liberal arts colleges, regardless of whether they were in a similar position as I was in or not. Read this book, and you would have made your first of many smart moves.

My 5-year-old LOVES doing these treasure hunts; we even use them as a reward when he's had a great day at school. He puts the sticker he earns at the end of each hunt on the calendar, which also gives us the opportunity to discuss days of the week and month.

I would recommend a more rudimentary introduction to reading before beginning to use this book; I started teaching my son to read at home right after his fourth birthday, which is when I bought this book. After it arrived, I realized it would be too advanced for a very new beginner and put it away for later.

What a huge hit it has been (and Pirates of the Caribbean and the acccompanying pirate obsession hasn't hurt the interest in treasure hunts, even though he hasn't seen the movie)!

I will absolutely buy this as gifts for other parents/kids.

I purchased this product for summer vacation for my 6 year old daughter. She just finished Kindergarten and has just begun to read this past year. This product has been an excellent tool to continue her reading practice into summer vacation. She and my 4 year old son eagerly beg for their treasure hunt each day!

My son is 5 and loves these treasure hunts and the match game bonus with each hunt. He would love to do one after the other if I would let him. Every time he finishes one he ask if we can do another one. Don't even think about it -- just get this book! You will not regret it!! It brings so much joy to your child!! and you too!

This is easy for me and fun for my son. I could not recommend it more highly. My son has been begging me to do more, more, more! He's having a wonderful time and he is READING!!!!!

My son just turned six, and we have a wonderful time with these for several reasons:
1. We both look forward to them every day
2. He feels a real sense of accomplishment (giggling the whole time) and it's even sparked his imagination in creating his own treasure hunts and an interest in maps.
3. What parent doesn't enjoy seeing their child laughing while learning?!

On school days I come back in and hide them after he gets on the bus. We're both always super-syked to get home and "do the hunt." On weekends and holidays, I hide them after my son has gone to bed. It's a great way to wake up!

This is a great, straightforward reference. It covers everything any person needs to know about dining etiquette without any useless "filler" material. The audio format is great and the speaker is one of the best I have listen to.

After a few months as a first year associate at my law firm, one of my former law school classmates told me that their firm had sent its new associates to an etiquette class. I decided that it might be a good idea for me to brush up on my etiquette skills as well, so I purchased this CD and also the Food Scholar Wine Basics CD. I recommend both for new professionals to prepare them for any "dining" situation they may encounter in their first jobs. These situations frequently fall into the "you don't know what you don't know" category of student knowledge.

I, for one, had very little experience in more formal dining situations upon graduating from school. This CD was just what I needed to get myself up-to-speed. It is well-organized and well-presented, covering a number of very specific situations that convey the elements of common sense and consideration that underlie all etiquette.

The author thankfully avoids spending time on how to arrange the seating at a state dinner. What he offers is practical, usable advice on the types of real social interactions that occur in all kinds of business. A very useful CD and well worth the price. Definitely five stars.

I will be graduating from college this year and have started to interview for jobs. I have a decent GPA, am in the career placement office every week for advice, and have spent hours polishing my resume. I thought that I had all my bases covered. Then I started actually interviewing for jobs. I have already had three interviews that included meals and two "mixers" with drinks and appetizers. It was a little overwhelming. I could tell there was an order to things I did not completely understand. A friend recommended this Dining Etiquette CD, so I ordered it. I had yet another meal during an interview after listening to it. It made a big difference. Knowing what to do at every turn during the meal was a confidence booster and I am sure it helped me appear more polished and professional. I HIGHLY recommend it, Two Thumbs Up.

A good etiquette book should sit on every professional's bookshelf alongside "how to win friends" and "7 habits." I purchased this book along with Essential Etiquette Fundamentals, Vol. 2: Wine Selection & Etiquette and The Etiquette Edge: The Unspoken Rules for Business Success to cover all the bases. These books do an excellent job covering the important etiquette skills often overlooked in today's environment. Although often underappreciated, exhibiting proper etiquette signals to others (especially your boss and clients) that you are well educated, care about detail, and have respect for others. I highly recommend these books for anyone new to the business world or for those of us who may need to brush up on the basics.

