Jeff Stimpson: Alex the Boy: Episodes from a Family’s Life with Autism

Excerpt

Alex the Boy is a compelling memoir which tells the story of a family navigating the path of having a child with an autism diagnosis. While there are many other books available with a similar theme, most are written as success stories; either the child improves drastically, or, throughout the course of the book the parents succeed in coming to terms with their child’s diagnosis. This book fills a niche by simply providing the reader with insight into the family’s daily life, without explicitly giving advice or strategies. While Alex’s parents do come to terms with the diagnosis over time, it is not the overarching theme, which sets the book apart from others in the field. The title of the book, “…episodes from a family’s life with autism”, reflects the book’s nature of focusing on the family’s journey, which is often overlooked in comparison to the struggles of the child with a diagnosis. The simple message of the book for other parents is clear: You are not alone. …