OT: Isn't Talking

[Guest guest]

I apologize for this off-topic post, but I just finished a really good novel

and I wanted to share it with everyone.

The book is called " Isn't Talking " and it is written by Marti

Leimbach. It is the story of a family and their process of getting their

son diagnosed, his (behavioral! scandalous!) treatment and how this mother's

life fell apart and got back together. I really thought it was brilliant

and I am thinking that it may be a nice tool for people to use to try and

explain or build understanding of the world of being the parent of a child

with autism to those who don't/can't understand it. I really liked it.

And I got it at Target. It's in hardcover. It is a novel, but I thought

it was very well written and just very good.

Just wanted to share.

Alisa

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/19/2006 1:48:13 PM Central Standard Time,

alisam27@... writes:

> The book is called " Isn't Talking " and it is written by Marti

> Leimbach. It is the story of a family and their process of getting their

> son diagnosed, his (behavioral! scandalous!) treatment and how this mother's

>

> life fell apart and got back together. I really thought it was brilliant

> and I am thinking that it may be a nice tool for people to use to try and

> explain or build understanding of the world of being the parent of a child

> with autism to those who don't/can't understand it. I really liked it.

> And I got it at Target. It's in hardcover. It is a novel, but I thought

> it was very well written and just very good.

>

Hi- my husband sent me something on this recently Marti Leimbach has a son

who has a son with sutism and this is loosly based on her life( I understand

there is a romance in the book with the behavioralist that is not true to her

life- she and her husband are still together:) I've pasted the reviews below. It

is also my understanding that has already been signed to play

the mom in the novel for a movie. love to all, kat

Editorial ReviewsFrom Publishers Weekly

Leimbach (Dying Young) notes on the back of the galley that she has modeled

her title character on her own autistic son; the result is moving, frequently

funny and never mawkish. The novel is narrated by Marsh, an American

woman living in England who seems to have it all: , a rich if somewhat

starchy husband; , a vivacious daughter; and an adorable son named .

But after a normal infancy, is beginning to behave strangely—throwing

tantrums, walking on his toes, still seeking his mother's breast and refusing

to talk. As unravels, remains in denial, until the dreaded

diagnosis of autism is delivered. The marriage falls apart, but does

not.

She embarks on a frustrating, heroic mission to get the best treatment for her

son, eventually entrusting his care to Andy O'Connor, a behaviorist with a

dubious reputation. But his unorthodox methods get results, and soon, a bit too

predictably, a romance blossoms between Andy and . While the novel

lacks the literary ambition of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the

Night-Time,

Leimbach does succeed in making us care about and his progress. (Apr.)

Copyright © Business Information, a division of Elsevier Inc. All

rights reserved.

Review

“I was riveted, engrossed—all those wonderful things one hopes for when

opening a book. Marti Leimbach's portrayal of a mother facing unbelievable

hardships is very real and gripping.â€

—Anita Shreve, author of The Weight of Water and The Pilot's Wife

“Any parent will recognize the combustion of love and anxiety that fuels

Marti Leimbach’s vivid new novel. Isn’t Talking is an affecting study

of

parental devotion.â€

— Egan, author of Look at Me 

kat

www.firstyearsinterventions.com

www.autismtreatment.info