The last book on CD my wife and I bought was terrible: mens' voices for female characters, etc. And what's the alternative on the radio? Pop music or Howard Stern? I spend twenty percent of my waking life in my car. I might as well spend it wisely. The Food Scholar is easy listening and presented in a way that makes the information easy to learn and remember.

We are using this book to discuss character and how to develop it in our Bible class. While the book is not written from a religious point of view, the principles in this book are congruent with Biblical principles. This is a truly wonderful book that I encourage others to read.

This book can probably be read in just a day, but the truths it emphasizes will be valuable for life.

Ethics means you should start with an open mind and listen to those you trust. Then, you make your own decisions. What is right for one may not be the situation for you. You must be able to dream and to hold to your dreams. That is most important, as the dreams tell us what is happening in our subconscious mind. It's hard, but you have to be able to accept criticism and grow from the hurtful comments of others. A great rule of thumb when someone does something intentionally to harm you or your psyche is to "consider the source," and go from there. If you value that person and his opinion, it might be choice to try his advice; if not, smile and say "thank you."

Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman," was a failure to himself and his family because he embraced "a corrupt vrsion of the American dream which defines success as money, status and celebrity. Like that conman in "Born Yesterday," written by Garson Kanin. Both plays were written in the 1940s and showed capitalism at its worst.

A good moral code is basically a set of values and principles which guide one's behavior. To be perfect, it should be based on religious training of a lifetime starting with the Ten Commandments of the Bible. Jesus led an exemplary life for his time and place. Today's world is filled with evil. New Orleans, deemed the most sinful city (along with Las Vegas), felt God's wrath with Katrina. The Bible promised we would not be destroyed by floods in the story of Noah and the Ark. Knoxville is teetering on the brink of being almost as sinful with so much emphasis on liquor. It, too, is in store for some form of God's wrath -- in what form, I'm not sure. But I predict that the walls will come crumbling down on Gay Street someday. A moral compass is useful for questions of right and wrong.

The hardest choices rise to the top because the questions which could have been solved with simple rules are delegated to others. Such is our city government, as the mayor isn't facile enough to follow through on his promises to the common folk. This is a town of "studies and plans" going on for years, with no follow through. It takes outsiders to come in and corrupt the whole town. Drinking, drugging, carousing on the downtown streets openly by people who were not born here will be the downfall of a town, not the city it could have been. I have never been good at judging character; thus, I have been let down by some I trusted. But then, I am not a leader; nor a follower be -- I tend to take the road least taken. I believe in causes and was told recently that I came home for a reason. Whether I succeed or fail is still up in the air, and I have made an impact -- something I could never have achieved had I stayed here all of my life. We see in the photographs of the Civil War how Abraham Lincoln changed from the confident President to one of toil and pain etched "ever deeper" in his face. He cared deeply and the price he paid was his life.

+++++

This slim book by professor of ethics and philosophy Russell Gough is like a self-help guide for the soul, showing how we can lead better lives simply by being better people. Gough elaborates:

"This book offers what I call mirroring, rather than a finger-pointing, approach. In one-to-one, conversational fashion, its primary goal is to encourage each of us to think about improving our personal lives...in terms of our own personal character...Each chapter of this book is designed to emphasize a given aspect of the all-important nature of personal character [and are] designed to encourage practical self-reflection and enduring personal growth."

What is character? Character, as used in this book, is "what you are in your essence, the sum total of your habits, your personal assortment of virtues [or goods] and vices [or bads]." The title of this book, "Character is Destiny," is an actual quotation uttered by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus.

In fact, each chapter of this book is titled by an actual quotation from a person of great character. These quotes "capture the force and point of each chapter." You'll find that these quotations or chapter titles "are definitely well-worth committing to memory and...living by."

