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| One of Us
ISBN: 9780826272379
Platform/Publisher: Project MUSE / University of Missouri Press
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Chapters; Download: Chapters
Subjects: Autism in children.; Autistic youth; Autistic children; Autistic youth; Autistic children; Parents of autistic children;
A Professor of English at Loyola University and a father, Osteen writes with candor as describes the frustrations of advocating for a child with special needs. His son, Cameron, is autistic, and Osteen wonders through their struggles, "if even Cam would choose to live through all this again." The potentially bleak story, written about a son who will never read it, is balanced with thoughtful consideration of larger issues, such as parent/child conflict, responsibilities for the disabled, and the meaning of family. We also see disappointing descriptions of schools, institutions and organizations specifically designed to educate children with disabilities, and the politics of their care-taking. The narrative is well-written and Osteen recreates events in a conversational style. Scholarly references are included, such as a succinct and lucid explanation of the Lovaas method of Applied Behavioral Analysis, a controversial therapy for autism. Occasionally heartbreaking, at times darkly humorous, the text demonstrates not only the ordeals of a family, but also the ingenuity of human survival. Photos. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Mark Osteen is Professor of English and Director of the Center for the Humanities at Loyola University. He has written four books, including Nightmare Alley: Film Noir and the American Dream , and has edited several other academic works. He and his wife live in Baltimore, Maryland. |
