What Karl Taro Greenfeld does in his memoir, "Boy Alone: A Brother's Memoir," is so skillful and manipulative. It makes you scream and curse while throwing the book across the room. But this story is true, and you hurt for the what could have been, what should have been, but is not.
Greenfeld has a younger brother, Noah, who is has autism. In the late 1960's and 1970's there was very little information, let alone quality therapy, for autistic children. Often, they were sent to institutions, where they were subject to unspeakable neglect and abuse with no hope for recovery.
Both of Noah's parents took on his condition, going to great personal and financial expense to try to cure Noah. Karl Greenfeld's father, Josh Greenfeld, wrote three books on the family's attempts to give Noah a normal life. His mother, Foumiko Kometani, has also published successful books about her son.
Boy Alone is a brutal book to read. Greenfeld is unflinchingly honest about his relationship with his brother, family, and his own flaws as an adult who has been through rehab.
It's an interesting primer and well written story about what it's like to have a sibling who has autism, and the struggles a family goes through to make a life. It's also a parent's worst nightmare.
By all appearances this is a sunny book. All signs would appear that there is an 'and they lived happily ever after' ending. This book took the wind out of me. I expected something to happen that did not, and got hit hard in the gut. It's an alarm as to how we should be treating teenagers and adults with autism, but are not. I highly recommend this book, but you have been warned.
2 comments:
It sounds powerful. I'll be sure to add it to my reading list.
It is, and worth reading. Expect the unexpected.
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