Each of these quotations or chapter titles comes from the following people:

(1) Heraclitus (Greek philosopher)
(2) Socrates (Greek philosopher)
(3) Dwight Moody (American evangelist)
(4) Anne Frank (German-Jewish teen who was forced to go into hiding during the Holocaust and subsequently died at age fifteen in a concentration camp)
(5) Ralph Waldo Emerson (American poet and essayist)
(6) Aristotle (Greek philosopher)
(7) Paul (the Apostle)
(8) Albert Schweitzer (German theologian, musician, and missionary)
(9) Jean Paul Richter (German humorist)
(10) The author (ethics & philosophy professor and author)
(11) An anonymous person (thought to be Charles Reade, English novelist)

You'll find that each chapter is easy-to-read and written with great conviction and eloquence. There is not reams and reams of theory to sort through. This book is written in real English for real people on perhaps the most important subject of all--character.

There is an appendix (not labeled as such) to this book that, in my opinion, is very important. Here, Gough states the following:

"In this book, I have focused on the vast majority of times in our daily lives when we have a pretty clear idea of the ethical line separating the right thing to do from the wrong thing to do. Thus, our discussion has been one not of knowing the right thing to do but of having the character to do the right thing."

But what of those rare situations where there is NOT a clear ethical line where we "truly [don't] know what is most ethically appropriate to do." These are called ethical dilemmas. I was glad to see that the author gives us insight into handling these difficult situations.

Who is this book written for? I would say for high school students, college and university students, and adults: in other words, for everyone. (I disagree with the second part of the last sentence of the Amazon editorial review above.)

Finally, I liked the idea that the author stated that he was not perfect ethically. Thus, this is not a book written by a preachy person who thinks he's a saint or thinks that he lives on Mount Olympus.

In conclusion, this is a well-written, easy-to-read book that speaks directly to the moral crisis of our time!!

(first published 1998; forward; preface; introduction; 14 chapters; appendix; main narrative 160 pages; notes)

+++++

The author did a great job all around. He at least nibbles around the edges of trying to put a philosophical foundation under this, still largely, "how to" book. If, like me, you would like to go further and understand the solid foundation that supports all of the author's fine work, I'll give you a tip that can save you a lot of prolix philosophical reading. I found a book called "WEST POINT", by Norman Thomas Remick that explains all the philosophy in easy to read, understandable language behind the 200 years of character building at West Point, the world's premier school for that purpose. It will advance your understanding of the principles presented so expertly by Mr. Gough in his 5 star effort. Regardless of whether you are serious about understanding what all this is REALLY all about, you'll find "CHARACTER IS DESTINY" readable and enjoyable.

The author describes raising his autistic, mathematically gifted son for his son's first ten years of life. This book provides insights that would help all parents of young, high functioning, autistics. And indeed I would suggest this book as the first read of a parent who just found out that his/her child is autistic.

Despite being an economist, the author's writing style is clear, concise and interesting.

This book was loaned to me by my son's nurse practitioner. I hadn't heard of it, but now I'm encouraging everyone I know to read it. This is a great book that demonstrates the true "human" feelings of being a parent of a child with autism. I was deeply touched by the honesty displayed in this book, and found that my thoughts, experiences, and feelings are mirrored by the author's. I appreciate his willingness to expose his heart for the purpose of educating others about autism. This book is a must read for any family member or friend of someone who has autism.

While reading, A Different Kind of Boy: A Father's Memoir About Raising a Gifted Child with Autism, I found myself stopping early on to recall how my two children were as babies and toddlers before the diagnosis of autism arrived. The author, Daniel Mont, shares his frustrations along with observations as the primary caregiver to Alex, his first born son. While his wife Nannette was working outside the home the first few years, Daniel was spending hours reading books to Alex.

When Daniel got a teaching position at Cornell they moved to upstate New York with Nannette taking over the daily duties pertaining to Alex. They noticed that Alex did not take any interest in other children when at the playground and had difficulty at the store. Since this was their first child when Simon was born a few years later they realized with regret how much slower Alex was with milestones and the lack of social skills.

Daniel shares the relief once the diagnosis was made and the steps taken to get there, including the time a preschool teacher accused them of being abusive parents. There are a few choice words at this point in the book when Daniel incites the rage he was feeling from this attack and how he and Nannette focused on getting some assistance with Alex instead of getting on the defensive. For most families that have a child on the autism spectrum this is a predicament that happens often, and due to the lack of awareness for those who work with small children. Many of his colleagues and family members thought they were spoiling Alex, but later they learned how additional measures need to be put in place to help the autistic child fit in with society and how things work.

