Customer Reviews

My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

To be honest, I read this book, not only for its contents, but for its AR points. (It's one of the few newly printed books that's actually at seventh grade level). But it was something that was so much more than a helpful book school-wise; it's a very deep and lovely book.

Samantha Abeel, who is twenty-five at the start of this memoir, goes as far back as she can into her mind, into a place where she once had no problems in school -kindergarten. She is instantly reconized for her large vocubulary (she actually said the word 'pnuemonia' as one of the words for the letter 'N', which, although is incorrect, is still remarkable), and her creative ideas. But soon, though, as the level of difficulty for subjects, particulary math, increases, she finds that she can not grasp simple things, like telling time and fractions. She also is crippled in the area of the parts of English and spelling, but not as bad as math. She goes through her life in elementary school, masking her slowness for math and English for her other, better grades in other subjects. From the moment in kindergarten she says 'pnuemonia', the other kids label her as smart, and they do not notice her problems. Her constant awareness that people might discover her act make her seculded and nervous, starting her anxiety attacks. All of her world falls apart and then reassembles during her thirteenth winter. We then see how she learns that she has a learning disabilty called dyscalculia, a learning disablity that only effects her math skills and anything related to it. We see how someone, who has gone through somuch, can escape through writing and make such an elegant and wonderful book.

My brother has an unnamed learning disablity, and, like Sam said, everyone knows someone that has a learning disablity. It really helped me see how some people see the world. I'd recommed this book in a heartbeat.

This book is an absolute must-read for teachers, parents, and kids with learning disabilities (LD) and other special needs. Beautifully written, honest and very open about what life is like for a child with learning disabilities. This is especially important reading for those who don't understand that a child can be both intellectually gifted and LD, and that no one is "too smart" to have a learning disability.

As someone who works with families of gifted/special needs children, I will be recommending this book widely.

Samantha Abeel not only wrote My Thirteenth Winter, but lives it. This book opens up your eyes and makes you aware of the stuggles that thousands of people go through.
Samantha went through many depressing moments throughout her educational life. Most of the dicouraging times were due to a learning disability that was not discovered until after her life had been negatively affected by it. Samantha was bewildered by the fact that she could be so skilled in writing but drop to rock bottom when it came to math skills. Her social life was a struggle. Each day was another not to enjoy, but push through and finish. Even when her learning disability was discovered, Samantha was oblivious to the fact that her life still had more secrets to reveal and challenges to overcome. This book offered a realistic perspective as to what people with learning diabilites go through. My Thirteenth Winter really shows an indepth look into the lives that many people live.

Samantha Abeel is a wonderful writer who has a special talent for making words come to life. As a teacher who teaches thirteen-year-olds, this book made me even more aware of the struggles some of my students must face everyday as they are asked to complete tasks that many don't even have to think about before completing them. Anyone who teaches, works with children, or has a family member who is learning disabled would benefit from reading this book! Her way with words is magical and makes the reader feel as if Samantha is there, speaking to the reader.There are so many passages in the book that I just had to highlight and share with others. I plan on sharing this book with other teachers and friends and I'm sure my copy of the book will be worn out before I get it back! Thanks Samantha for opening my eyes and the eyes of so many others to the difficulties some people face daily with your story.

Samatha Abeel's autobiography should be read by every parent of a learning disabled child and by every teacher who has learning disabled children in the classroom.
As an elementary student, Samatha excelled in language and social studies, but she also had a harrowing secret: she could not understand or do the math her classmates did-she could not even tell time!
It is not until she is thirteen that Samatha is finally diagnosed with dyscalculia, a math related learning disability.
The book covers both Samatha's triumphs like working with artist Charles Murphy to produce "Reach for the Moon" and her difficulty dealing with the outside world where most people do not understand how her dyscalculia shows itself in her daily life.
This is the story of her persistence and her ultimate sucess. For as Samatha writes,"...we are stronger than we think we are."
I highly recommend this story of a courageous young woman and her struggle to deal with her disablility.

