When you have a child that doesn't fit in, what do you do? Debra Ginsberg knew that her son, Blaze, was unique from the moment he was born in 1987. What she didn't know was that Blaze's differences would be regarded by the outside world not as gifts, but as impediments to social and academic success. Blaze never crawled. He just got up and walked when he turned one. He called his mother 'Zsa Zsa' until he was three. By kindergarten, he loved the music of Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald. He fears butterflies and is fascinated by garbage trucks. With the same honesty that made "Waiting" a success, "Raising Blaze: Bringing Up an Extraordinary Son in an Ordinary World" chronicles Debra's experience in raising a child who has defied definition by the host of professionals who have sought to label his differences. Ginsberg introduces us to a remarkable child and her own unusual childhood. She writes about a family which shows us the redemptive power of faith, humour and love. ( )

Basic Summary: Debra Ginsberg wrote a memoir about her years in the food industry ([b:Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress|48759|Waiting The True Confessions of a Waitress|Debra Ginsberg|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1347790501s/48759.jpg|55230]). Waiting was full of spelling and grammar error; which I found funny since she stresses how she ended up working with a book packaging company and reading manuscripts/etc for a living..and this book is only slightly better in the amount of errors. As I typed this sentence, I discovered that she has actually 8 books, which is about 6 more than I thought she had.

Anyways, she had a son, named Blaze - (really?) who had a very rough entrance into the world. His umbilical cord was wrapped twice around his neck. As he got older, his school requested to place him in special-ed as, he was displaying inappropriate social behavior and a severely low academic gain. She is convinced that they're all nutbergers and her son is a genius with a unique look on life. Her and her parents think all doctors are wrong, all the time and that all test results regarding everything are wrong.

She goes as far as burying a psychiatrist's evaluation (which said that tests leaned towards something on the autism spectrum and clearly noted that they were inconclusive) in a pile of papers and not turning it into the school because she felt it was a "betrayal". Then, she decided to start the 4th grade WITH HIM. Joined his class. To sit there with him. Quit her well-paying job and went back to waitressing so she could impair her son's education. And that's where I am so far..

Final Impression: There is absolutely no denying that the author is an extremely loving and dedicated mother. I just don't think we'd get along based on her parental choices; but that's what made the book so interesting to read. She was nasty to all the teachers she met, they were nasty to her (from her perspective?), she ignored every single diagnosis and advice about her son and even pulled him out of school to homeschool him in lieu of addressing his behavioral problems.

I disagreed with just about every move she made but I've never lived it so I maintain major respect for her devout dedication to her son.

( )

This is a warm, wonderful book. I read it soon after it was published and I still recall it easily. My own son- who I later discovered is on the spectrum - was very young but I could see similarities ( in their own unique ways). After my son was diagnosed, I thought of the book even more often, although I didn't remember any diagnosis. I've read all of Ginsberg's other books because of this one (and enjoyed them all, especially waitress). The writing is consistently sharp, funny, and vivid and the author's personality (at least as perceived by me through her prose) warm and sensitive. I not only love her work, I'm grateful she's writing. My own son is doing well and I hope Blaze is too-maybe she'll write a sequel? ( )

While written solely as a memoir, Raising Blaze makes no attempt to resolve any issues, or really instruct the reader regarding any specific diagnosis or treatment. Blaze Ginsberg seems to be a child who could never be properly tested nor definitively labeled, much to the chagrin of educators and to the frustration of his family. Obviously having sensory issues, immature social behavior, and a unique sense of communication and viewing the world, Blaze never seemed to fit in to mainstream schooling. Raising Blaze in no way pretends to be a resource book. It is, instead, courageous, humane and impressive in its sadness and humor. Ginsberg writes transparently, as well as matter of factly, of her prolific parenting mistakes, foibles and vulgarities. She also records with honesty and tenderness her love and devotion to her son.

No one was a greater advocate for Blaze than she. For anyone who has a special needs child, this book can act as an inspiration to educate oneself, to fight for the rights of your child, and to seek creative, imaginative resolutions. ( )