A Special Education: Summary and book reviews of A Special Education by Dana Buchman, plus links to an excerpt from A Special Education and a biography of Dana Buchman.
A Special Education One Family's Journey Through the Maze of Learning Disabilities
by Dana Buchman
Hardcover: Feb 2006,
208 pages.
Paperback: Mar 2007,
196 pages.
Fashion designer Dana Buchman tells of her daughter Charlotte's severe
struggle with learning disabilities and of her own steep learning
curve to become the mother Charlotte needs her to be.
Dana Buchman knew almost nothing about "learning differences" when
her oldest daughter, Charlotte, was diagnosed with neurological,
spatial, and motor skill disabilities as a toddler. Furthermore, from
the Ivy League to the launch of her own fashion label, Buchman had
encountered few obstacles that couldn't be overcome through hard work
and determination. Unfortunately, Buchman's well-developed ability to
"fix" things would not serve her in her efforts to deal with
Charlotte's disabilities; she would have to develop a new skill set to
be able to see Charlotte as a person with unique abilities.
A riveting and intensely personal memoir, A Special Education
reveals the long and arduous process of Charlotte's development as
well as Buchman's own path to self-discovery. Confessing frequent
anxiety, guilt, frustration, and anger, Buchman describes the
difficult search to find the right school and care for Charlotte and
the strain the process put on her marriage and family life. In
addition, Buchman tells of her own struggles with excessive drinking
and workaholism - and of finally letting go of her drive to be
"perfect."
A moving mother-daughter story, A Special Education is an
inspiring account of one mother's journey to acceptance and
understanding as well as a family's triumph over daunting
circumstances.
BOOK REVIEWS
BookBrowse
It was a happy surprise to find Buchman's memoir is surprisingly readable. If her solution had been to throw money and experts at her daughter's "problems" then the book would have been of little interest. However, instead she shows that it was she that had to change in order to recognize her daughter's unique abilities. As a parent, the lesson of meeting one's children at least half way is one many of us can appreciate. Full Review (308 words).
Media Reviews
Publishers Weekly
Buchman's forthright memoir (and list of resources) will go far in lightening the pall surrounding children with special needs.
Booklist - Vanessa Bush
Families facing similar issues will appreciate this heartfelt and inspiring book.
Library Journal - Walter J. Cegelka
Kudos to Buchman for her forthright memoir, which should go a long way toward lifting the stigma of learning disabilities. Highly recommended for all public libraries.
Recent Reader Reviews
Rated of 5
by Judy R. That's My Child I loved this book!!! As I read, highlighting significant passages on every page, I clearly saw my daughter. Wow, it helped me TREMENDOUSLY to understand her better! It answered many of my "why's". For me, it was life changing.
Rated of 5
by Jessica Motivating I came across this book in the library while taking a course in Special Education to complete my degree in Communication Disorders. I decided to read the book and could not put it down.
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(308 words).
Library Journal - Walter J. Cegelka
of 5
by Judy R.
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