The Long Way to Simple - 50 years of Living, Loving and Laughing as a Person with FASD (Mom's Choice Awards Recipient) [Perfect Paperback]

Stephen Neafcy (Author), Jodee Kulp (editor) (Author), Jodee Kulp (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2008

Stephen Neafcy has lived for over 50 years with brain damage caused by Fetal Alcohol. His journey of not having a clue what was wrong in his life lasted until he was 43 when he was diagnosed. The revelation of knowing what was wrong, provided the courage to carry on and begin to help others. The Long Way to Simple - 50 years of ideas to live, love and luagh as a person with FASD is more than just his story, it is a life program for young adults following in his footsteps. Steve provides us with Hope.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Hi Steve and Barb, Chalsee and I purchased your book at the conference too!!! We started to read it together and I just don't want to put it down. Steve, if you could only hear Chalsee as I read with her say Mom that is what happens to me ---she smiles and tells people see my new book, Steve wrote it and he knows what I am going to face growing up because he's been there - it will be easier for me with Steve's help --Shelley, Wisconsin

Steve - congratulations on a well done accomplishment. The 2007 National Teen-Adult Life in the FASlane conference birthed a voice for adults - valued and referred to at the camp as EXPERTS with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Your life provides us an "Expert Witness" of success. Your book, written from a person with FASD's language and perspective gives insight to those of us who walk alongside others who have these brain challenges. Thank you Steve for your courage to put this on paper so all can grow and share your experiences. --Jodee Kulp, Minnesota

The Long Way to Simple is a recipient of the prestigious Mom's Choice Award - Bes6t Adult Non-Fiction. The Mom's Choice Awards honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of the Mom's Choice Awards. Parents and educators look for the Mom s Choice Awards seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book/product has been honored by this distinguished award. --Mom's Choice Awards

About the Author

Stephen Neafcy has contributed thousands of hours of research to help families and professional find hope and help for their children and young adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Diagnosed with FASD at 43, his life began again, knowing that he had a brain injury he needed to seek supports for.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Better Endings New Beginnings; 1 edition (April 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963707280
• ISBN-13: 978-0963707284
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #305,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great steps forward, 4 steps to recovery, April 26, 2008

By 

"just a mom" "MA, lpn" (great plains) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Long Way to Simple - 50 years of Living, Loving and Laughing as a Person with FASD (Mom's Choice Awards Recipient) (Perfect Paperback)

stephen and families with loved ones having fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; as i examine the way your/this book is written, the structure and the organization, let alone the humor and compassion within that layout and full story........i am completely in awe. your four step program of music, medication, meditation and a higher power are noteworthy in their directness and availability. we can all design a program for our child, children or even ourselves by taking these four simple prompts. i pray my 21 year old son with the same disorders can be as calm and settled as you are in his 50s; and i know your book will help to lessen his trauma in the world. the better people can understand how fasds feel from the inside the more we can modify and accommodate for those special needs. i want to read every syllable but so far i am just blown away by the logical and good common sense you are sharing in your book's format alone. thank U so much for writing this book. my fingers are just playing magically as i go back and forth from page to page- seeing what all lies ahead when i take it in order. your honesty about the trauma you endured without an appropriate diagnosis of your own fetal alcohol exposure [which caused organic brain damage brought about by your birth mom's use of alcohol while pregnant with you]-- this type of candor is not common in a field where still so much stigma and denial lie. your ability to be loving while frank, kind and forgiving while adressing explicitly the difficulties you endured pre-diagnosis-- well i have never seen anything like it. i agree that you should keep writing, keep speaking, keep telling stephen- because we need to listen.
ride those eagle's wings.
"just a mom"
[adoptive mom of 21 year old with fasds,
master in human development and
licensed practical nurse]

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Long Way To Simple, April 23, 2008

By 

Iowa Illinois commuter "UCHNurse" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Long Way to Simple - 50 years of Living, Loving and Laughing as a Person with FASD (Mom's Choice Awards Recipient) (Perfect Paperback)

This book does what very few have done. The courageous author has stepped out of his brain damage long enough to share his lucid account of what it is to live life with a damaged brain and not even know it. His existence, like so many with this disorder, was an absolute nightmare before knowing what was wrong and why life was so difficult. I applaud the author's courage and wisdom. I hope Mr. Neafcy will find it possible to give the world more of his wisdom wit and reflection in future books!

Another book on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders that is the voice of one living with it is THE BEST I CAN BE by Liz Kulp. I am grateful to these two courageous individuals for what they offer us as insight to living in the skin of one who is so invisibly challenged. Thank you Stephen and Liz!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting a Little Help from a Friend, May 7, 2008

By 

Peggy S. Oba (Kansas City, Missouri United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Long Way to Simple - 50 years of Living, Loving and Laughing as a Person with FASD (Mom's Choice Awards Recipient) (Perfect Paperback)

Stephen Neafcy is a survivor of 50 years of living with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Spectrum Disorders. In those years he has found little things that go a long way in helping him to cope and he has shared them with us in his book. Written in a warm and easy manner, this book goes a long way in explaining the difficulties faced by children and adults with FAS/FASD and how to deal with some of them.