Friday, January 25, 2008

The Short Bus looks to be an interesting read

I received an email this week from an author and professional speaker, inviting me to review his new book, The Short Bus, which the email said was about ADHD/LD.

I must admit that I feel a bit humbled, but nonetheless honored to be asked to do this. I have written the author, Jonathan Mooney, a reply email, letting him know that I would like a review copy of The Short Bus, but asked if he had one which is accessible via screen reader.

I also took the time to check out Mr. Mooney’s web site,
www.jonathanmooney.com
And was tickled to find a link to read an
excerpt from The Short Bus.

After reading the brief passage, I can’t wait to get a full copy of this book. Mr. Mooney writes in a very personable and straight-talking style, grabbing the reader and taking him along on his own journey. The Short Bus is his memoir about growing up in the special education system. He has undertaken a 35,000-mile journey across America in a real short bus to carry out a grass roots promotion of his book. Along the way, he met “more than a dozen people who have been diagnosed as disabled or different.” Their diagnoses ranged from dyslexia to Downs syndrome to autism. He is able to write effectively about meeting these people and the impact they have on his perspective, dredging up memories of what it is like to be different in a society where being normal is the norm. Along the way, he takes the reader in with his humor and empathetic understanding of what it is like to have grown up riding that short bus the first time around.

And, remember, I’m saying this having just read that short excerpt. Mr. Mooney, I sincerely hope that you get back to me soon about this matter. After reading that excerpt, I’d love to read more.

About the author:
“My name is Jonathan Mooney and I am a proud member of the community of people with disabilities. I am extremely dyslexic and have been labeled ADHD. I did not learn to read until I was 12 years old and dropped out of school for a year in sixth grade. I was given a 50/50 chance of graduating from high school. I was told I would end up in jail. Yet I shocked the skeptics by graduating from Brown University in 2000 with an honors degree in English Literature. I am the author of a book called Learning Outside the Lines (Simon and Schuster), and over the last eight years I have lectured in 48 states and three countries on empowering students with cognitive differences. I have lectured at Harvard’s Graduate school of Education, the University of Pennsylvania, Teachers College Columbia University and thousands of K-12 schools.”

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