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Hazard: A Sister's Flight from Family and a Broken Boy
Hazard is a poignant, unflinching memoir of the emotional intricacies of growing up with a severely disabled sibling. Margaret Combs shows how her Southern Baptist family coped with the lived reality of autism in an era of ignorance and shame, the 1950s through the 1970s, and shares her own tragedy and anguish of being torn between helping her brother and yearning for her own life. Like many siblings of disabled children, young Margaret drives herself to excel in order to make up for her family’s sorrow and ultimately flees her family for what she hopes is a “normal” life.
Hazard is also a story of indelible bonds between siblings: the one between Combs and her sister, and the deep and rueful one she has with her disabled brother; how he and she were buddies; and how fervently she wanted to make him whole. Initially fueled by a wish that her brother had never been born, the author eventually arrives in a deeper place of gratitude for this same brother, whom she loves and who loves her in return.
Hazard is also a story of indelible bonds between siblings: the one between Combs and her sister, and the deep and rueful one she has with her disabled brother; how he and she were buddies; and how fervently she wanted to make him whole. Initially fueled by a wish that her brother had never been born, the author eventually arrives in a deeper place of gratitude for this same brother, whom she loves and who loves her in return.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2017
About the author
Margaret Combs
1 book26 followersMargaret Combs is an award-winning journalist who began her writing life as a National Public Radio reporter and education correspondent for the Boston Globe. She is a recipient of both the Associated Press Award for Arts Reporting and the United Press International Award for Best Documentary. Excerpts from her book have appeared in literary publications, including the North American Review (NAR), Lost magazine, and the anthology Secret Histories. She was a finalist for the NAR’s 2015 TORCH Memorial Prize.
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March 4, 2017
In 1956, when author Margaret Combs brother Roddy was born, there was only a limited amount of knowledge of autism and developmental (intellectual) disabilities, most of it based on misinformation, stigma, and fear. Many doctors encouraged the “mentally retarded” to be shuttled away from polite society, and confined to special homes, sanitariums, or state asylums for custodial care. Families were assured: “It’s really for the best.” In “Hazard: A Sister’s Flight From Family And A Broken Boy” (2017) Combs shares her courageous compelling story about her family caring for Roddy at home, when there were limited public resources, support, less understanding and compassion.
Comb’s family members were from solid hard working Kentucky Appalachian mountain people. In the 1930’s her family was hit hard by the collapse of the coal industry. Both her parents attended college, her father was a stoic silent man that provided well for his family as an aeronautical engineer, her mother at one time aspired to be a school teacher.
Comb’s “Margie” and her older sister Barbara Ann soon sister realized that something was seriously wrong after Roddy’s birth. There were many long car rides for Roddy’s clinic appointments. Her parents offered no explanations, they were distant and uncommunicative. A roly-poly Roddy made unusual sounds, flitted and fidgeted with his hands, didn’t make eye contact or respond well. The worst times were his terrible fits of loud anguish, where he would bang his head on his crib, seemingly without feeling or pain. Comb’s parents were both distraught, knowing Roddy would never lead a normal life, marry or have a family. Comb’s wouldn’t learn of the severity of her mother’s despair and depression until she was 55 years old.
Their family life revolved around Roddy’s care. Vacations were spent visiting family in Kentucky. With limited social events, there were no trips to theater’s or theme parks, and Comb’s protected Roddy from bullies on occasion. Once she entered a model airplane flying contest with her father, and her Dad was rudely asked: “You have a son, don’t you?” Comb’s enjoyed competitive sports, and began training in gymnastics, winning numerous awards, trophies, and medals.
Comb’s attended the University of Pennsylvania on a partial scholarship, setting her sights on competing in the state championship for gymnastics. (From the book) “My gymnastics had eased my mother’s mourning, as well as my own and given me an escape route to another life.” College was exciting; she relished being away from the family responsibilities back home, and was enriched by her friendships with her teammates. An ill-fated first marriage was somewhat predictable, as Combs explored the dynamics of her personal life and relationships.
