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NEWS FROM THE BORDER

Name: NEWS FROM THE BORDER
Author: Jane Taylor McDonnell
ISBN: 0-395-60574-1

A MOTHER'S MEMOIR OF HER AUTISTIC SON

by Jane Taylor McDonnell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 23, 1993

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Another heart-rending entry in the recent rush of memoirs from autistics and/or their mothers (Catherine Maurice's Let Me Hear Your Voice, p. 576, etc.). Much progress has been made recently in diagnosing and treating autism, but not nearly enough to ease the suffering of the children and family vividly described here. McDonnell's son, Paul, is a high-functioning autistic, more socially capable, less prone to rages, with some emotional responsiveness—which, in some ways, may have made his condition even more difficult for his family. Doctors and other specialists, misled by Paul's responsiveness, missed the diagnosis; most favored in Paul's early years was the catchall label of ``learning disabled.'' But McDonnell (Women's Studies/Carleton College) wasn't satisfied when she discovered that Paul's repetitive behaviors—including fascination with light- switches and numbers, as well as resistance to language—were characteristic of autism. The author writes of her side of the story with brutal honesty and some insight. Frustrated, frightened, and stressed even further by the arrival of a baby daughter with (mild) cerebral palsy, the household seemed dominated by anger: Shouting matches at the dinner table were frequent. But whether living in England, Ireland, or Minnesota, the McDonnells never stopped trying to find help for Paul—and Paul never stopped trying to fit himself into the ``normal'' world. Autism is a familiar syndrome, thanks to the movie The Rain Man (which helped Paul accept that he wasn't ``normal''); moreover, nationwide efforts have been made to educate adults and children about people with this handicap. Still, the amount of cruelty—both intentional and accidental—inflicted on Paul by peers, teachers, and even therapists is striking. In an afterword, Paul, now a college student aiming for a career in meteorology, describes some of that heartbreak. A paean to perseverance that's rich in personal detail but short on new information or helpful strategies. (Eight pages of b&w photographs—not seen)

Pub Date: Sept. 23, 1993

ISBN: 0-395-60574-1

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1993

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.