Colleen Sell

As an often frazzled mother of a three-year-old with autism, I often write about our frustrations and triumphs. One of my friends surprised me by sending me this book to help lift me up on those bad days.

Overall, it's a very good book. It's nice in that it covers the entire range of the autism spectrum from Asperger's to full, almost mute autism, and all ages. Most anyone with a family member with autism will find several stories they can relate to. Some of my favorites were "Escalatorland" show more and "Good Marching." It's very comforting to know I'm not alone in my frustration and public embarrassment, and it's good to see there are other kids like my little guy who have gone on to excel. Other kids who quote complete dialogue from TV shows, have odd obsessions (my son knew all 50 states and their locations at age 2), and taught themselves to read, while at the same time they can't greet someone hello or look at wet food without vomiting.

However, not everything was comforting. I found myself getting tense at some points because the book brought up fears that we're just not ready to confront yet. Worries that this brilliant little boy will get lost in the school system, or be shuffled into a special ed class despite his incredible rote memory and abilities. I don't even want to think about that; one day at a time is quite sufficient. I'll be keeping this book around because I do believe I'll re-read some select stories on those rotten days when I desperately need reassurance. (Though I'll need more than a mere cup then - more like gallons, or a bathtub full.) show less

I couldn't get through this book. The stories didn't seem authentic. Every word, every sentence had to say something positive. When talking about a divorce due to alcoholism, the book went out of the way to mention all the positive of the situation. It felt artificial. Also the writing was a bit dull. There was nothing funny or clever in the writing. This book I would say is a pass.

A very nice compilation of touching, heartwarming Christmas stories. Each story is written by a different author and each is unique in its own way while staying within the theme of Christmas sharing, love, togetherness, and lessons learned. A very nice book to read in drips and drabs as you approach the holiday.

I was fortunate enough to win a copy of this book on The Writer Mama Blog that was signed by Lisa Romeo, one of the contributors.

This is a very long anthology - over 300 pages - of essays on what it means to be a writer. This varies greatly depending on the voice and the background of each writer, and some of the stories are excellent. The main weakness in this book is that almost all the authors were women. I believe there were only two male authors at all. I suppose that points towards the show more gender who participates most in essay writing (and buys the resulting books), but I really would have liked to have seen a few more male authors to balance things. show less