Dancing with Max: A Mother and Son Who Broke Free

Written by Emily Colson and Charles W. Colson

Narrated by Emily Colson

The true story of a single mother's love and perseverance, her son's autism diagnosis with its challenges and gifts, and their triumph together over life's toughest obstacles.

Journey with Emily Colson--daughter of former White House Special Counsel Chuck Colson--as she takes you from her darkest days of pain to her adventure through life. With candor and wit, she shares about her personal battles and heartbreak when, as a suddenly single mother, she discovered that her only child has autism. Emily illuminates the page with vivid imagery--making you laugh, making you cry, and inspiring you to face your own challenges.

This is the story that will inspire you to break free of the barriers that threaten to constrict your life, and Max is the young man who will capture--and even change--your heart. As you learn more about Max and his journey, you'll learn about:

• The incredible power of community
• Facing each day with grace and faith
• Turning your challenges into blessings

In a special prologue and epilogue from Chuck Colson--his most personal writing since Born Again--he details how Max's resilient spirit unraveled his thinking and brought out his tender side as a grandfather.

Along the way, you'll discover that Max's disability does not so much define who he is, but reveals who we are. Dancing with Max is not a fairy tale with a magical ending. It's a real-life story of grace, second chances, and fresh starts in spite of life's hardest problems. And Max? Max will make you fall in love with life all over again, leaving you dancing with joy.

Praise for Dancing with Max:

"Emily shares her moving story, of life's struggles but of its even greater victories, in her own words. This is a story of triumph, in spite of the suffering and pain. It is most of all a love story, and a story about changed lives--Emily's, Max's, and also mine."

--Chuck Colson, former White House Special Counsel

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Sep 7, 2010
• ISBN: 9780310412496

Emily Colson

Emily Colson is the daughter of Chuck Colson. She is an artist and writer. After many years as an art and creative director in the field of advertising and design, she now pours her creative gifts into helping her son, Max, who is diagnosed with autism. She has even pioneered an innovative communication system to assist her son. Emily has been a single mother for most of Max’s 19 years, with hard-fought lessons of life, love, and laughter. Emily and Max live on the coast of New England, where they can often be found dancing. You can visit her at www.emilycolson.com.

Reviews for Dancing with Max

[kblinn_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emily Colson, daughter of Prison Fellowship founder Chuck Colson, has written an account of life with Max, her now nineteen-year-old autistic son. Emily's husband left her when Max was just a few months old so she has raised him as a single parent although he does enjoy a good relationship with his father. That she managed to raise him so fabulously without losing her mind and her faith is surely a testimony to the grace of God. At one point, his teachers recommended giving up on him and placing him in a boarding school. At that point, Emily considered fleeing the state of Massachusetts with him to keep that from happening. Just at that moment, a place opened up at what turned out to be the perfect school for him. With the help of a long-term live-in assistant, Lena, Emily managed to break through and communicate with Max using "Picture Talk". Before Max, she had a career as a graphic artist, and she has put those skills to work to help understand how Max views the world. While there has been no miracle healing in Max's life, he has developed into a loving young man who has blessed the lives of many people. We learn of Max's enthusiasm for bridges, vacuum cleaners, freezers, and bananas as the book progresses, and the many shopkeepers who have allowed him to sweep their floors and arrange their displays. This book provides a window into the world of autism for those of us who would benefit from a clearer understanding. Chuck Colson has penned a moving forward and epilogue to the book. Highly recommended in this day and age when autism has become an all-to-common diagnosis among children.

[bj23_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was a true delight to read and really is perfect for any parent. It truly reminds us of what is really important in our life and provides a perspective that parents often do not think about about as often as we should during all the chaos of everyday life - what a true blessing children are in our lives. Personally, it provided me with a more purposeful and joyful interaction with my own 2 children and to remember what we all often forget - just take it one day at a time because their childhood is a very finite period of time. The book is a quick weekend read recommended.

