Seeing Ezra: A Mother's Story of Autism, Unconditional Love, and the Meaning of Normal - Hardcover

"Bravo to Cohen for giving us such a deep, rich tale of motherhood."
Vicki Forman, author of "This Lovely Life"
"What is the experience of mothering an autistic child? And what is the experience of negotiating the world's reaction to that autism? This is a book to think with, a brave meditation on love and acceptance.Not just for mothersthis is a beautiful story about being human."
Ariel Gore, founding editor of Hip Mama, and author of "Bluebird: Women and the New Psychology of Happiness"
"Cohen writes an intense and penetrating story. Her honesty is gripping and heartbreaking, her struggles are laid bare for the reader and her perseveranceon behalf of her childis inspiring. "Seeing Ezra" is an important book."
Jennifer Lauck, author of the memoirs "Found" and "Blackbird"
""Seeing Ezra" is a love story and a portrait of Ezra as Ezra, with all the simplicity and complexity that entails. It is a story skillfully told by a mother who understands her son for who he is and for what he brings to the world on his own terms."
Robert Rummel-Hudson, author of "Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with his Wordless Daughter"

"
"Bravo to Cohen for giving us such a deep, rich tale of motherhood."
Vicki Forman, author of This Lovely Life
"What is the experience of mothering an autistic child? And what is the experience of negotiating the world's reaction to that autism? This is a book to think with, a brave meditation on love and acceptance.Not just for mothersthis is a beautiful story about being human."
Ariel Gore, founding editor of Hip Mama, and author of Bluebird: Women and the New Psychology of Happiness
"Cohen writes an intense and penetrating story. Her honesty is gripping and heartbreaking, her struggles are laid bare for the reader and her perseveranceon behalf of her childis inspiring. Seeing Ezra is an important book."
Jennifer Lauck, author of the memoirs Found and Blackbird
"Seeing Ezra is a love story and a portrait of Ezra as Ezra, with all the simplicity and complexity that entails. It is a story skillfully told by a mother who understands her son for who he is and for what he brings to the world on his own terms."
Robert Rummel-Hudson, author of Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with his Wordless Daughter

"

Seeing Ezra is the soulful, beautifully written memoir of a mother’s fierce love for her autistic son, and a poignant examination of what it means to be normal.” When Kerry Cohen’s son Ezra turns one, a babysitter suggests he may be different,” setting her family on a path in which autism dominates their world. As he becomes a toddler and they navigate the often rigid and prescriptive world of therapy, Cohen is unsettled by the evaluations they undergo: At home, Ezra is playfully expressive, sharing profound, touching moments of connection and intimacy with his mother and other family members, but in therapy he is pathologized, prodded to behave in ways that undermine his unique expression of autism.

It soon becomes clear that more is at stake than just Ezra’s well-being; Cohen and her marriage are suffering as well. Ezra’s differentness, and the strain of pursuing varied therapies, takes a toll on the familyCohen’s husband grows depressed and she pursues an affairall as she tries to help others recognize and embrace Ezra’s uniqueness rather than force him to behave outside his comfort level. It isn’t until they abandon the expected, prescriptive notions about love, marriage, and individuality that they are able to come back together as two parents who fiercely love their little boy.

Powerful and eye-opening, Seeing Ezra is an inspirational chronicle of a mother’s struggle to protect her son from a system that seeks to compartmentalize and fix” him, and of her journey toward accepting and valuing him for who he isjust as he is.