By this time Roddy had matured into a young man, and had developed his basic verbal communication skills. He lived in a Florida group home and went to his parent’s house for weekends, visiting his parents and younger siblings Cami and James regularly. Comb’s wrote thoughtfully and movingly of her life in Massachusetts with her second husband, an artist, and raising their two sons. There was always a place for her at her parents, to visit or stay awhile and catch up with Roddy. This is also a story of her aging, future planning, and relocating—Comb’s is the Director of Communications at The Northwest School (Seattle) and lives on Bainbridge Island, WA. ~ With special thanks to Skyhorse Publishing via NetGalley for the DRC for the purpose of review.
Comb’s family members were from solid hard working Kentucky Appalachian mountain people. In the 1930’s her family was hit hard by the collapse of the coal industry. Both her parents attended college, her father was a stoic silent man that provided well for his family as an aeronautical engineer, her mother at one time aspired to be a school teacher.
Comb’s “Margie” and her older sister Barbara Ann soon sister realized that something was seriously wrong after Roddy’s birth. There were many long car rides for Roddy’s clinic appointments. Her parents offered no explanations, they were distant and uncommunicative. A roly-poly Roddy made unusual sounds, flitted and fidgeted with his hands, didn’t make eye contact or respond well. The worst times were his terrible fits of loud anguish, where he would bang his head on his crib, seemingly without feeling or pain. Comb’s parents were both distraught, knowing Roddy would never lead a normal life, marry or have a family. Comb’s wouldn’t learn of the severity of her mother’s despair and depression until she was 55 years old.
Their family life revolved around Roddy’s care. Vacations were spent visiting family in Kentucky. With limited social events, there were no trips to theater’s or theme parks, and Comb’s protected Roddy from bullies on occasion. Once she entered a model airplane flying contest with her father, and her Dad was rudely asked: “You have a son, don’t you?” Comb’s enjoyed competitive sports, and began training in gymnastics, winning numerous awards, trophies, and medals.
Comb’s attended the University of Pennsylvania on a partial scholarship, setting her sights on competing in the state championship for gymnastics. (From the book) “My gymnastics had eased my mother’s mourning, as well as my own and given me an escape route to another life.” College was exciting; she relished being away from the family responsibilities back home, and was enriched by her friendships with her teammates. An ill-fated first marriage was somewhat predictable, as Combs explored the dynamics of her personal life and relationships.
By this time Roddy had matured into a young man, and had developed his basic verbal communication skills. He lived in a Florida group home and went to his parent’s house for weekends, visiting his parents and younger siblings Cami and James regularly. Comb’s wrote thoughtfully and movingly of her life in Massachusetts with her second husband, an artist, and raising their two sons. There was always a place for her at her parents, to visit or stay awhile and catch up with Roddy. This is also a story of her aging, future planning, and relocating—Comb’s is the Director of Communications at The Northwest School (Seattle) and lives on Bainbridge Island, WA. ~ With special thanks to Skyhorse Publishing via NetGalley for the DRC for the purpose of review.
February 4, 2017
Having 2 young daughters with Autism I really wanted to read this book because I also have a teenage son who had to learn very early on to grow up quickly because he had to become his sisters’ protector in a way most kids will never understand.
I found the book to be informative, easy to read, and well written. Combs has a way of pulling you in and taking you on the journey with her so you see with her eyes, feel what she did. It’s a highly emotional and expressive look at family dynamics and the ability to survive overwhelming challenges.
Reading how far things have come within the special needs community and society at large in the decades since made me happy that even with the current imperfections it’s obvious large strides in both care and understanding have occurred.
As a parent I found it very interesting to read an adult’s point of view about what it was like to be the sibling of a special needs child because it gave me some insight in how to be there for my son more since his sisters get more of our attention and time than he does simply due to the circumstances. He is not loved less than them but as a parent you don’t necessarily realize how things appear from their point of view. I feel like this book will make me a better mother to him and maybe be able to help him in his role in their lives. I was very grateful for the opportunity to read this and gain some profound insight.
I found the book to be informative, easy to read, and well written. Combs has a way of pulling you in and taking you on the journey with her so you see with her eyes, feel what she did. It’s a highly emotional and expressive look at family dynamics and the ability to survive overwhelming challenges.
Reading how far things have come within the special needs community and society at large in the decades since made me happy that even with the current imperfections it’s obvious large strides in both care and understanding have occurred.
