Book Description Review “Readers looking for an inspiring story about the power of the human spirit will find one here.” —Publishers Weekly Read more About the Author MAGDALENA NEWMAN lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and two sons. Read more Customers Review: This is my mostly spoiler free review for: Normal, A mother and her beautiful son.In very short summary this one takes a deep dive into how a mother fights through the challenging parenting of a child with the Treacher Collins condition. The story is told in a way that it feels like you are sitting down with the family while they narrate what is what…I got this book for two reasons:- l am the parent of a child experiencing developmental challenges, and while they are not physiological as the one shown in this book, learning through others experience allows you to grow as a parent.- I loved the 2017 movie wonder, and knowing the challenges shown for the movie I was more than thrilled to read a book about someone going through a similar set of challenges.Anyway, this story is incredibly heartwarming and full of detail. The story took me about four to five hours to read it and I did it on a roll, not because I was rushing but because I couldn’t put the book down. I was planning to take it to work to read on my break but I read it the day I got it.SPOILER AHEAD—————From this book I expected the challenges of parenting, developing and helping achieve a sense of normalcy to a child with Treacher Collins. What I didn’t expect was the normal challenges of life impacting at key moments; finding yourself out of a job when you have a kid that will have surgery, battling cancer to later having a hip replacement due to a perfect storm of side effects for the cancer medications, no money… That combined with what I expected and how they overcame those was a tearful yet gratifying experience.END OF SPOILER—————Long time ago when I was getting through one of the biggest challenges of my life a friend told me some words at the right time that forever will stay with me… “The greater the challenge, the bigger the sense of accomplishment once you overcome it”. This book does just that, it has you feeling great for the little and big accomplishments this family experiences, and when all is set and done you feel growth as a person.A+, Strongly recommended. ;)If my review helped you in any way, please let me know by clicking the “helpful” button below. Thank you!
This book is both heart wrenching and inspiring. Am amazing story. This family has been through more than anyone should ever have to go through – and they’ve survived the difficult journey with their family intact and full of love. Truly a family to be admired.
Exactly as described Perfect condition
Heroic tale of an extra-ordinary life so far. My family enjoyed reading and getting a small glimpse of their story. I highly recommend!
Magda Newman’s book “normal: A Mother and Her Beautiful Son” is a moving memoir of a joyful, yet trying and difficult birth and childhood of her son.Newman’s son Nathaniel is unexpectedly born with Treacher Colins’ syndrome(this consists of facial and bone deformities), which is the basis of the hit book and movie “Wonder.” Magda discusses her uneventful pregnancy and unexpected problems with the birth of her son on herself, her Husband and her extended family. The author discusses her life with her son and his various surgeries on the bones and cartilage in his face and his severe physical disabilities (not being able to breathe without a tracheotomy, not being able to eat without a tube, not being able to hear without hearing aids and not having ears at all). All in all at the time of the writing of this book Nathaniel was subject to 67 surgeries. Yet despite these obstacles Magda discusses the joys of raising her son, having another baby that does not have the disabilities Nathaniel has; and her own battle with cancer, depression and anxiety.This is an excellent book. Magda writes about her life in America, the meeting of and marriage to her Husband and her life with her children in a friendly manner. One feels as if they are her best friend, hearing all of her secrets with this book. I also loved her description of her early life in Poland and her former life as a concert Pianist (which she was raised to be in Poland). This was a intriguing book to read and I learned a lot about the life of a family who has a disabled child.
As the parent of a child with severe special needs (although of a very different type than those that Nathaniel has) there is so much I can relate to in this memoir. Magda Newman does such a wonderful job telling of her journey with Nathaniel, who was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome. I love how she doesn’t shy away from the tough parts—the isolation, the fear, the expenses, how siblings are affected, the learning curve—but while doing so, her love and respect for her son shine through at all times. I also loved the occasional passages Nathaniel wrote—what an articulate and interesting guy he is!Alongside the parenting story, we also learn about how Newman, born in communist Poland, came to the US and what it has been like for her marrying a man of a different faith and living in a culture different than that of her childhood. We also learn about Magda’s own health challenges. I too struggle with being the best mother I can to my daughter while battling illnesses of my own, and that is a part of special needs parenting I’ve never really read about in any other account.Absolutely recommended, not just for parents of children with special needs but for anyone who cares for any child. |
11 reviews