Customer Reviews

Strange Son

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

The book `Strange Son' felt like a `slap' on my face from someone who mother and I trusted the most.

Overstimulation and puberty stage can be difficult for many like me. But getting recorded in a way like that, `hurts more than my Autism'.

`May the writer find whatever she seeks'.

My actions have been mentioned as 'beastly', 'alien being', 'possessed by a demon...'

On page 129: 'When I left the apartment, When I left their apartment that day I felt as if I'd glimpsed into the mind of an alien being'.

On page 116: "'Tired' was hardly an apt explanation for the extraordinary scene we had been witnessing ... where food was flying in every direction, accompanied by his odd grimacing sounds...";

Page 117, "I emailed Tito that same night and asked him why he behaved like that at the table, grabbing food and acting like a wild beast ...";

Page 126, "He dashed through the house and raced toward the fridge, the first stop on the terrible circuit he could not break free of. He flung open the refrigerator door and wildly rifled through its contents... `You'll never get a publisher with this kind of behavior!' I commented in a low voice";

Page 127, "Now it seemed as if Tito were possessed by a demon.";

I have nothing against the author. I have spent many happy moments with the author and really considered her to be a friend, trusting my actions would stay private with her. The graphic description is what hurts.

By the way, I `hand-write' and communicate/write my books (the Mind Tree, Gold of the Sunbeams, Beyond the Silence). Next year my new book (untitled) will be out, which will describe my sensory conditions in detail, so that other authors may be more equipped before writing about them as `observers' if they watch the `show'.

Regards to one and all.

Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay

(my message got deleted again.....Strange Deletion! So I put my original message back) If anyone deletes this message again, I'll put it back.

Strange things can happen in life.

The involvement with the CAN foundation felt 'strange' to us when we lived in the US for the first year, after coming from India, with 'what on earth are we doing in this new country?' as we saw the fast life in LA.

But we got `used' to it.

Today when we are settled with friends (real friends) around, we know why we are here. We feel that we have a 'duty' to give back what we got in this wonderful country. Only the mission of HALO could give us that opportunity.

Mother and my mission is not 'future', but `present'.

`Prepare the present to face future', so that Autism becomes just an incidental `happening' like an accident of birth, and the `individual' person lives a life to the best potential, raising the head, saying to the world...'Autism? Perhaps I have it,.....so what?'

A new life with a goal.

And we look `forward to' it.

It needed a different view, which no other organization CAN provide.

Regards to one and all,

Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay

Does this add to the discussion? No.

I am 'using' someone else's platform to talk. (Just as someone else used my name to write StrangeSon!')

I enjoyed reading this book. As a speech-language pathologist who has worked with, and advocated for, individuals on the autism spectrum for almost 20 years, I found many of Iversen's speculations about the mysteries of autism to be quite interesting. As a fan of Tito's and Soma's, however, I was disappointed with how they sometimes were portrayed. Iversen, who is obviously extremely knowledgeable in many areas, sometimes came across as insensitive and disrespectful toward Tito and Soma.

It was intriguing to read that many of the scientists who were introduced to Tito found it absolutely mind-boggling to believe that such a person could exist. They couldn't seem to grasp that a person who was viewed as essentially non-verbal and severely autistic could possibly communicate through writing. And yet, since the late '80's there have been many thousands of individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities all over the globe who have communicated effectively with Facilitated Communication (FC)--often describing their experiences with autism in words similar to those used so elegantly by Tito. Volumes of such writings are available. How is it that so many researchers/scientists are unaware of what these people have written? I found myself wishing Iversen would have said more about that. Is it possible that she is not aware of the similarities between FC and Soma's Rapid Prompt Method?

Despite these disappointments, I think the book is well worth reading. It will, hopefully, make many readers re-think their mistaken beliefs about autism, and come to recognize that not being able to speak does not mean one does not have intact "inner language". Soma has helped many to express their thoughts, as has FC. As an autistic friend of mine writes, we need to "Free the others"

H. James

Dov Iverson was 18 months old when diagnosed with severe autism, according to Strange Son. This developmental disorder left him without the ability to interact with himself and the outside world. The Iverson family was devastated. They faced the terrible sadness of raising a dearly loved son with whom they could not communicate in any meaningful way.

In his early years, Dov's room was filled with playthings that would fascinate a normal child. Dov preferred sitting with his head turned to one side, staring vacantly upward flapping his hands tirelessly, or flicking his fingers at the side of his face (stimming). At other times he would chase around his room, or run through the house, making high-pitched shrieking sounds, never tiring.

When Dov was three, the family went to the Jersey shore. Dov still wasn't talking. Over and over the young boy would splash his hands through a small puddle, or sit spinning the wheels of a toy truck, his eyes staring into space. When he was not running aimlessly on the beach, "Dov put his ear to the sand and listened to the ground...!"

Author Portia Iverson and her husband Jon sought the help of the most renowned specialists. They turned to books, hunting for any glimpse of hope to help them break through to their son's mind. But experts and research told of limited and somewhat questionable results. Communication appeared hopeless.