As a parent I found it very interesting to read an adult’s point of view about what it was like to be the sibling of a special needs child because it gave me some insight in how to be there for my son more since his sisters get more of our attention and time than he does simply due to the circumstances. He is not loved less than them but as a parent you don’t necessarily realize how things appear from their point of view. I feel like this book will make me a better mother to him and maybe be able to help him in his role in their lives. I was very grateful for the opportunity to read this and gain some profound insight.
February 7, 2017
This is a wonderfully written memoir describing growing up in the 1950s-1970s with a mentally handicapped brother. Back then, autism was not easily recognized or understood. To make matters worse, Margaret Combs' parents came from an area of the country where such children were seen as being the result of inbreeding, and only poor, uneducated couples were suppose to have them. Her parents did not fit that description, and they also did not put their son in an institution or try to hide him from the public. Yet her brother's condition weighed heavily on the family, deeply affecting their daily lives and happiness. This is not a deeply depressing story, however. Life goes on for everyone, including the author.
Not only is this memoir about Ms. Combs' childhood, but also about her college years as a gymnast, and her adult life as a journalist, writer, wife and mother. Her childhood seemed most interesting to me, such is the case in many memoirs. Maybe because it was back in the time period when I was growing up, or maybe because that's when the author learned some hard, heartbreaking facts about life. In addition, that was the time in her life when she was always wondering how God fit into the picture of handicapped children. Was He cruel or what, creating children who could not experience life like other children? Thus, this book is a good read for those who like to think about such things; as well as those who appreciate an author who does an exemplary job remembering the thoughts and feelings of a child; a child growing up in a world that is much kinder to some than to others.
(Note: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley and the author or publisher.)
Not only is this memoir about Ms. Combs' childhood, but also about her college years as a gymnast, and her adult life as a journalist, writer, wife and mother. Her childhood seemed most interesting to me, such is the case in many memoirs. Maybe because it was back in the time period when I was growing up, or maybe because that's when the author learned some hard, heartbreaking facts about life. In addition, that was the time in her life when she was always wondering how God fit into the picture of handicapped children. Was He cruel or what, creating children who could not experience life like other children? Thus, this book is a good read for those who like to think about such things; as well as those who appreciate an author who does an exemplary job remembering the thoughts and feelings of a child; a child growing up in a world that is much kinder to some than to others.
(Note: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley and the author or publisher.)
July 10, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. It started out pretty slowly for me but my interest grew as the author also grew and developed. Perhaps the rhythm of this brutally honest memoir closely copied the rhythm of this author's life in that her younger years in a religious and decidedly unemotional, apparently uptight family lacked exuberance, color, excitement. In fact, the way her family coped with the disability of her baby brother formed the entire backdrop upon which her life's portrait is painted. Like Dorothy in Kansas, Ms. Comb's life seemed cold and colorless, drab, uneventful. In fact, her life took on color and enthusiasm only as she branched out and away from her family of origin. She does say more than once that her research has taught her that they way she reacted to her brother's autism very much mirrors those lives of a great many siblings of disabled individuals. Hearing more specific details about this particular area might have brought more interest into this story for me. Other that that, it was a fairly interesting tale of growing up in a family where disability is the unnamed leader in the family and where loving attention and affection is in short supply.
February 6, 2017
This is a very honest and poignant memoir, by a woman whose younger brother's autism deeply affected her parents, and consequently her own upbringing. Other writers have suffered autism and have published inspirational books on the subject like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, anything by Temple Grandin, Born on a Blue Day, Look Me in the Eye, etc that offer more uplifting takes than Margaret Combs offers. Combs is an interesting writer but I think her feelings of guilt sway her view of her brother's condition, for example when she refers to his being "severely disabled".
In telling this deeply personal story, it seems as though she seeks validation, after distancing herself from her close-knit family and undergoing two wrenching divorces. I hope she applies her craft to other subjects, like her appreciation of things Appalachian, a unique culture I hadn't read much of; I would rather read more about topics she feels pride in next time around. I also notice her affinity for the supernatural, perhaps she could write an actual ghost story, continuing the basis she introduced here in Hazard?
In telling this deeply personal story, it seems as though she seeks validation, after distancing herself from her close-knit family and undergoing two wrenching divorces. I hope she applies her craft to other subjects, like her appreciation of things Appalachian, a unique culture I hadn't read much of; I would rather read more about topics she feels pride in next time around. I also notice her affinity for the supernatural, perhaps she could write an actual ghost story, continuing the basis she introduced here in Hazard?
