BOOK REVIEW

EXPECTING ADAM

BY Martha Beck

Review for Amazon and 

abookamonth2011.blogspot.com/p/notice-board.html

At first I was unsure about this book. I didn't think it was my kind of book at all. And at the beginning Martha Beck describes a  lot of interaction between herself and her husband that seemed to drag a little.

Then, as I read on it picked up the pace and I became more and more interested in it.  Eventually, I found myself loving it and ended up in tears!!

It's mostly a womans book and many women will empathise with Mrs Beck's  struggles with nausea and illness whilst she is carrying her Down's Syndrome baby. 

Humour is injected into the story, presumably to lighten what would otherwise be a dark and possibly depressing subject. But, having said that, I was not blown away by the humour itself. I think the story, so beautifully in itself, about how she coped with her difficult pregnancy, was strong enough to carry itself, humour or no humour.

Martha's decision not to have her baby aborted, when confronted with such adversity from colleagues and the medical profession was commendable. What a brave lady she is. And what an inspiration to other women who may find themselves in a similar position. It is notable that, in a situation such this, Martha finds out just who are her true friends, and who are those "friends" who eventually show themselves to be shallow people whose creed is that only perfection and money bring happiness. How wrong they are.

Martha's mystical experiences were somewhat unusual to say the least and I am wondering how many people found them credible. To Martha, they were no doubt as profound and real as they came across in the book. To the reader? Well maybe there is a big question of credibility here. I will give Martha the benefit of the doubt, as I think it must be quite difficult to describe such feelings and experiences on paper and make them real.

Whatever they were they helped Martha through her pregnancy, and as such it is obvious that they were in part instrumental in her deciding to write the book. It's wonderful that she felt confident enough with herself and her readers to include them in such vivid detail, as they make reading this book a fascinating and unforgettable experience. 

But the book really comes to life when Martha talks about Adam. Her love for him and his "specialness" is endearing and it just lights up the page. Adam's own capacity for love and his uniqueness touches the reader with warmth and gladdens the heart.

And this book had a special resonance for me too, as I am the mother of an autistic child (who is an autistic adult now). 

Expecting Adam is a heart warming experience for the reader. It shows that courage and conviction will almost always  triumph over adversity. Mrs beck's love for Adam and her pride motivated her to immortalise him in a book and I'm so glad she did. I would love to know more, as to how she and her husband coped with the (then) new addition to the family. It would, I'm sure make for another heartwarming read. Thoroughly recommended.