Customer Reviews
Son Goes Mainstream, Father Goes Fringe 
2006-07-27
This book should really have been split into two different works. The first book would have been about raising a son (Ned Palmer) with Down syndrome as he transitioned into manhood. The second book would have been made up of the vocation and philosophical leanings of both author and father, Greg Palmer.
The parts of the book that deal with the author's son are honest and well written. I too have a son with Down syndrome who is younger than Ned. Thus, I wanted to learn what might be coming for us in the next several years. Ned's coming-of-age story was one that seemed honest and hopeful. There can be no doubt that Greg Palmer loves his son, and has gone to great lengths to provide for him and his future. The sections about this were helpful.
The unexpected parts of the book were the constant injections it received with Palmer's feelings about politics, religion, art, etc. While the author did have to reveal some of his personal story to tell his son's; it seemed that the main emphasis of the book was nearly hijacked by Palmer wanting to get in as many jabs as he could against any and everything with which he doesn't agree. By doing so, the book became polarizing.
Palmer seems to pull to the left about as far as I do to the right. So, if readers consider themselves liberal to moderate they will most likely enjoy the book all the while nodding in agreement with the author's personal views. However, if readers are moderate to conservative (like myself), they may wonder why a book about Down syndrome is throwing darts at many other areas of life. Palmer proceeds to give liberal views on the following subjects and more: religion, separation of church and state, art, socialized medicine, evolution, stem cell research, the war in Iraq, etc. He goes on to associate membership in the Bill O'Reilly Fan Club or the NRA as akin to being in the Klan or the American Nazi Party. The author also seems to have hostility towards any organized religion that requires more than a sideline faith with buffet-style theology. As a Christian, I found it particularly odd when Palmer basically conveys that he wouldn't mind his son becoming a devout Christian as long as he wasn't too devout. Also, for those who care, the book has its share of profanity to include taking God's name in vain on numerous occasions. Again, for some readers these points will carry no weight, but to others they should serve as fair warning.
Finally, Palmer dives far too deeply into discussing his own work in both the theater and at PBS. This was painful reading to be sure, and it was made all the more painful because so little of it really needed to be said to share the story of his son.
If the book had stuck to the main subject, I could have recommended it. As it is however, I must advise readers to find one of the many other well-written books about parenting a child with Down syndrome.
Denny descendent delivers... 
2006-06-26
I first read about Greg and Ned in Pacific Magazine in the Sunday Seattle Times. It was a brief but intriguing view into Greg and Ned's relationship and Ned's move into adulthood and the "mainstream". Both Greg and Ned, (father and son)seemed to be witty, talented, smart men learning to deal with each other and life as they moved into the next chapter of their lives. I wanted to know more, so I got the book.
I could not put the book down. Greg is an honest, engaging writer. He captures the anecdotes of his life, his son and his family with warmth, respect and love. In this book Greg shares his hopes and fears for his son. He also shares his personal philosophies and pet peeves - I enjoyed that part immensely and did not find it distracting.
Ned is by all accounts an incredible human being. He has his issues just like the rest of us. He also possesses certain gifts - incredible memory, love of music, and passion for history.
It is a bittersweet experience for parents as their children leave the nest and find their place in the world. This book chronicles the good and bad of that experience. This is an excellent book and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys smart writing and a well-told story about family relationships.
Too many unrelated personal biases 
2006-05-27
The first section of the book is very entertaining. From there, the action slows down. The content really drags towards the end. As the parent of a child with DS, I can relate to much of the writers comments, however, the author includes way too much personal bias and opinions unrelated to his son in the areas of politics, religion, public television, etc in his own separate experiences. The book would have been much better without them.
Funny and Informative! 2006-04-15
An excellent true story of what it's like to be facing your child's pending adulthood when the child happens to have Down Syndrome. Extremely well-written, funny and informative. A good bet for families who know someone with Down Syndrome - which is just about everyone!!
Must read for any parent who has a child with a disability 2005-05-11
I finished reading Greg's book and immediately sent him an email thanking him for his honesty in depicting the hopes, fears, concerns, and joy that we, as parents of children with disabilities, have in our day to day living.
As the parent of Daniel, a 7 year old with Down syndrome, my husband and I worry about if we are doing the right things, if we are teaching the right things, how to prepare him for life after he turns 21 and ages out of the educational system. As Greg's book depicts-- sometimes we do a good job on some things, sometimes we do a bad job on some things-- but we are human and don't have the magic key when it comes to teaching a child with a disability what to do, what not to do, what to learn, etc.
Loved the ending as I am a huge fan of "Inside The Actors Studio" and made us realize that our job is to prepare our child to the best of our(and their) ability and KNOW that someone will watch out for them when we are gone and they are on their own.
Loved Greg's comments about being sensitive to 'slights'(perceived or real) and other things that we, as parents, become sensitive to throughout our child's life. He tells it like it is-- the good and the bad and doesn't sugar coat things because while there are good things about having a child with a disability, there are also bad things that alot of books won't talk about.
Would definitely recommend this to any parent who had a child with a disability-- or anyone working in the field with people with disabilities because it gives a unique perspective.