November 22, 2024
This is an honest and detailed look at the author's experience as both a child and an adult living with an autistic brother. I enjoyed the beginning more than the end. Towards the end, things just seemed a bit more disjointed, with time passing without note, huge gaps here and there. I guess maybe that's just how adult life goes, things just blend together and you forget big swaths of time, while as children it seems like time moves more slowly. I wanted to hear more about what the author had learned by the time she was an adult about her brother and autism.
May 27, 2018
Oh my. What a deeply reflective, thoughtful memoir. All is well until the family discovers Margie's baby brother is deeply disabled. Despite loving her brother, Margie is overwhelmed by the extreme tension and despair blanketing the family.
This sounds grim, but the details of experience are so riveting that it rarely feels overpowering. As a mother, sister, and daughter, I couldn't help but care deeply for everyone involved and to look forward to happy moments. Such a beautifully written and touching book. And yes, I cried, but only once.
This sounds grim, but the details of experience are so riveting that it rarely feels overpowering. As a mother, sister, and daughter, I couldn't help but care deeply for everyone involved and to look forward to happy moments. Such a beautifully written and touching book. And yes, I cried, but only once.
October 19, 2022
Great look into how a disabled child affects all members of a family from childhood into adulthood. Makes one see how maturity makes you realize how truly blessed they are to know and love life.
September 18, 2022
3.5 This is an amazing glimpse into a family, though I felt a lot wasn’t addressed.
May 13, 2017
Having a family member dealing with severe or mild mental health issues is always a challenge, particularly for the children. With their yet undevelopped self-esteem, they usually perceive the situation as embarassing or shameful, a serious reasons for disturbing the normality of life and creating skirmishes between the adults members of the family.
In her gripping memoir Hazard. A Sister's Flight from Family and a Broken Boy, Margaret Combs is sharing her own experience of living with a brother with severe autism. As at the time the medical knowledge and social apprehension of such issues were extremely limited, this daily reality is painful.
The book doesn't focus on any non-fiction aspects of this issue, but is offering instead a dramatic overview of the relationships between the family members, the ways in which the children acknowledge the tensions between the parents and the strong bonds created.
'My family was in trouble in so many ways. We were in the wrong place and at the wrong time, driving home in an era that could not and would not help us. Nineteen-fifty-seven was far too early for help and understanding. We didn't know how to intervene on my brother's behalf, nor would we until it was too late'.
As a Southern Baptist family, the religious explanations and comfort also comes into question, but it doesn't make the situation more bearable. In the end, only love and maturity, the moment when it is natural to come to terms with life occurences, regardless how painful it is. 'I'm no longer trying to make up for the one thing that puller my family sideways. I have arrived at the place where I see not just one thing - the wordst thing - but the ten thousand things that make up a life'.
The book is very beautifully written and from the bottom of the heart. It gives strength and inspiration to anyone ever coping with an autistic family member or just interested in knowing more about life-challenging experiences.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
In her gripping memoir Hazard. A Sister's Flight from Family and a Broken Boy, Margaret Combs is sharing her own experience of living with a brother with severe autism. As at the time the medical knowledge and social apprehension of such issues were extremely limited, this daily reality is painful.
The book doesn't focus on any non-fiction aspects of this issue, but is offering instead a dramatic overview of the relationships between the family members, the ways in which the children acknowledge the tensions between the parents and the strong bonds created.
'My family was in trouble in so many ways. We were in the wrong place and at the wrong time, driving home in an era that could not and would not help us. Nineteen-fifty-seven was far too early for help and understanding. We didn't know how to intervene on my brother's behalf, nor would we until it was too late'.
As a Southern Baptist family, the religious explanations and comfort also comes into question, but it doesn't make the situation more bearable. In the end, only love and maturity, the moment when it is natural to come to terms with life occurences, regardless how painful it is. 'I'm no longer trying to make up for the one thing that puller my family sideways. I have arrived at the place where I see not just one thing - the wordst thing - but the ten thousand things that make up a life'.