[srtsrt_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was excited to receive this book from Early Reviewers because I have a special needs son also. This is a great memoir that shows the value of support from family and those who share your faith along with the need to innovate when standard practices don’t work for your child. Autism does not come in a neatly tied package. Our children and their symptoms are as different as any group of individuals can be; parents have to be open to ideas that may not work for others but do help their own children. I thought the book was well written and it flowed nicely. I am of another faith so the repeated references to Christian witnessing was somewhat annoying. Ms. Colson’s father used her book for expressing his own extreme views and so may make the memoir distasteful for some.

[Jeni · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Emily’s writing is fresh, honest, and poignant! She made me fall in love with Max as well as with Emily herself, and I went away with a deeper understanding of the joys as well as the challenges of children with autism. What a beautiful, refreshing, and inspiring story. And hearing Max at the end was the sweetest surprise!

[sparkleandchico · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a really great story about Max, a young boy with severe autism and the relationship his mother Emily develops with him after her husband leaves her. Max is actually the grandson of the late Charles Colson who has written the forward and epilogue.

I enjoyed this book because it was so real and gives an outsider a glimpse into the daily struggles of life with a child like Max. Emily tirelessly seeks to find ways to communicate with him and improve his quality of life. Her example is one of complete selflessness, she obviously adores him and has sacrificed her life that he might experience some joy here on earth. They are Christians.

This book is actually pretty funny--Emily uses a lot of amusing metaphors and similes to try and help people understand exactly how she felt and how other people responded to Max's behaviour. There were many people who sought to connect with Max, others who didn't know what to do and still others who really should be ashamed of themselves. Emily perseveres through the ups and downs. The writing style is creatively unique, it's difficult to explain but I haven't read a book quite like this before.

An ideal gift for someone dealing with a child with disabilities or just for those who enjoy true stories of Christian hope in the midst of trials. There is no bad language, sexual content or violence.

[homeschoolmimzi · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Endearing account of a single mother raising her autistic son. Riveting, the kind of book you don't want to put down. Not A writing, and the title was off, I thought. Raising Max would have been more appropriate.

[kimjd_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An honest and warmly told memoir from Emily Colson on the extreme challenges and unexpected joys of raising her autistic son Max.

[renny31_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book seems like it is a good read but I couldn't really get into this book. I started reading it and it didn't hold my attention. Maybe when I'm in the mood to be inspired or read a book about hope, this will strike the right note for me, but for the moment, it's not what I need.

[sweetngr8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

INSPIRING!!!I found “Dancing with Max” to be absolutely inspiring. For most parents, loving your child is an unconditional feeling that you do not even think about. You simply love your child or children and do your best to teach them and guide them though childhood, adolescence, and into adult hood. You hope that you have done enough for them to succeed in the world on their own.Emily Colson invites the reader into her family. Emily shares her faith, compassion, humor, and unconditional love for her son and the daily challenges their lives entail. I am blessed to have a healthy daughter without any physical or mental disabilities, but Emily shows us that she is also blessed in the beautiful love she has for her son.

[judithrs · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Dancing with Max. Emily Colson. 2010. I didn’t intend to read two books about autistic children in such a short time, but Janet lent this on to me. Colson is not a professional writer but she is a loving mother. Her account is more about her spiritual growth as she comes to feel that Max is a spiritual blessing to all who are open to him.Her father Chuck Colson provides an incredibly moving account of how Max has affected his life