Through the National Autistic Society of the U.K., Iverson learned of Soma and her son Tito in Bangalore, India. Like Dov, Tito was severely autistic, yet Soma had made startling advances with him. Tito could not talk, but Soma could communicate with him using a very simple board on which the alphabet was written along with numerals. Tito communicated so well that he spelled out beautiful lines of poetry that eventually were published.

According to Strange Son, the Iverson's brought Tito and his mother to the United States, where Soma began her systematic method with Dov. Just getting the boy's attention and keeping it was difficult, but Soma was determined to work her miracle. She would wave the letter board in front of Dov's upturned eyes, sometimes touching it against his nose, while incessantly questioning him about something she'd just read to him. Dov began to respond. It was amazing that he could spell out an answer while not looking down at the letter board. How had he learned the alphabet?

Author Iverson carefully studied Soma's technique until she, too, could communicate with Dov. The two women identified reasons why Soma's method worked.
1) Nerves from each of the two hemispheres of the brain are connected to opposite sides of the body.
2) Soma sat on Dov's right side.
3) She talked in his right ear.
4) She prodded him by touching his right knee or shoulder.
5) But she always held Dov's left hand still, when it began disrupting as he pointed to the alphabet letters with his right.

This technique seemed to keep one half of the brain from interfering with the other.

Strange Son is not just a fascinating read; it is the story of the miracle Iverson hoped for when faced with Dov's debilitating diagnosis. The book is highly educational. One learns that severe autism leaves a human brain wired incorrectly to body senses, if wired at all. It explains the excessive running and stimming of autistic children: a mind expending energy in the only way it knows how.

I cannot recommend Strange Son highly enough to frustrated parents who chose to raise a severely autistic child at home. It is a story of hope brought about by the persistence of two loving mothers from opposite sides of the globe.

Strange Son should be read by psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors, counselors, and at all costs, by politicians who must provide money for autism research and special education in schools. If a mother can reach her autistic child with a cardboard and a crayon, surely research can build upon this miraculous foundation.

Other interesting reads:
How Can I Talk If My Lips Don't Move: Inside My Autistic Mind
Raising Blaze: A Mother and Son's Long, Strange Journey into Autism
A Friend Like Henry: The Remarkable True Story of an Autistic Boy and the Dog That Unlocked His WorldThe Autism Acceptance Book: Being a Friend to Someone With Autism

I am an HFA. A High-Functioning Autistic Adult borderling with Aspergers. "Strange Son" is moving in the first 20 pages because it recalls how my mom and dad felt when they found out I was diagnosed with autism at age 3 or 4. Those 20 pages put me in tears just thinking about how my mom raised me through years of therapy, prayer and help and I am thankful for that. Having autism is a blessing - and a curse.

The next 80 pages afterwards is like a docudrama book that's perfect for a film script. Think of this as "I am Sam, the prequel". My Mom never frantically panicked in front of the child psychologist about autism. She prayed, fought and struggled to help me go through special education classes and weekend sessions at the Jay Nolan Center. As a kid, I've coped with other Autistics at my age. The difference between Portia and my Mom was that my mom didn't have the upscale networking connections and financial resources to have her husband gather a set of doctors to find a "cure" for autism. Worse, she assumes Tito's mother holds the Holy Grail for curing or treating her son as if Dov and Tito live in a parallel world and they can connect like brothers. I stopped reading the book before I reached the 100th page. Like a Hollywood movie, I predicted where this is going so it's not worth the effort to go further.

Whenever anyone compares treating autism like curing cancer to find an answer, which is the case in this book, It's insulting to Autistics like me. Autism is not a cursed disease of death. If you can help your child (like my mom did for me) develop with autism by exercising their interests they like the most, like computers or the stock market (When I was five, I was interested about the stock market channel for some odd reason - I'm not a CFA if that's what you're thinking), your child will grow up to be a self-sufficient adult.

You're better off finding more books about parents coping with autism than this book. Heck, I'll help out to help you. Just don't assume this book to be an empathetic answer to coping with Autism. It's not how my mom, dad, sister, family, friends, my kindergarten teacher, my 3rd/4th grade teacher and the weekend volunteers from the Jay Nolan Center saw me as an Autistic child.

I'm not cured with Autism. It will always be with me since I was born. I'm just fortunate to have friends and family help me go through it everyday. I hope Dov, Tito, and others with Autism live life with the support and understanding from their friends and family as I had (though I can't speak for them, I can only hope the best). Autistic Life is a precious miracle that needs a voice.

Thanks for understanding,

Al P.

This is my all-time favorite book. I read everything from sci-fi to drama, to non-fiction, autobiographies, etc. -this is my all time favorite book.

Reading this book was a learning experience -about autism, an autobiography of a struggling mother of an autistic child, a drama about two families whose lives intersect/intertwine, a love story, a scientific documentation of one person's struggle to learn about autism, and a collection of the most poetic/moving poems-all packaged in a story that captures the mind, heart and spirit.