The book is very beautifully written and from the bottom of the heart. It gives strength and inspiration to anyone ever coping with an autistic family member or just interested in knowing more about life-challenging experiences.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
August 23, 2023
AN EXCELLENT READ
Margaret Combs has written an excellent memoir, an account of one family's experience with an autistic child. She tells how she, her parents, and her older sister coped with that child in the 1950's and 60's when autism was less well understood.
Tested by their determination to keep Margaret's younger autistic brother at home, and constrained by strong Southern Babtist beliefs, the parents placed restrictions on family activities. Margaret's older sister was better able to cope, to 'shrug off' her brother's public outbursts and her parents admonitions. Margaret could not. She held herself to very high standards, trying to not be criticized, willing herself to be kind, to be in control, to do better, to be better, always.
Margaret's gift, or is it a curse, of being extremely objective, coupled with high intelligence and a drive to Excell, placed her on a path that allowed her to escape the confining family circumstances. Gymnastic excellence and scholastic achievements allowed her to win scholarships to distant universities. She built a new life, but of course she brought her very high standards with her, and she and probably others found them difficult to match.
Today she is surrounded by more of the things she loves and fewer of the things she does not. Or it might be said she is sometimes drawn back to her old life, but not as often - according to this very fine book.
I am pleased to have read HAZARD. It is beautifully written. Intelligence, sensitivity, and astonishing recall show on every page. And it is honest, without apology. I recommend it to anyone who would like a really good read.
Rex Olsen
Margaret Combs has written an excellent memoir, an account of one family's experience with an autistic child. She tells how she, her parents, and her older sister coped with that child in the 1950's and 60's when autism was less well understood.
Tested by their determination to keep Margaret's younger autistic brother at home, and constrained by strong Southern Babtist beliefs, the parents placed restrictions on family activities. Margaret's older sister was better able to cope, to 'shrug off' her brother's public outbursts and her parents admonitions. Margaret could not. She held herself to very high standards, trying to not be criticized, willing herself to be kind, to be in control, to do better, to be better, always.
Margaret's gift, or is it a curse, of being extremely objective, coupled with high intelligence and a drive to Excell, placed her on a path that allowed her to escape the confining family circumstances. Gymnastic excellence and scholastic achievements allowed her to win scholarships to distant universities. She built a new life, but of course she brought her very high standards with her, and she and probably others found them difficult to match.
Today she is surrounded by more of the things she loves and fewer of the things she does not. Or it might be said she is sometimes drawn back to her old life, but not as often - according to this very fine book.
I am pleased to have read HAZARD. It is beautifully written. Intelligence, sensitivity, and astonishing recall show on every page. And it is honest, without apology. I recommend it to anyone who would like a really good read.
Rex Olsen
June 1, 2017
I found this book very moving. I am slightly younger than Ms. Combs, but grew up in about the same era. I don't remember seeing disabled children until I was well into my teens. A lot of kids back then were institutionalized and you just weren't aware of them. No one talked about it. The emotions that everyone felt was so real. It must have been so confusing when Margaret was young and her parents were having such difficulties dealing with the (mis) diagnosis of Roddy.
The part that really choked me up was when Roddy was crying and wanted a "Sherry-friend". That broke my heart. I personally haven't been around autistic people. I have been around many Downs Syndrome folks, but autism is different. It must have been so hard to learn how to deal with someone that could never have a "normal" life.
Ms. Combs writes about his subject beautifully and tells of all the wounds and heartbreaks of growing up in her family.
The part that really choked me up was when Roddy was crying and wanted a "Sherry-friend". That broke my heart. I personally haven't been around autistic people. I have been around many Downs Syndrome folks, but autism is different. It must have been so hard to learn how to deal with someone that could never have a "normal" life.
Ms. Combs writes about his subject beautifully and tells of all the wounds and heartbreaks of growing up in her family.
May 26, 2018
As an only child, I can't imagine what it's like to grow up with siblings. I've given plenty enough thought to the subject over the years based on what I've seen in families around me and it's not always good. But to have an ill sibling, or one with some type of handicap, has got to be nigh on unbearable for the healthy siblings of that child! No matter what they achieve, no matter what they do, they are burdened with and overshadowed by the ONE. I have seen only two of these types of families and feel so very, very sorry for the normal siblings. No one notices them. Everyone in the family becomes the ONE's care taker. Stifling... so tragic for everyone. Exhausting. And the poor kids have to raise themselves as the parents have little time to devote any time to the "normals."