[joycebl · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

In Dancing with Max, Emily Colson relates her experience raising a mildly autistic child as a single mother. It is a heartfelt portrayal, full of empathy, love and humor. As indicated by reviews here and at Amazon, many readers clearly have found the story heart-warming and uplifting. I can certainly understand that reaction. However, as a mental health professional who works with children, I have mixed reactions to the book. First, being based largely on information from as much as two decades ago, the book ought not be taken as descriptive of how autism is treated in the USA today. While the author reportedly could not find services for her son, and the staff at the day center did not understand his behavior, I doubt that such could happen today (except perhaps in the poorest of US states and rural areas). Twenty years ago, when I was working with autistic children and young adults in a large eastern city, lots of services were available to them, including special classrooms, pull-out services in school, group homes, respite services for parents, after school programs, and counseling services. (Likewise, the state of Pennsylvania had similar services by the early to mid 1970s). With autism so much in the news, it would be unfortunate if someone came away from this book with a distorted knowledge of what is available today for children and adults who are diagnosed with the condition. Second, to be frank, I found the conservative religious fervor that permeates the book to be off-putting. Autism knows no bounds of religion or culture. Thus, autistic children are routinely born of Jewish parents, Hindu parents, Buddhist parents, and Muslim parents, not to mention animists, atheists, agnostics, and followers of Confucius. How nice that Max’s mother found strength and solace in her religion. But love of a mother for her child (disabled or not) is a universal human feature, and evangelical Christianity certainly has no monopoly on the attribute. Lest that seem an over-reaction to the book, see its extended prologue and epilogue by the author’s father, reformed felon Charles Colson. Colson senior uses his daughter’s book to gain converts to his extremist form of religion, with a bizarre and slanderous caricature of biological science. (He equates a belief in evolution with a form of eugenics reminiscent of Nazi Germany). If Mr. Colson took time to read a little popular science, he would find that one of the most exciting conceptual advances in the past 20 years has been recognition that ethics, morality, and even belief in the supernatural have a biological (and evolutionary) basis. In sum, this is a heartwarming tale of a mother’s compassion and love for her disabled son. But it is a memoir, not an account of how autism is treated today. Interestingly, in biblical times, an autistic child would have been thought to be possessed by the devil. Today (we’re repeatedly told in this book), Max is a “gift”. Now that’s evolution!. :-)

[saplin_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book gave a great first-hand perspective of the difficulties of living with autism. This condition is still not understood by many outside of those in direct contact (family and schools) with people with autism or Asperger's. To hear from someone directly does a lot to take away the misunderstands and stigma sometimes associated with it. I enjoyed the book for that reason. I did not think necessarily more well-written than other books I read, just a different (and important perspective).

[staffoa · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Unlike many who will likely pick up this book, I am not a parent of a child with autism. I am an educator, though, and found it quite helpful to have a first-hand view of the home life of someone with autism. I felt that having both an epilogue and a prologue by the author's father, Charles Colson, was bit too much--perhaps one or the other? I felt she was drawing on his celebrity, but her father did not figure into her relationship with Max very much (as far as the book details). It's a fascinating read of a single mother's struggles and frustrations while raising a child with autism; her battles with finding the right education system for his needs; her love for her child.

[angelswing_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. I especially liked the way it began with Colson speaking from his own perspective. It also gave me enlightenment on the effects of Asperger's which before I read it, I didn't understand. I definitely recommend this book. It's a good read and quite touching.

[loubigfish · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Meaningful and tugs at your heart strings. Very emotional and moving. Who ever thought that raising a child to have so much JOY!!!

[janesteen_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Where I got the book - a review copy from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program. Which is a great way to try out books you wouldn't necessarily buy, by the way. Give it a go.I have a developmentally disabled child, and found myself nodding in understanding as I was reading Dancing With Max, Colson's account of what she has learned from life with her autistic son. The memoir also touches briefly on her childhood and her father Chuck Colson, who was implicated in the Watergate scandal, became a Christian in jail, and went on to become a well-known author and speaker. He writes the prologue and epilogue to the book, presumably to give it more heft in Christian circles. I'm not sure that was a good decision. Emily Colson's account stands quite nicely on its own, in my opinion.And yet there's a fitting parallel between Colson's youth, living with the stigma of her father's very public jail sentence, and the feelings of humiliation and high visibility that she recounts when she describes what it's like having a child who melts down regularly in public. "It's remarkable how quickly space clears around you when your autistic child explodes in public. I tried not to care about the people staring at us. . . . I tried not to lose an ounce of energy to humiliation."Colson's faith is evident in Dancing With Max, but she doesn't overemphasize it. Her tone is matter-of-fact and down to earth, and her theme - that Max brings out the best in people who have the best in them - does not need a faith-based filter to work.I enjoyed Colson's writing, which is unpretentious and easy to read. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to understand more about the autism spectrum.

