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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Far From the Tree, by Andrew Solomon

The author interviews families where the child is very different from the parents. (The title comes from the saying, “the apple fell far from the tree.”)

Each chapter focuses on a category of difference - dwarfism, deafness, autism - or a characteristic or topic much, much larger (he interviews the mother of one of the Columbine shooters.)

The entire book is brilliant and moving - because Solomon approaches every interview and every sentence with the deepest empathy, patience, and insight. No purient curiosity. He treats everyone involved with maximum dignity, including the reader.

These are complex and interesting topics, and he explores all sides and the many challenges and conflicting feelings involved. But the two things that stood out for me all the way through were empathy and love.

I am certain this book has made / will make me a better parent and person. It’s very long (!!) but a must read!

(By the way, I listened to it on audio. Solomon reads it slowly, so I upped the speed to 1.5x/1.75x)[/quote]

I also read Far from the Tree last year, and really learned a lot from it, although I did have to pick and choose chapters since I got it through Libby, and wouldn’t have made it through the whole book before I had to return it. Someone else mentioned The Indifferent Stars Above which was also a very informative, albeit often harrowing, read about the Donner Party. So many mistakes, so much hubris. In a much lighter vein, 100 Places to See After You Die is a quick, cheeky, surface-level survey by Ken Jennings about how various religions and cultures interpret what the afterlife might be like. [/quote]

So I just read an excerpt from this book and adding to my TBR list. Thank you !

https://parents.simonandschuster.com/9780743236720
[/quote]

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