The story is worth reading if you aren't familiar with this theme. It's a good look into how families like this work.
I received a Kindle ARC in exchange for a fair review from Netgalley.
The story is worth reading if you aren't familiar with this theme. It's a good look into how families like this work.
I received a Kindle ARC in exchange for a fair review from Netgalley.
September 1, 2017
3.5 stars
I'm fascinated with autism and have empathy for anyone affected by it. I appreciated the author's perspective, especially growing up in the era that she did. It is hard to imagine having a child/sibling with a disability in a time when so little information was understood.
The first half of the book was my favorite because of the perspective it revealed. It was much harder for me to relate to the author through her adult years, making it a slightly more frustrating section to read. However, the book as a whole is an insightful, worthwhile read. I would recommend this book to anyone affected by or interested in autism.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I'm fascinated with autism and have empathy for anyone affected by it. I appreciated the author's perspective, especially growing up in the era that she did. It is hard to imagine having a child/sibling with a disability in a time when so little information was understood.
The first half of the book was my favorite because of the perspective it revealed. It was much harder for me to relate to the author through her adult years, making it a slightly more frustrating section to read. However, the book as a whole is an insightful, worthwhile read. I would recommend this book to anyone affected by or interested in autism.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2017
Outstanding and insightful
This beautifully written book invites the reader into the arthur's life from her earliest memories of her autistic brother and carries the reader with her as she slowly comes to terms with what it meant to be the sibling of a severely disabled child before autism had a name. She carried the weight of her mother's depression and her father's disappointment in addition to the shame they feel for producing a disabled child. Ms Combs' insight into her childhood experiences is remarkable.
Though the book might be a difficult read for parents of a child with autism, it is filled with compassion, love and resilience, forgiveness and hope. I highly recommend this book.
This beautifully written book invites the reader into the arthur's life from her earliest memories of her autistic brother and carries the reader with her as she slowly comes to terms with what it meant to be the sibling of a severely disabled child before autism had a name. She carried the weight of her mother's depression and her father's disappointment in addition to the shame they feel for producing a disabled child. Ms Combs' insight into her childhood experiences is remarkable.
Though the book might be a difficult read for parents of a child with autism, it is filled with compassion, love and resilience, forgiveness and hope. I highly recommend this book.
November 10, 2018
If you have a family member of know anyone who has someone with Autism then read this book .
A very poignant and moving book , which I found as a grandmother who has just recently been told that two of her very young grandsons are Autistic one at the high end of the spectrum and one at the bottom end ! But it helped me to realise that they have the hope of a better life than Roddy in this book because of the huge leaps in understanding people with this condition! For anyone who has any connection to someone with Autism, I highly recommend they read this amazing book .
A very poignant and moving book , which I found as a grandmother who has just recently been told that two of her very young grandsons are Autistic one at the high end of the spectrum and one at the bottom end ! But it helped me to realise that they have the hope of a better life than Roddy in this book because of the huge leaps in understanding people with this condition! For anyone who has any connection to someone with Autism, I highly recommend they read this amazing book .
November 10, 2018
If you have a family member of know anyone who has someone with Autism then read this book .
A very poignant and moving book , which I found as a grandmother who has just recently been told that two of her very young grandsons are Autistic one at the high end of the spectrum and one at the bottom end ! But it helped me to realise that they have the hope of a better life than Roddy in this book because of the huge leaps in understanding people with this condition! For anyone who has any connection to someone with Autism, I highly recommend they read this amazing book .
A very poignant and moving book , which I found as a grandmother who has just recently been told that two of her very young grandsons are Autistic one at the high end of the spectrum and one at the bottom end ! But it helped me to realise that they have the hope of a better life than Roddy in this book because of the huge leaps in understanding people with this condition! For anyone who has any connection to someone with Autism, I highly recommend they read this amazing book .
June 15, 2017
****Goodreads Giveaway****
I was so happy to win this book on a giveaway! And the author did not disappoint! Such a good read and look inside the hardships and joys and all the mixed emotions that come with being a sibling of someone with a disability. The only thing that I wished was a little different were better segways into the next chapter. Sometimes so much time had passed that I had to catch up to where she was. But overall, an excellent read.