I devoured this book in one sitting. I laughed and cried tears of joy, pain, love, hurt, frustration.

This book moved, enlightened and overwhelmed me - all in the best of ways. All the thinlgs you hope a good book would do.

This book would be very appealing to those people:
- who have an interest or need to understand Autism. (even if you have no interest in autism, you would love the book if you like any of the following qualities in books, listed below.)
-who love to read stories about the human spirit
-who love to read stories about overcoming odds
-who love stories with facts and based on real facts/science
-who love good writing
-who love good poetry (some great poetry is in there-that connect well with the story, and emphasize what the author is trying to show!)
-who are drawn in by a good story

Read this book! You'll love LOVE it as much as I do!

I can see why Tito felt betrayed by this book, yet part of me feels Iverson's strongly worded account of Tito's behavior was intended to sharply contrast with his exquisite poetry. Ultimately, the author's blunt language allowed me to almost completely believe her amazing discovery - that her severely autistic son is also extremely intelligent. (The FC controversy has left me a bit wary of such claims.) Yes, Portia does lead a privileged life compared to other parents of ASD children, but that shouldn't interfere with how one reacts to her findings. I do agree with the reviewer elsewhere who was a bit put-off by the "dark and stormy night" type musings.

I think Soma and Tito come across as brave and brilliant, and I hope they both find peace and happiness.

The disrespect of the author for Tito is an alarming sign of her attitude about autism.

As a parent of a child with autism I have read well over 200 books on the topic. I learn something from just about every book I pick up. And as you would expect some books are bombs where I feel they were a waste of time providing no information and perpetuating the myth of no hope. Other books are tremendous providers of needed information and take great efforts to open your eyes to a new concept or paradigm. This is one of those books.

The book by Portia Iverson featuring the amazing Soma, Tito and her son Dov was one of those books that not only opened my eyes but taught me a few things that are extremely important.

1) There is always a soul waiting to be untapped in the body of a person with autism. It is up to us to figure how to connect with them and more importantly get them to communicate with us.

2) Some words to all parents with a child affected by autism: Never give up. You have not done "everything" because there is more out there to do in every situation for every child or adult affected.

3) Autism is not autism - it is autismS. Each person is unique and how they are affected and what unlocks their abilities.

This book is a tremendous story of accomplishments that needed to be shared. I highly recommend it for any parent, researcher or someone who wants to get a glimpse of autism and its mysterious way it can affect a person. It provided great insight and information that will remain with me forever.

This book is not about recovery but a major breakthrough that could greatly change the lives of families with a non verbal and severly autistic child. It could also provide light to someone that has a high functioning child. It is that profound.

Thank you for writing it Portia and sharing this important story.

Reviewed by Linda Benninghoff for Reader Views (3/07)

"Strange Son" -- this wonderful and unique memoir by a mother of an autistic child, will provide startling insights for all parents of autistic children, and will be of interest to anyone interested in miracles.

Dov, the son of author Portia Iversen, is a low-functioning, non--verbal autistic child. Instead of giving up on Dov, Iversen starts Cure Autism Now (CAN). She hears of Tito, a teenage boy living in India who writes poetry, who is also non-verbal and autistic. Using funds from CAN, Portia brings Tito and his mother Soma to the U.S., and the three are plunged into the world of scientific research. Almost more than half the book deals with scientists attempts to understand Tito.

Tito is unusual for an autistic child: "one in a million," Iversen considers. Most low-functioning autistic children cannot communicate and have often been labeled retarded by experts. Iversen has worried that her son Dov may be retarded, yet she stubbornly refuses to believe this, and continues to press for answers.

As Iversen becomes acquainted with Tito, she is introduced to the world of genius and the world of autism at the same time. Tito is able not only to write moving poetry, but also explains, from the inside, with great depth of insight, about what it is like to be autistic.

Tito says he cannot hear and see at the same time. He has no sense that his body exists. "Stimming," when the autistic child flaps his hands, gives Tito a sense of his body. Tito's auditory sense dominates. Yet many of the educational programs currently designed for autistic children stress the visual, and theories say that in autistic children the visual sense dominates. Tito contradicts this--at least in his own case--in his own words. Tito is non-verbal, but he communicates by using an alphabet board and by writing.

As the book progresses, I learned that Tito could turn upside-down many of the current assumptions about autism. The end of the book provides hope not only for Tito and Iversen's son Dov, but for what may be thousands or more autistic children who seem retarded but are not. Soon Soma is using her teaching method with other autistic children--with Dov and the children at Dov's school, and her outreach is growing.

While there were times when I was reading "Strange Son" when I felt hopeless because the scientists did not seem to understand Tito, I kept reading and hope began to break through. The book should be highly successful in helping autistic children, and at the same time portrays the despair and frustration that parents of autistic children go through.

Book received free of charge.