[l_millsaps · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Though I myself do not have a child who suffers from Autism, I found this book was able to speak to me on so many other levels. As Emily shares the story of her personal journey from the child of a fallen-from-grace public figure (Chuck Colson), to a young woman in a troubled marriage, to a single mom with a special needs child struggling to make ends meet, I identified with her feelings of pain, frustration, anger and loss. Her choice to surrender wholly to God and allow Him to heal her and open her eyes to the joy - yes joy! - that could be found in the midst of trial was transformational to watch. Emily chose to see Max as a gift, not a burden. There are many hard places in my own life where I can make the same choice. I think this book would strike a chord with many people, not just parents of Autism.

[linellsb1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am so lucky to have received this book. It has some wonderful insights for those unfamiliar with any special needs persons. As a special needs respite care volunteer with ties to the special needs community, the journey for Emily and Max although uniquely individual is also frightening familiar. Many children, no matter how slightly "different" they are,receive less than equal treatment in within the school system, as well as by the other students. I mostly applaud Emily's adaptation of her own life and viewpoint of the world to accommodate her son's and it is she who really "broke free". Max was born free of self-consciousness, conceit and judgementalism. If you take anything away from this book, let it be that without our concerns of how others might "see" us or might "think" about us, we could ALL be as joyful and as"in the moment" as Max. Worth your while to read, enjoy and learn,

[marsap_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found the journey of Emily and Max a fascinating one. The story of Emily's journey through the medical system, education system to do the best for her child was inspiring. The story is definitely told from the Christian perspective--which could be an issue for some. As others have stated I found the prologue and epilogue by Chuck Colson to deter from the message of the book. I found his message to by very judgemental and overly political. I would recommend that readers to skip the portions by Chuck Colson and simply enjoy the story of Emily and Max.

[dpelaez_47 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I truly enjoyed the book. I have worked with individuals with Autism and I applaud Emily's creativity, faith and effort in trying to raise her son by herself. The faith jorney that Emily, Max and her entire family face alone is worth reading the book.

[khiemstra631 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emily Colson, daughter of Prison Fellowship founder Chuck Colson, has written an account of life with Max, her now nineteen-year-old autistic son. Emily's husband left her when Max was just a few months old so she has raised him as a single parent although he does enjoy a good relationship with his father. That she managed to raise him so fabulously without losing her mind and her faith is surely a testimony to the grace of God. At one point, his teachers recommended giving up on him and placing him in a boarding school. At that point, Emily considered fleeing the state of Massachusetts with him to keep that from happening. Just at that moment, a place opened up at what turned out to be the perfect school for him. With the help of a long-term live-in assistant, Lena, Emily managed to break through and communicate with Max using "Picture Talk". Before Max, she had a career as a graphic artist, and she has put those skills to work to help understand how Max views the world. While there has been no miracle healing in Max's life, he has developed into a loving young man who has blessed the lives of many people. We learn of Max's enthusiasm for bridges, vacuum cleaners, freezers, and bananas as the book progresses, and the many shopkeepers who have allowed him to sweep their floors and arrange their displays. This book provides a window into the world of autism for those of us who would benefit from a clearer understanding. Chuck Colson has penned a moving forward and epilogue to the book. Highly recommended in this day and age when autism has become an all-to-common diagnosis among children.