Daniel wrote about growing up with a sister who had a disability, but never received a formal diagnosis for her handicap. When Alex was diagnosed Daniel was able to reach out to his mother and learn from her experience. Alex received speech therapy early on with the therapist assisting him in social situations, guiding him in the art of the conversation and how to relate to others.

There is no mention about vaccinations or questioning why Alex is the way he is. Time is spent trying to get inside the world of Alex and how he thinks. The book is written in a style that is easy to comprehend for anyone who lacks information on autism. Daniel mentions a few books that helped him early on and how he joined some internet groups and the guidance he received from adults with autism. The family accepted autism and made adjustments to accommodate Alex so that he could thrive being himself. Daniel and his family grew up in New Jersey, which is where I was raised as well and have a sibling with a disability.

A Different Kind of Boy: A Father's Memoir About Raising a Gifted Child with Autism covers the time from when Alex was born to fifth grade. At this point in time Daniel is picturing life when his sons have moved on to college and their own lives. This was something he was not sure would happen, but now he believes that Alex will have success in life. Family relationships are mentioned and how they handled the loss of Daniel's mother.

I felt the second half flowed smoother than the first. The beginning chapters I had to go back and see what age Alex was at the time since I was confused with the timeframe, due to chapters being out of sequence. Every so often when reading a chapter the author would refer back to his childhood or a few years back with either Alex or Simon.

The author does not gloss over any issues and gives honest feedback on how he felt at pivotal times in his life and the anxiety about school, plus finding friends for Alex. He finished this book after his mother passed on and pursued his acting career further.

This book is perfectly suited for anyone who wants to know more about living with a child who is autistic and would be beneficial to family members who have someone on the spectrum and may live out of town or in another state. This will help parents know what struggles other families have gone through and give guidance on how to navigate the system to enable your child to thrive in their surroundings.

I second the emotions of other five-star-awarding readers. I've bought several copies of this book and shared it with journalists, editors, teachers, and family members who have recently had a loved one get the Asperger's diagnosis. Engaging, well-written, well-paced, funny--but to me the best thing about this book is the very modest Daniel Mont himself, and the attitude that he and his wife demonstrate to the rest of us: he accepts his son for who he is, he wants for him what every decent parent wants: happiness, the ability to connect, the ability to make a contribution. The Monts are wise enough to understand that this will only happen on Alex's own terms. The book also has many fascinating details that help a reader understand, in practical terms, what a person with Asperger's might see or understand differently from someone else, and why. And because Daniel accepts those differences, we do, too. I have a brother (one among 3 of them) with mental retardation and autism, so our families are alike in some ways, different in others, but I can testify that this wonderful, unassuming, entertaining memoir tells it like it is. Read it yourself or do someone the favor of giving it to them as a gift. This would be a great gift for a teenager, in my bookish opinion. It really opens your mind and airs it out.

This book is worthwhile reading for anyone who has ever been in contact with someone who seems intellectual but is unable to "connect" with people.

The journey of the book, as others have commented, is take the reader through the symptoms, diagnosis and coping with Alex's autism. There exists only a small subset of the population which is autistic and only a small subset of the population capable of digesting, providing insight and sharing live experience with first rate written communication. This book occupies a unique space in that the gifted author has the full life experience with the autistic child, which experience is shared with us all in this book.

Given the subject matter of the book, as others have commented, this book should be required reading for anyone who is in regular contact with a bright autistic person. Yet the insights in this book can go much further. More generally, this book will be helpful to the reader in relating to the bright, unapproachable segment of the population that almost everyone comes into contact with. Many people, of all ages, will gain insight into how to relate better to some of the people in their everyday lives.

Many books are read for their educational value, others for their entertainment. The book is so well-paced and engaging as to provide "edu-tainment" -- you can't put it down, and when you've finished you've learned a lot of new information. The same material could have been covered with a dry, academic style which would really only be read and digested by few. But Daniel Mont, as the modest but extremely bright father in his own right (Ph.Ds don't grow on trees, do they?), displays a gift for real communication. The author seems to understand very well what will motivate the reader to turn the next page.

I highly recommend this book, on so many levels.