I was so happy to win this book on a giveaway! And the author did not disappoint! Such a good read and look inside the hardships and joys and all the mixed emotions that come with being a sibling of someone with a disability. The only thing that I wished was a little different were better segways into the next chapter. Sometimes so much time had passed that I had to catch up to where she was. But overall, an excellent read.
July 19, 2017
This is a book I received from Goodreads giveaway.
I entered the giveaway in hopes that I would get insight from a s person who had a autistic sibling. Our youngest grandson is autistic and I worry about his older brother. This book did provide some guidance and signals to watch for and gave me that perspective on what I can do to help, even if it is a little bit.
Thank you Margaret for this book.
I entered the giveaway in hopes that I would get insight from a s person who had a autistic sibling. Our youngest grandson is autistic and I worry about his older brother. This book did provide some guidance and signals to watch for and gave me that perspective on what I can do to help, even if it is a little bit.
Thank you Margaret for this book.
July 13, 2017
A very moving memoir and insight into the life of a girl growing up with a special brother and parents who had a hard time showing affection to them. I enjoyed the journey immensely. Sometimes, if you just think of having to grow up with such a special child, how hard and rewarding at the same time it would be. Thank you for sharing your story Margaret.
November 20, 2017
I'm always interested in family stories on living with disabilities. Interesting perspective from a sister whose brother has autism. Growing up in the 50's and struggling with wanting her own life, leaving her family for "normalcy" and facing the bond with her brother, Combs is honest and open with her own struggles and dreams.
February 4, 2018
Poignant and courageously
This memoir is heartbreakingly honest , but also filled with joy and tenderness. Having a chance old with a disability changes the dynamic of a family in subtle and not so subtle Margie writes with great insight , offering us a window into one family’s struggles and triumphs.
This memoir is heartbreakingly honest , but also filled with joy and tenderness. Having a chance old with a disability changes the dynamic of a family in subtle and not so subtle Margie writes with great insight , offering us a window into one family’s struggles and triumphs.
June 16, 2018
Thoughtful, honest reflection on life with a disabled sibling
Having grown up in a family with a developmentally disabled uncle, this book really resonated with me. The author eloquently captures the internal and external struggles related to having a "different" family member and how out impacted the choices she made as an adult.
Having grown up in a family with a developmentally disabled uncle, this book really resonated with me. The author eloquently captures the internal and external struggles related to having a "different" family member and how out impacted the choices she made as an adult.
July 15, 2017
I won a copy of this book.
A very interesting look into a family that has an autistic child in the 1950s through 70s. Combs fights throughout her childhood and teenage years to find where she fits in the family and the greater world. Glad I had a chance to read this book.
A very interesting look into a family that has an autistic child in the 1950s through 70s. Combs fights throughout her childhood and teenage years to find where she fits in the family and the greater world. Glad I had a chance to read this book.
January 25, 2018
A sensitive thought provoking book.
This is a book worth reading about the struggles experienced by a handicapped child and his family. The love, caring, and strength of the family are remarkable.
This is a book worth reading about the struggles experienced by a handicapped child and his family. The love, caring, and strength of the family are remarkable.
April 5, 2018
Very touching
I truly enjoyed reading this book. It truthfulness & raw emotion as a child & as a woman held me during the entire book. The subject matter is so relevant today. I recommend this book!
I truly enjoyed reading this book. It truthfulness & raw emotion as a child & as a woman held me during the entire book. The subject matter is so relevant today. I recommend this book!
March 3, 2019
I enjoyed this book. It was told honestly from the point of view of a disabled child's sister. Truly enjoyed her observation that, in the end, her brother truly enriched her life and outlook, and gave her an appreciation for her parents struggles in a different and less understanding era.
November 22, 2019
This is a deeply moving and troubling book. A family has a severely disabled child. The author opens the reader to the challenges and heartbreaks each family member experiences. This book should be required reading.
May 30, 2017
Exceptionally well written...
June 15, 2017
"Hazard" is a poignant and beautifully written memoir that draws you into the life a sibling of a disabled child and the impact on the whole.
My copy was a gift through Goodreads First Reads.
My copy was a gift through Goodreads First Reads.
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