Review of Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins

[Magdalyne chebet]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins" by Patti Smith.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Normally, a newlywed young couple expects to give birth to a healthy, normal baby with much enthusiasm. However, that was not the case with the author of the book. At 21, she gave birth to a baby boy, and as they waited to go home, the doctor told them they would go after a few tests had been conducted to confirm a suspicion of trisomy 21 genetic disorder. Tests were done, and later on, the results were received. Baby Chris was diagnosed with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome). The author was saddened and determined to find a reason to challenge the doctor's diagnosis and find that baby Chris did not have the disorder. But each time she researched it, she found how negatively people viewed the disorder and even how sad a picture of a person with Down syndrome looked in one of the articles she read.

A mother's love is valuable, and Chris got all that love despite his intellectual disability. The author shares her heartfelt journey of caring for and nurturing Chris even after being divorced. She learned to embrace her child and support him. Chris's siblings also showed love and care for him. Taking care of Chris was hard, as he did not achieve developmental milestones at the required time. His sisters Tara and Kathryn even achieved the milestones before him. The author chose to learn from Chris; hence, she refers to him as Professor Chris Higgins because of the many lessons she learned from him.

I have never encountered anyone with Down syndrome, but I normally see them on TV and in movies. I watched a movie called Temple Grandin, and I saw how difficult it was for Temple's mother to raise her, though Temple had autism spectrum disorder. The book taught me many lessons, like loving people, being kind, appreciating the good side of people, and being patient in all situations. I liked how the author critiqued the measure of intelligence by using the Intelligence Quotient (IQ). I was impressed and amazed that she suggested the identification of different ways to measure intelligence in different individuals, for example, the use of a humanity quotient, due to how she saw Chris relate with other humans.

My favorite scenario in the book was when Chris told an officer who had come with others to respond to a code three emergency, "It's ok. I got this" by flashing some sort of badge. I found myself laughing just from how Richard was narrating the incident. It is not easy for a person to share their personal story. I loved how the author opened up and brought out positivity regarding the condition. The rise in abortion rates following an antenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome is alarming, and I appreciate that people like the author are advocating for this unborn right to live.

There is nothing I would change about the book. I just enjoyed reading it as it was educational and an eye-opener. I came across some grammatical errors, but at no point did they interfere with my reading experience. I give the book a perfect rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars because of the reasons I mentioned above. I recommend Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins by Patti Smith to everyone because I feel people can learn how to appreciate the good things that come with people who are different from us or are gifted differently, especially those with intellectual disabilities.

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Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins
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[Gerry Steen]

I gather from your review that this is a heartwarming and educational story. God bless Patti Smith for sharing her story about her son Chris. Chris was gifted differently. People who are gifted differently have so much to offer if we just listen to them and follow their lead. I am adding this book to my bookshelves.