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 | | The Siege: A Family's Journey Into the World of an Autistic Child by Clara Claiborne Park ISBN-10: 9780316690690 ISBN-10: 0-316-69069-4 ISBN-13: 9780316690690 ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69069-0 Paperback 1982-06-30 Back Bay Books Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description At age two, in 1960, Jessy Park was withdrawn, unable to walk or talk, yet oddly content within the invisible walls that surrounded her. The study of autism was still in its infancy. This powerfully moving book charts a surprising journey of discovery as it records the challenges and rewards of the first eight years of Jessys life. | ||
Reviews | ||
A Historical View of Austism Since other reviewers offer details, I will refrain from an overview, but I will call this an excellent, up close and familial view of autism. I would strongly advise this book to all who are interested, EXCEPT parents of a newly diagnosed child. Waiting until one is more comfortable with the diagnosis, this book would afford that parent with a much heartier and thorough delivery. I gave the book 4 stars because the actual writing was sometimes difficult to follow. This book is particularly good for two reasons: -it offers a historical (late 50's early 60's) look at autism -the book describes and investigates specific detailed behaviors of an austistic child | ||
A magnificent book This is one of the great books about being human. Clara Park is a superb author, biographer - George Eliot would be her closest counterpoint in the world of fiction - and Jessy Park is an entrancing and inspiring figure. The book is about autism - but really about so very much else. The reader will learn as much about him/herself as about Jessy. | ||
Informational, but lacking insight One feels that the Author could have achieved better results in dealing with her Daughter's Autism if she had been able to read this book: "Nobody Nowhere: the Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic by D Williams" The disparate conclusions/revelations contained in both are remarkable. | ||
Pioneers Blazing New Trails! In 1957 when Jessy Park was born (called "Elly" in this book, but later identified by her mother in the sequel "Exiting Nirvana"), very little was known about autism. Elly/Jessy presented behavior that Kanner described more than a decade earlier (1943) when he first coined the term "autism." Elly/Jessy was largely nonverbal for much of her childhood and had difficulty connecting names to people. She loved mathematics and could do complex equations and recognized many polygons. She developed a fascination for counting that has since stayed with her. In 1961, Elly/Jessy then nearly 4 was formally diagnosed with autism. She was enrolled in special needs programs and made progress. She also as is noted in "Exiting Nirvana" proved to be a very talented artist. This is an excellent book that chronicles in minute detail autistic behavior and a family's love and acceptance. Elly/Jessy's three older siblings love her unconditionally as do their parents. Theirs is an intellectual family whose literary pursuits are quite evident throughout this account. It is one of the best early personal accounts of autism in a family. What makes this book unique is that when it was published, it rightfully challenged the parent blaming routine that was the order of the day. Elly/Jessy had three neurotypical (NT) siblings which automatically flies in the face of the disproven and completely asinine parent blaming. At no time was she neglected. She was loved, nurtured, encouraged and accepted. Her special interests in counting and polygons are recognized as an asset, an ability. Fortunately, she is not charged with "perseverating," a harmful and damning word that has caused more harm than it ever helped. It is an extremely judgmental, negative and destructive word in any tense that is best avoided. At no time is that harmful word ever applied to the NT population and the behavior is not limited to the autistic population either. That word is best replaced with "special interests," "repetitive verbalizations / behaviors" which are more accurate and also speak to tolerance whereas "perseverate" simply does not. The book closes with Elly/Jessy at age 8, making progress in her way and at her speed. She and her mother have blazed new trails that continue to weave throughtout autism awareness and acceptance today. | ||
The BEST book a mother can read... I have a 9 year old son with autism, and have aspergers myself, and I could not have written such an insightful book as did this mother. I got concepts and ideas I hadn't had prior to reading this book, such as the reason behind all the pronoun reversal which she theorizes and explains so well. I was then and am still now in awe of her meticulous record keeping and devotion to her daughter while still maintaining balance in her home and in her personal life. Our household seems to revolve around iep's, perseverations, dr.'s appts, everything 'autism'. Anything I try to say, I fear will come no where close to describing how essential this book is to the library of any mother with an autistic child, or how much it meant to me. Despite the fact I'm not especially fond of reading, I plan to read this book again, fearing I may have missed some wisdom there was so much. I found everything she wrote accessible to my life, despite our difference circumstances. Can't say that about many books I've read. And, I got Exiting Nirvana at the same time, and was glad I did, and eager to read it directly after The Seige. While all the books by Williams and Grandin and Attwood and the more medical type books by Shaw and Candles and Greenspan are super, this one was a STORY, you didn't have to DO anything or make appointments or grasp heavy medical info. Yet it gave me a more FOCUS and future vision and ideas for my child, to give him as successful, fulfilling and happy future. | ||