First Book of the New Year

I started two books this week before finally finishing one. A new resolution for 2009: don't feel obligated to finish a crappy or predictable book. Anyway, I finally settled on reading Louder than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism by Jenny McCarthy. I chose this book for its interest and popularity factor. I'm not a mother and I don't know anyone dealing with autism but I felt like I might learn something about a topic where my knowledge extends about as far as Rain Man. The book itself was so-so; I suppose it depends what you're hoping to gain from it. It is not very informative about autism itself, it may not have set out to be though. I picked up a few nuggets beyond what I know about this affliction but nothing truly scientific. McCarthy's writing was conversational, though riddled with profanity, and not preachy, which I feared going in, the preachy part that is. There's a lot of controversy behind vaccines and autism and believing that's where her son's autism started from, I figured the entire book would scream, "NO WESTERN MEDICINE!" But it didn't, not too much anyway.

The tale itself was heartbreaking but ends on a hopeful note. I read some other reviews post-book-reading most of which point out that the book gives false hope to those who have children with autism in that McCarthy believes her son is cured of autism which supposedly, cannot really happen. Again, no real scientific data to back up any of her claims. In fact, she belabors the point that the majority of doctors she dealt with early on in the diagnosis dismissed her questions and concerns of autism.

It's worth reading if nothing for a glimpse into everything that goes into caring for a child with autism. It's a very fast read, and it's approachable. Better than the first two attempts for this year anyway. 1 down, 34 to go.