I read the entire book in one sitting. Samantha Abeel writes with grace and amazing imagery. She lets the reader into her world so completely that I found myself weeping for her suffering. I feel privileged to have been allowed to see inside her world.

My 8 year-old son was recently diagnosed with dyslexia and mild discalculia. I could see him in may of her struggles, especially with time and money. In her feelings of isolation and depression, I could see myself at her age. Her conclusions about antidepressants were very affirming to read. Ms. Abeel said so eloquently what I have always beleived. Her courage and perseverance are most admirable--what a wonderful role-model and spokesperson for the learning disabled (LD).

If you or someone you love or someone you teach struggles with learning disabilties, anxiety or depression, read this memoir. It is enlightening for parents and teachers, and would--I imagine--be liberating for anyone struggling with LD.

To Ms. Abeel I say, "Thank You."

This is one of the best memoirs I have ever read. Although not formally diagnosed when in school, I believe that I, like the author, am both gifted and learning disabled. (The gap between my verbal and math SATs would convince anyone of this.) The descriptions of what it is like as a young student who most people consider smart to "fake it" in one's problem areas are the most painfully accurate I have ever read. The narrator's disabilities extend far beyond what most of us think of as having "problems with math." Making change, following directions on a map, and telling time are all part of the narrator's disability. In this book, she shows how the inadequate research done on this disability, coupled with her impressive masking skills, and prejudice on her teachers' part as to what a "dumb" kid looks and behaves like, all made her school years more difficult than they should be for anyone. Luckily, parents who insisted on speaking up to the school system, as well as Sam's own gifts helped her graduate and complete college.

Another thing that intrigued and angered me was a comment one admissions' officer made to Sam's (the narrator's) mother as they were researching colleges: "Our students are perfect in every way." i.e. we couldn't possibly consider your daughter. Really? I worry about a college that weeds out applicants in that manner, especially given that the narrator had already published a book.

If you have ever seen a movie or TV program on adults who cannot read but who have managed to negotiate and even excel in daily life, you will have some idea of what life was like for the narrator during her youth. What makes the book so compelling is that it's not just written by someone who wants to talk about a disability, but also by a poet and gifted writer who can convey what it is like to have her particular disability perfectly.

I think this memoir was so well written I dont know what to say. The way she describes everything- I can see myself in a few chapters as she struggles with those panic attacks. I suffer the same ones, day and night worrying, and how she described them, its perfect. That book really had an impact on me. It gives people that are at their lowest, hope to keep going to find the light in the dark, whether they have a learning disorder or an anxiety one.

In My 13th Winter, Seventh Grader Samantha Abeel is a straight a student, but how is it that she can't she tell time, or understand simple math concepts? She has a math- related learning disability which she is ashamed of and wants no one to know about it. As her secrets are revealed she learns that with the help of others she can accomplish tasks that most people strive for their whole life by the age of sixteen. This capturing, well put-together memoir will teach you a valuable lesson of self- acceptance. You will read about how one girl's world will change as she enters the fourth grade and has to struggle through the rest of elementary school. She completes eighth grade and moves on to high school nervous as ever and doesn't know what the pressure of the real world can do to a person, but then again who does?
I enjoyed this book for many reasons. The language is rich and the writing is beautiful. The author did a really great job describing the emotions; there were so many it was crucial to understand. This is most likely one of the best memoirs I have read in a long, long time. I would recommend this to mostly girls between the ages of twelve- through high school age.

As a middle school math teacher, I found this book very informative and realistic.
The book not only does a very good job of describing the process a student must go through in order to be identified as having a disability, but it also shows how subjective the process can be, and what can happen if a student isn't identified soon enough in their life.
On a positive note, it also shows how beneficial being identified can be for a student's schooling and what teachers can do to help these students.
If you're not a teacher, don't worry-- the plot and characters in this book are interesting for readers from all walks of life. Most people can relate at least a little to the pain of being misunderstood by those around them.