[gwnsad · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must say "thank you" for this opportunity to, first, receive this book and, second, to review it. This overall book is an amazing account of a family embracing the joys, challenges, and opportunities that having a child with Autism may encounter. Specifically, Emily Colson has done an amazing job in portraying the daily dynamic she faced and fashioned with her son, Max. I found her to be very open in expressing her emotions, good or bad. This, I believe, will be a tremendous affirmation to other parents who face challenges and joys in child rearing whether there is a physical or emotional condition to deal with. The stories she tells are both eye-opening and poignant. I particularly loved the Audi car seat saga as well as the church situation.Ms. Colson showed truely intuitive thinking in finding one of the primary avenues through which she could communicate with Max through pictures. I, personally, agree with the overall tone of the book in giving God the glory and praise for the daily comfort and inspiration. Even if you are non-believer the optimism and hope that are projected here will overcome any discomfort with differing religious attitudes. Ms. Colson does not portray a thoroughly rosey picture, though. She has found the voice with which she expresses her profound frustrations, as with the school system, as well as her pain, anger, and feelings of insecurity.Mr. Colson, her father, writes the prologue and epilogue. I found his voice so diametrically different to Ms. Colson's that is was a truly jarring transition to go from his voice to her voice to his voice. He hardly delves into his emotions concerning Max. He does belabor several instances where Max has behaved inappropriately when with he and his wife. I was made uncomfortable in that he soundied more complaining than sharing with the readers any other facet of that dynamic. I found interesting also that he dwells on the trememdous person that Ms. Colson is. He goes to great lengths to point out what tremendous attributes she has exhibited through-out the years. I have absolutely no doubts she has but he doesn't address her times of doubts, aggravation, etc. In other words, there is no admission of any of her "bad" times. Perhaps, that is a father thing. It feels unbalanced to me. Overall, I think this is a great inspirational account of someone who has faced tremendous challenges, how she dealt with them, sometimes effectively, sometimes not, and how those challenges broke her on some days and made her on others. No matter what, though, Ms. Colson manages to leave this reader with a feeling of hope and inspiration that transcends the specifics of her situation. No matter what circumstances may bring you, her and Max's story will inspire.

[squeakychu · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dancing with Max is the story of a single mother’s devotion to her autistic son. Fully unprepared for what life has in store for her after her divorce, Emily Colson puts her energy into advocating for her son and participating actively within her church. From her story, we learn what life with an autistic child is like and how her church is of great support for her and, more recently, to Max as well. As a parent of an autistic child, Emily was in a difficult situation. There was always the uncertainty of how Max would be treated by others once they learned he was “different”. There was also the unpredictability of how Max would react in various situations. How hard it must be to love a child so much and not be able to make the world for that child improve at will! I most identified with the author when she was angered by those within the school system who would not support her predictions of Max’s ability to progress. I laud her efforts to work with her son to help him adapt and now to share his story with the world. I think what she has done will make it easier for others who are in her same situation.The only part of the book I found annoying was the extensive prologue and epilogue by Emily’s father. I felt that it was too long and didn’t defer soon enough to the clear and unique voice of his daughter. In both, it seemed as if he wanted the focus to be on himself as he gave his mini-biography as well promoted his Christian preaching. I could have done well without either. I think both of those were a deficit to an otherwise enjoyable read.I would have liked for the book to have had some pictures of Max as I grew to care about him while reading his story. He would have become more real to me were I able to see him in a photograph. Instead of that, the book pictured the author and her father.

[pandoraknits · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dancing with Max is a wonderful story of a woman and her son working to overcome the adversities of both Autism and the school system as it stands today. Emily Colson chronicles her journey through single motherhood and the roller coaster ride of autism, and does so with humor and refreshing honesty. My one reservation about the book was her (inferred) failure to consider homeschooling for her son. At one point Emily is faced with the school threatening to force her son into a pseudo-military school only to get a last minute reprieve because another school suddenly had an opening. As the mother of an Asperger's child, I know how frustrating the school system can be, and have opted out of public education altogether. That decision has made all the difference in my child, and in the children of friends who also are gifted with differently-abled children.

[larestout_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emily Colson, daughter of Charles Colson, gives an honest account of life with her autistic son. She writes of the grief and pain of a special needs child, while also writing of the complete joy that her son brings her on a daily basis. I would highly recommend this book for parents with special needs children, or for those who wish to support them.

[glendalea_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall, I enjoyed Emily Colson's memoir, which offers a brief glimpse into her world and the highs and lows of raising an autistic son. Emily writes from the heart without being over-dramatic, and she keeps her style simple, making this a very quick read. My only problem with this book was with her father's prologue and epilogue. Charles Colson uses the prologue as a gratuitous mini-autobiography, and the epilogue also read like a self-indulgent rant. I would recommend skipping Charles' additions to the book and just enjoy Emily's narration.

