Deb Tawna has a confession about Deb Kim’s book

Can I confess something?

I didn’t expect to like Deb Kim’s book about raising three daughters with autism.

I don’t have kids. I don’t know many people with kids, and I don’t tend to like books about kids. I do not know anyone personally impacted by autism.

All the cards were stacked against this book when it came my turn to read. Yet I devoured it – seriously, DEVOURED it – in one sitting.

This book is heartfelt. It’s honest. It’s not preachy or overly clinical.

But most importantly – at least in my eyes – this book is funny. Laugh out loud, fall on the floor, pee your pants FUNNY.

I write romantic comedy, so it’s probably no surprise to hear I like to laugh. But the true art in writing any sort of humor is the ability to find the funny in situations that most people think shouldn’t be funny at all.

Kim covers topics from vaccinations to abortion to poop mishaps to unemployment to all the ups and downs of having three – count ‘em, THREE – daughters with autism, and she does it with grace, wit, and delightful humor.

I loved this book. I learned from this book. I laughed and cried all the way through this book.

So if you’re one of those readers like me who looks at the title and thinks, “I’m not sure I’d like that,” allow me to say you’re probably wrong.

I certainly was. And I’ve never laughed so hard about it.

Have you ever fallen in love with a book you didn’t expect to enjoy? Please share. And please go buy Deb Kim’s All I Can Handle; I’m No Mother Teresa: A Life Raising Three Daughters With Autism.

I promise you won’t regret it.

9 Replies to “Deb Tawna has a confession about Deb Kim’s book”

  1. I love this review – it’s exactly what I’m hoping for from readers – and why I’m not thrilled that I’m being shelved on the childhood development section. I want the book to be perceived as a Kimoir – (memoir from Kim- clever, yes? feel free to write a Tawoir.) I’m psyched to have learned that B&N will be featuring the book on a front table the week after Thanksgiving. Hoping the fabulous cover art attracts readers and that they at least pick it up.

    And my first line? “Oh God, not another book about autism.” I feel the way you did, Tawna!

    Thanks for a GREAT week, everyone.

    KIM

    1. LOVE that B&N is doing that!!!! So, so important. I once wrote a travel guide for marathoners that really should have been sold in running stores — probably exclusively. Instead it was in NO running stores, only regular bookstores, and in the travel section, where the target audience would never find it.

      From everything I can see, your book is selling like gangbusters on Amazon, so hopefully your publisher can use that info to get more front displays, and additional shelf space in Biography and/or Humor.

  2. I do have friends dealing with autism in their families, so this sounds like a fantastic book to me. A little laughter makes any situation easier to handle. Thanks for the great review. 🙂

  4. Tawna, I think I felt the same way, though knowing Kim made me sure that it would be funny.

    I can’t believe how much it ended up fascinating me – I read it in one night, too, and I’m sure everyone around me is sick of my talking about it.

  5. I’ll have to look for this.

    There’s one book I never thought I’d read. I’m not religious, I’m not much into sweet romance, but someone recommended Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers to me several years ago. It isn’t a funny book, I’m afraid. In fact, I cried after the first chapter, but I’ve read that book several times since then and I count it as one of my favorites.

  7. I haven’t read the book yet, but I intend to.

    It’s strange for me to realize there are people in the world who *haven’t* been affected by autism. One of my closest friends in high school was autistic (closest–he sat next to me in class), and my aunt is a SpEd teacher, so I have a long and colorful history with various degrees of autism.

    I’m a little psyched to run to B&N to pick up the Kimoir now.

  8. Buying this immediately. I’d been waiting for the release date and forgotten to queue it for purchase on Amazon. Thanks for the review, Tawna, and I’ll post one of my own as a Friday Review over at my blog once I finish reading it!

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