The Horse Boy: A Father's Miraculous Journey to Heal His Son

Isaacson, Rupert

ISBN 10: 0141040718 ISBN 13: 9780141040714

Publisher: Penguin, 2009

Synopsis

Paperback. Pub Date: 03 Publisher: Penguin Audiobooks at the age of three. Rowan was diagnosed the with Autism. Alongside many difficulties it meant that he was virtually unable to speak. One day his father Rupert introduced him to Betsy. the neighbour's old own horse - and was astonished at what happened. This powerful mare suddenly dropped her head and stood stock still. No matter what Rowan did - shrieking. babbling. rolling on the ground - she remained still. quiet. submissive. 'Shall I put you up 'he asked.' Up! 'Rowan said. It was the first meaningful word he had ever spoken. So began an epic journey on horseback from their home in Texas to the wilds of Mongolia. Rupert Isaacson takes us on a magical adventure. describing how these mysterious and sensitive creatures provided the key to unlocking his son's hidden personality.

About this title

Review:

The Horse Boy is saved from a terminal case of blockbusteritis by two things. The first is Isaacson's brutal emotional honesty. At moments he finds his son's existence, and its effect on the life he had envisaged for himself, simply intolerable, and he doesn't flinch from telling us so.

The second is the excellence of his writing. Executed with a trace more sentiment, a fraction less ironic intelligence, a degree less fine observation, this book would be unbearable. But somewhere within himself Isaacson has found the rigour to keep in balance his mysticism, his hope and love for his son, and his sheer infuriation at the outrageous misfortune of Rowan's condition. The result is an elegant, affecting narrative that contrives to transform a riverside poo - Rowan's first controlled bowel movement - into a triumph of the human spirit.

(Jane Shilling Telegraph)

From the Author:

We all have stuff - for some of us it's autism, for others it might be another dysfunction or disorder. But we all have something that we have to deal with, something that wont go away, something that's bigger than us. Something we have to tackle head-on, whether we want to or not.
But what if that thing, that source of pain, of fear, turned out to be a gateway to adventure? What if it could be that way?
That is what happened to us. This is our story.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0141040718
• ISBN 13: 9780141040714
• Binding: Audio CD