Product Description

We feel like parents in a fairytale turned to stone by a curse and condemned to stand like statues with our hearts thudding in our chests as our son plays wild games, all alone in the palace. He sees us he knows us, he expects us always to be in our right places - but he has no idea that we are human too. David is eleven years old. He is happy, healthy and affectionate. He loves school, climbing trees and Disney songs. But he's also profoundly autistic.Imagine being, like David, unable to speak more than a few words and unable to express your most basic needs. He is oblivious to danger and blind to other people's emotions, including the pleas of his parents. He is unaware of the chaos that he creates and is completely unmoved by the heartbreak that he causes. This extraordinarily moving account describes the heartbreak, and the unexpected joy, of autism. With raw honesty, Christopher and Nicola Stevens lay bare their experiences, which are by turns harrowing, hilarious, and inspirational.Autism is often depicted as a lonely affliction but, as David's story unfolds, his parents reveal how the condition has given them an unbreakable togetherness; an insight into prejudice, as well as kindness; an understanding of life without words or language; and an intense appreciation of their children. Caring for David is an all-consuming experience...and through it they have learned, most of all, the meaning of unconditional love.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29848 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Jane Asher, President of the National Autistic Society
"This wonderfully honest book tells us a great deal, not only about autism, but also about the extraordinary tolerance and unselfishness that is borne out of unequivocal love. At the same time, it reveals some uncomfortable truths about the struggle it takes to access the rights of those with disabilities in our so-called civilized society."

The Sun, 15 Feb 08
"incredibly moving"

Daily Mail, February 26, 2008
Christopher Stevens writes poignantly about life with his autistic son. It's a moving account of the boy's struggle to cope with a world that confuses him - and the extraordinary leap forward that gave them all hope.

Customer Reviews

An excellent book!
The extended title of this book suggests a depressing tale - not so! Certainly the reality of living with an autist is described but in the most upbeat way.

I absolutely loved this account. Since the diagnosis of our son in September, I have kept notes of his progress and it was absolutely fascinating to see how much of our experience mirrors this Chris and Nicky's.

My catch phrase is that autism is not an intuitive condition, so to read such vivid accounts of off the wall situations which we have lived through too was really uplifting.

I loved the style of this writing; I laughed out loud at the experience with the woman's skirt and slapping the bald man's head; incredibly we've experienced very similar. As parents of autists, we need to be able to laugh and get back into the (figurative) driving seat; this book helped me gain some perspective and put me back in control ... who wants to feel a victim?

I loved how A Real Boy brought to the fore thoughts I hadn't even realised; how I miss not hearing anything about school, how I too, hold my son by the wrist, how very powerful the words from the sibling about the condition are and the importance of participation in the school nativity, to list just a few.

One big difference between our experience with our son and the Steven's experience with David is that of DVDs. To use the Steven's metaphor; DVDs to our son are as heroin to an addict such is his obsession. So, whilst the introduction of DVDs worked well for the Nichols, in our case, I'm sure they have shaved years off my life! I can cope with hours, days ..weeks even ... of fast forwarding and rewinding Rosie and Jim and other favourites on video... but watching £14.99 DVDs shooting in and out of the DVD player for hours on end and then being used to sandpaper our walls or in place of ice skates is a direct route into orbit for me.

I loved being able to compare David's echolalia with my own son's and I appreciated the accompanying explanation - fascinating.

I thought it was extremely clever and very poignant how the parents' dreams for the future were touched upon.

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in living with autism.

Real Life Autism
A very moving and interesting account of living with autism. I liked the way the vulnerability and the fragility of David's life was shown with such love and poignancy. Often (unintentionally) autistic children are protrayed as frightening destructive creatures because they don't understand the rules of life. This book showed us, as far as is possible, how the world looks from the point of view of the child.

Brilliant!
I read this book in one day (okay I was on a train to London and back!) It is one of the funniest, most moving and emotional books I have ever read. It is not inviting you to feel sorry for either the boy in the book or the parents but a portrayal of how life is for them as a family, including the older son. It was funny enough to make me laugh out loud, illiciting some strange looks from the other passengers in the compartment, and also made me swallow once or twice at particularly emotive descriptions. I cannot recommend it highly enough.