Jenny McCarthy

First off, I just wanted to make my own comment about the horrible reviews for this book. They all seem to say the same thing: That Jenny McCarthy is an idiot for telling people there is a cure for autism, that no one should ever read this book because it is SO unlikely/unrealistic, that she's bias, that she doesn't present the case from all sides.. etc.

To them I say: You clearly didn't read this book and someone ought to back hand you with the book.



She is bias, yes. Her case is very rare, show more yes. All the more reasons for her to share it. As she says dozens of times in this book, it is about having faith and trying your hardest for your child. She talks about how lucky she was to have the money to do aggressive therapy and how heart-breaking it was to watch other mother's children not progress at all using the same therapies.

This book is not a clinical research book or some Fix-It Guide. It is meant to open your eyes to the reality of autism, in her own words and only be her own experiences with it. I thought this book was unbelievably tender and loving and real. She left out no ugly parts or details and there is no "Normal" Evan that is magically cured from Evil Autism. He makes a triumphant and rare recovery from being stock in a non-communicative world but still suffers from many stims and complications attributed to his autism.

She wrote this book to give parents hope that autism isn't always a crippling life-sentence for their children, she wrote it to tell them about different therapies she tried and places they can go to find funding and support.

Read this book for what it is: A Mother desperate to reclaim her lost child and going to the ends of Earth to do so. I cannot stress enough how many times she acknowledges that some of therapies she did are not for everyone, that she is well aware of the many theories that cause autism and that she just found the one that she related to most - not that it was the right one or the only one. show less

Despite controversy that followed the author after the release of this book there are many helpful and encourages passages to be taken from her writing. Jenny tells it like it is in a lighthearted way. She is more honest about the great unknowns of pregnancy and childbirth than even some the most in-depth documentaries out there. The short chapters make for an easy leisure read but be ready for the non-sequential order of events as you read. It delivers the information at hand in with an show more unexpected taste of the "pregnancy-brain" train of thought. The final chapter should be taken with a grain of salt as McCarthy's views on autism are certainly not scientifically grounded and may upset some. Still, the rest of the book can do wonders in putting a new and expecting mother's mind to ease. show less

I was very skeptical going into this book. After reading it, I would recommend it for anyone who is parenting a child with developmental delays. I am totally inspired to look at how I care for my daughter in a different way. People that work with her comment frequently that her disabilities resemble autism. Because it is not one of her many, many formal diagnoses I've never looked into to. When you are already drowning, the last thing you need is more water. Well, this book is oxygen. My show more favorite quote: "There is no Ronald McDonald House for us, no wing at St. Jude's to offer help, or even hope." This book gives me hope. And right now, that is what I need. show less

I read this with a growing sense of bemusement over the different lives people lead. What completely different world views Jenny and I have, and yet I found this book refreshing for its unapologetic openness and truthfulness about how the author feels about love, lust, and faking it. Our polite society is a bit prim on the subject normally, and I think it would do us some good to be able to talk openly on the subjects. Maybe not quite THIS openly all the time (egads).