Dancing with Max: A Mother and Son Who Broke Free [Hardcover]

Emily Colson (Author), Charles Colson (Contributor)

Book Description

Release date: September 7, 2010

Meet a remarkable young man. Max doesn't communicate like we do. But he communicates better than we do about the most important things. Max doesn't think like we do. But his actions reflect deep spiritual truths. With candor and wit, Emily Colson shares about her personal battles and heartbreak when, as a suddenly single mother, she discovers her only child has autism. Emily illuminates the page with imagery---making you laugh, making you cry, inspiring you to face your own challenges. Chuck Colson, in his most personal writing since Born Again, speaks as a father and grandfather. It is a tender side Max brings out of his grandfather, a side some haven't seen. As Emily recalls her experiences, we discover that Max's disability does not so much define who he is, but reveals who we are. Dancing with Max is not a fairy tale with a magical ending. It's a real life story of grace and second chances and fresh starts in spite of life's hardest problems. And Max? Max will make you fall in love with life all over again, leaving you dancing with joy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Being a parent of a child with special needs can be isolating and difficult -- and a challenge when it comes to faith -- or so Colson found her experience with her now 19-year-old son, Max. In Dancing with Max: A Mother and Son Who Broke Free, Colson shares her experience. Colson -- whose husband left when Max was an infant -- was overwhelmed with the lack of progress Max was making early on as she saw others his age get along in life just fine, while she suffered through his repeated setbacks and, at times, embarrassing incidents. Finally finding answers, she discovered that Max had autism, enabling her to move forward and grow with Max. In sharing her discovery of God's gift to Max seeing the world with a different but uncluttered view, Colson will bring hope and encouragement to those who have a child with autism. The book includes a prologue and epilogue by author -- and Max's grandfather -- Charles Colson. -- Christian Retailing <br><br> (Christian Retailing )

About the Author

Emily Colson is the daughter of Chuck Colson. She is an artist and writer. After many years as an art and creative director in the field of advertising and design, she now pours her creative gifts into helping her son, Max, who is diagnosed with autism. She has even pioneered an innovative communication system to assist her son. Emily has been a single mother for most of Max's 19 years, with hard-fought lessons of life, love, and laughter. Emily and Max live on the coast of New England, where they can often be found dancing. You can visit her at www.emilycolson.com.

Chuck Colson was a popular and widely known author, speaker, and radio commentator. A former presidential aide to Richard Nixon and founder of the international ministry Prison Fellowship, he wrote several books that have shaped Christian thinking on a variety of subjects, including Born Again, Loving God, How Now Shall We Live?, The Good Life, and The Faith. His radio broadcast, BreakPoint, at one point aired to two million listeners. Chuck Colson donated all of his royalties, awards, and speaking fees to Prison Fellowship Ministries. For more information go to www.colsoncenter.org. SPANISH BIO: Chuck Colson (16 de octubre de 1931--21 de abril de 2012) fue un autor, orador y comentarista de radio popular y ampliamente conocido. Antiguo ayudante personal del Presidente Richard Nixon, fundador del ministerio internacional Prison Fellowship y fundador tambien del Colson Center for Christian Worldview, escribio varios libros que han moldeado el pensamiento cristiano, entre ellos Born Again, Loving God, How Now Shall We Live?, La vida buena y La fe. Su programa radial, llamado BreakPoint, presentado por Prison Fellowship Ministries, continua saliendo diariamente al aire, con ocho millones de radioescuchas. En 1993, Colson recibio el prestigioso Premio Templeton por el Progreso en la Religion. Este premio de un millon de dolares, ademas de todo lo que recibe en sus conferencias y sus derechos de autor sobre sus libros, son donados a Prison Fellowship. En 2008, el Presidente George W. Bush le concedio el segundo reconocimiento en importancia para un civil estadounidense por parte del gobierno de la nacion, la Medalla Presidencial del Ciudadano, por su labor humanitaria con Prison Fellowship Ministries. Se graduo de la Universidad de Brown y la Escuela de Leyes George Washington, y recibio su Doctorado en Derecho con honores. Sirvio en el Cuerpo de Marinos de los Estados Unidos, donde alcanzo el grado de Capitan.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; First Edition edition (September 7, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310293685
• ISBN-13: 978-0310293682
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.8 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (101 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #399,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Emily Colson is the daughter of Charles Colson. She is an artist and writer. After many years as an art and creative director in the field of advertising and design, she now pours her creative gifts into helping her son Max, who is diagnosed with autism. She has even pioneered an innovative communication system to assist her son. Emily has been a single mother for most of Max's 19 years, with hard-fought lessons of life, love, and laughter. Emily and Max live on the coast of New England where they can often be found dancing.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful dance August 26, 2010

By Joel Holtz VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This is one of the best books I've read all year.

First time author Emily Colson, daughter of well known author Chuck Colson, has written an honest, gritty, and ultimately uplifting story about her struggles as a single mother who discovers her son is autistic. Colson writes with a great sense of humor as well.

Two of the best chapters in the book are GRIEVING THE DREAM and ORDER FROM CHAOS.
The story within the story, however, chronicles Emily's relationship through the years with her father. Through the ups and downs, eventually we find out just how much Max changes not only her life, but the elder Colson's as well.

One of my favorite quotes from the author is this..."Max is not a burden; he is my greatest gift. I'm not about to give up. I'm just not sure I can keep going."

But you know she will. And anyone who reads this book will learn great lessons as well.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dancing witih Max: A Mother and Son Who Broke Free September 13, 2010

By Gail Biancucci

Format:Hardcover

Dancing With Max takes you on a journey through parenting and faith. The author does not tell a story from start to finish, instead she weaves a tale of parenting over two generations with real life getting in the way. This book was fabulous! As the parent of a special needs child I found Dancing With Max to be a realistic, humorous look at some of the challenges special families face. It inspired me and made me want to be a better parent. It made me laugh out loud and yes, cry sometimes too. Colson says many times in her book that her son is "A gift from God". This is so true and I am thankful to be reminded of this! Great read!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous Story September 28, 2010

By My kids' mom

Format:Hardcover

This is a quick, easy to read story that will make you laugh and cry, and is all the more endearing because it is true. Many of us, me included, have a family member or friend touched by Autism. In spite of the challenges, I think anyone who knows someone Autistic will agree that these folks are special and wonderful and here to teach us to be more like them.

This is an honest, touching, sweet, realistic, superb book. I own it and bought a copy for all of my siblings for Christmas. Highly recommended read.