[bbellthom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the parts of the book that were about Max and his challenges and how he overcame some of them. I like the part in the book where Emily realizes regardless of his disability they are going to live each day to the fullest and do things that Max enjoys along with other normal experiences. She is determined that she is not going to shy away from going somewhere because of his needs. I wish the book would have focused more on Max. I am also a mother of two autistic children and although not as severe as Max I enjoy reading how other families have overcome some of the struggles of raising a special needs child and how we find joy every day in our children. I didn’t realize when I requested this book that so much of it would be about the families religious journey or about Emily’s father.

[jeldredge_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Had I known how evangelical the book would be, I might not have requested a copy through the LTER program. I was not familiar with Zonderman books or the Colson's, but was looking forward to reading a nice story about a mother trying to connect with her autistic son. As other reviewers have mentioned, the book does start out very slow, with really unimpressive metaphors and descriptions of events, but you really see a change in Emily's passion and awareness as she begins to talk about Max. At times, the book felt like it was being authored by two different people. I very much enjoyed the stories about Max's likes and quirks, like the Audi seat, and how Emily found that drawing pictures helped to tie his thoughts together and help her to communicate with him. Her devotion to her son was evident as she spook of him. I would recommend the book to anyone with a devout faith to match the author's - as there is a lot of it mentioned, but overall thought that only about two-thirds of the book would worth anyone else's time.

[schwager_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I generally shy away from "Christian" literature, but was drawn to this work because of the focus on autism. I am very glad that I was. The prologue and epilogue by Charles Colson were the only truly preachy part of the book, and could have quite adequately been left off.As an elementary teacher in an "autism site school" (which means that children are mainstreamed in the regular classroom with essentially no true assistance), this book provided an important reminder of the joy that can exist despite this disability. As both a parent and a teacher I have battled the "Special Education System" and found the author's account to be very representative of what many families experience. I was so glad Colson didn't sugar coat the whole story. She acknowledged the pain, grieving, and heartache that accompanied her story while providing hope for her future.

[ladycato · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. The publisher's site is here.I admit, I had low expectations for this book. I think it's because of that subtitle: "A mother and son who broke free." The book is about a single-mom and her autistic son, who is now nineteen. To me, that subtitle suggests quackery. I was afraid this book from Zondervan would be along the lines of "with prayer and God's help we cured my son of autism."I'm glad to say that I was very wrong. This book does come from an undeniably Christian perspective, but the focus is on hope. Prayer, friendship, and church play important roles, but it still felt "real." The focus of the story, Max, was and is very autistic. By the time he was age six, his school deemed him a lost cause, a child best resigned to sit in the hallway so that he didn't bother anyone else. Emily Colson is brutally honest in her portrayal of Max's tantrums and the small things that could set him off--something I understood because my five-year-old son is autistic and does many of the same things. It was fascinating to see how the "mother and son break free" actually worked out through the course of each essay-chapter. So much of it came down to finding a way to talk to Max (picture chats), getting him in the right school, and letting him be himself. Max has an obsession with vacuums and appliances that is charming to read about, and his family would visit all the convenience stores around (which causes a problem when Max says in front of a doctor, "We need to go to the liquor store!").I found the last chapters to be profound. Max never attended church growing up because the setting was just too much for him. However, Emily came up with an idea when Max was a teenager. He could handle the end of the service and he loved helping, so why not to "backwards church?" They started showing up at the end of the service. Max got to see everyone, and more importantly, he became part of the grunt crew to help clean up. This made him the happiest person there, and that joy spread to everyone else. This really touched me because I avoid settings like church for this same reason, but I could see my son dance around and have the best time in the world by helping. It really showed how, by letting Max serve as a Christian, that really was more important than him sitting through a service.My main gripe with the book is that it's slow to get started because of Charles Colson's long prologue. I'm not familiar with him, but from reading the book it seems his radio program attracts two millions listeners a day and he's well-known in evangelical circles; he has the platform to sell this book to that audience. I wanted to read this book to read about a mother and autistic son, not about how Charles Colson became a Christian. His epilogue is more about autism and makes several good points, but it still detracted from the reason why *I* wanted to read this.