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January 10, 2012

I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames- Jeni Decker

I finished I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames last week. Jeni Decker has two sons, both on the autism spectrum. This book is more a compilation of short vinegettes than a long narrative with traditional chapters, so it's a fast read. Decker describes life with her sons, the abuse she takes, the quirks they have and how difficult it can be to raise two autistic boys. The love that she has for these two coupled with her understanding that their autism is not masking their true selves but they are who they are overcomes the more crass descriptions of life with her boys. This isn't the Parenthood version of raising an autistic boy, and like Sedaris' When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Decker's irreverent sensibilities may turn some off to the book. What I liked is that she's brutally honest about her sons and her life, but she loves with her whole heart and holds nothing back when describing her life.

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