Adam

I few weeks ago I read an excellent book, Expecting Adam (Berkley Books). The author, Martha Beck, is sort of a liberal mystic (she has out-of-body experiences and hears angels talking to her). The book is written in a hilarious style--lots of humor, sarcasm and irony. Yet, it's about a very serious subject. Martha and her husband have a Down syndrome baby. They chose to have the baby even after knowing in advance about their son's disability. His name is Adam.

A funny, serious, well-written memoir that examines spirituality, the meaning of life, the challenges of parenting a special child--this is a book I would recommend for anyone.

Martha and her husband are Harvard graduates. Her descriptions of the elitist hypocrisies of her fellow students and professors during her pregnancy and after Adam was born are truly enlightening and provoked enormous laughter from this reader.

Martha became a career counselor several years after Adam was born, and here is what she said: "I'm always surprised by the way my clients react to the suggestion that they structure their lives around richness of experience rather than security. These are educated people, I think to myself. During their many years of training, hasn't anyone ever told them that life is pretty much a crapshoot but one full of unexpected wonders? Hasn't anyone given them permission to live for their hearts' desires?"

This is a great story of faith, love, nausea and courage.

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