OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins" by Patti Smith.]

Christopher's mother was filled with joy and excitement when her child was born; her tiny little cute baby was born perfect with 10 fingers and 10 toes. Happy to have her baby, she didn’t pay more attention to the nurse's worried look after telling her they needed to run more tests on her child, and since the result would take weeks, she believed it wasn’t urgent and all was fine with her child, but it all struck her world when her son was diagnosed with Down syndrome and has a low life expectancy. How will Chris's life unfold? What impact will his condition have on the family? Will his mother’s love be enough to take him through a world that isn’t organized to accommodate him and his condition? Read Unexpected Lessons from Professor Higgins by Patti Smith to explore how the mother and son duo navigates through life.
 
The book explores how a mother can learn from her child and how what is expected by society to be a defining factor in their lives turns out to be an influential path towards a happier life and a family that lives in harmony and love. The family was not, by definition, normal; they were exceptional. The book structure flows through various lessons that revolve around her experience as a mother to Chris, whom she often referred to as Professor Higgins. The book contains several themes, as each lesson from the book comes with its own lesson. The book explores themes of patience, unconditional love, growth, acceptance, self-discovery, forgiveness, and breaking preconceived notions about disability. The plot is explorative, with each chapter bringing and telling a different lesson about Chris's impact on his mother's and siblings' lives. His impact is seen in how his siblings embody kindness and compassion. The book also discusses the beauty of letting go of our limiting beliefs, control, expectations, and conventional standards of achieving dreams.
 
What I love about the book is the author’s writing style and the tone employed in the book. The writing style is positive, straightforward, and deeply reflective, making it easy for readers to connect emotionally with the mother-son journey. Patti writes with a vulnerability that allows readers to empathize with her challenges and triumphs as a mother; a scene that shows her growth as a parent is when a nurse practitioner used the outdated word mongoloid freak to describe children with Down syndrome. Rather than letting her anger engulf her, she uses the opportunity to educate the nurse and show her growth as a mother and advocate. The tone of the book is nurturing while also consistently warm with subtle humor that deflects the tension during difficult situations. Another beautiful scene that shows Chris's development is how he reprimands his family for arguing in front of baby Aubrey, which shows his emotional awareness despite his nonverbal nature of communication.
 
The little flaw I find in the book is the slow pacing and how sometimes the narrative becomes repetitive when topics around societal acceptance of Chris's condition are being discussed. These are minor and don’t take away from the emotional, sincere, and engaging way in which the author recounts her journey of motherhood. 
 
The book is excellently well edited and organized with a coherent flow that allows readers to easily follow Chris's personal development and emotional growth. I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars, as the minor flaws did not affect my reading experience. And I loved how Patti Smith portrays her son as a teacher who changed her perspective and helped change the lens through which she looks at the world. This book is recommended to anyone interested in stories of resilience, love, and the beauty of embracing life's unpredictability; it is also recommended to parents, educators, and anyone seeking to understand the value of seeing life through an unfiltered and compassionate lens.

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Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins
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Interesting read.

The reviewer is correct about Patti Smith’s writing style: it’s easy to read and draws you in. This is a poignant story and is one that happens to many families. Down Syndrome people are lovely human beings but I guess it must be quite challenging as a parent.

"Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins" by Patti Smith., a book that features the bond between a mother and her son. It will be great to learn about how they were able to overcome all obstacles in such a world. A book to be read.

What I love about the book is the author’s writing style and the tone employed in the book. The writing style is positive, straightforward, and deeply reflective, making it easy for readers to connect emotionally with the mother-son journey. Patti writes with a vulnerability that allows readers to empathize with her challenges and triumphs as a mother; a scene that shows her growth as a parent is when a nurse practitioner used the outdated word mongoloid freak to describe children with Down syndrome. Rather than letting her anger engulf her, she uses the opportunity to educate the nurse and show her growth as a mother and advocate. The tone of the book is nurturing while also consistently warm with subtle humor that deflects the tension during difficult situations. Another beautiful scene that shows Chris's development is how he reprimands his family for arguing in front of baby Aubrey, which shows his emotional awareness despite his nonverbal nature of communication.

 
That must take an enormous amount of patience and kindness since it is in our nature to protect our kids.
I'm glad we are talking more and more about the struggles and victories of people who divert from the norm. I'm sure plenty of parents will find hope and inspiration in this book.
Thank you for your review.

I agree with the OBC reviewers comments about the writing style. I could instantly connect with the emotions expressed. Everyone can benefit from reading this, but parents especially should. Adding this to my reading list. Awesome book review!

Patti Smith's "Unexpected Lessons from Professor Higgins" is a heartfelt journey of resilience, unconditional love, and growth. Through her son Chris, born with Down syndrome, Patti discovers lessons on patience, acceptance, and breaking societal expectations. Congratulations on being BOTD!

I haven't come across someone diagnosed with Down's syndrome, so I don't know how this health issue affect someone, but I guess the book will help me get a rough idea about the illness. How did Chris and his mum cope with the new revelation from the nurse? And how did their lives turned out to be more fulfilling and happier? I will read the book to find out.

I feel emotional even before I read this story by Patti Smith. "Unexpected Lessons from Professor Higgins has caught my interest and am eager to explore the whole occurrences by Christopher and how his mother felt in the end.

What a strong mother, to write about the beauty of embracing life's unpredictability. I can only imagine the lessons to be learned when having a special child, and how the child teaches the parent and everyone around him. I think one can appreciate the subtle humor used throughout the book.

Thank you for sharing this heartfelt and insightful review of "Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins" by Patti Smith. Your detailed analysis highlights the book's powerful themes of patience, unconditional love, growth, acceptance, and self-discovery. The author's vulnerable writing style and nurturing tone, along with the emotional journey of the mother-son duo, make this book a compelling read.

While there are minor flaws, such as slow pacing and occasional repetition, these do not detract from the overall impact of the story. The book's excellent editing and organization, as well as its ability to challenge preconceived notions about disability, make it a valuable addition to the shelves of parents, educators, and anyone seeking to understand the beauty of embracing life's unpredictability. Your 5-star rating is well-deserved, and I wholeheartedly agree that this book is a must-read for those interested in stories of resilience, love, and compassion.

From the sample I read I agree with this review that the writing style is “positive, straightforward, and deeply reflective”. I appreciate how the author shares the challenges and triumphs she faced raising a child with such a diagnosis. Life is certainly unpredictable, and many people struggle against societal norms so I think this book is a lesson in perspective and resilience anyone can learn from whether they share a similar experience or not.

I admire Patti's courage in raising her son, learning from his uniqueness, and sharing her experiences with Christopher's growth and development with others. Thank you for your informative review.

This book absolutely gives off the sense of being a heartfelt novel that showcases a mother's love for her child as she strives to remain strong in the face of the adversity her child must face.
It sounds like the author has put a lot of thought into this book. This particular book doesn't sound like one I will pick up but I'm sure others will enjoy.

It is good to see that the minor flaws do not detract from one's enjoyment of the book. The fact that it contains numerous lessons is also amazing. Indeed, it is even more interesting and captivating that the book entails the mother learning from the child, unlike many books, where it is the vice versa.
Many thanks for this informative review, @EBERE WRITES COCEPT.