The Wisdom of Sam
Observations on Life from an Uncommon Child
by Daniel Gottlieb
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Pub Date Apr 01 2010 | Archive Date Sep 01 2012
Description
In this heartfelt and generous book, author Daniel Gottlieb shares life lessons taught to him by his eight-year-old grandson, Sam. Readers were first introduced to Sam in Letters to Sam—which has been translated into 15 languages, with more than 50,000 copies sold in the U.S. Now, The Wisdom of Sam continues the extraordinary story of the interaction between a grandfather who is quadriplegic and a grandson who is autistic as they share their discoveries about empathy, compassion, courage, happiness, and the power of laughter. Sam’s uncommon perspective on the world—and the remarkable way he expresses himself—are the seeds of inspiration for his grandfather. And the emotional connection between Daniel Gottlieb and his grandson provide a springboard for wonderful moments of reflection, understanding, and humor. Sam’s candid observations not only teach us what we’ve forgotten but they also show us how to look at the world through a different lens. Just as Sam’s grandfather has found his world view forever changed by the wisdom of his grandson, readers of The Wisdom of Sam will discover unforgettable messages of acceptance, hope, love, and gratitude.
Daniel Gottlieb, Ph.D., is the author of Letters to Sam, Learning from the Heart (recipient of the Books for a Better Life Award),Voices in the Family, and Voices of Conflict, Voices of Healing. He hosts an award-winning mental health call-in program, Voices in the Family, on the public radio station WHYY 90.9 FM in Philadelphia, and also hosts a weekly blog on the website of The Philadelphia Inquirer. A sought-after speaker on family and social issues, he lectures locally and nationally on a variety of topics affecting the well-being of communities. In 2009 he was recipient of The Fervent Love of Life Award in Taiwan. He resides in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Advance Praise
Praise for The Wisdom of Sam
“Another beautiful volume from one of the few inspirational writers who has actually walked the walk and not just talked the talk. Gottlieb is a national treasure.” — Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology, Harvard University; author of Stumbling on Happiness
“In The Wisdom of Sam, Dan Gottlieb once again reminds us of the simplicity of the things that matter, their abundance in our daily lives and the power of love to reveal us as whole. Dan is the grandfather each of us would wish to have and Sam, the grandchild who is life’s greatest gift. A book that is food for the journey.” — Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author of My Grandfather's Blessings and Kitchen Table Wisdom
“The Wisdom of Sam offers a compelling journey with a compassionate and insightful guide, Dr. Dan Gottlieb. While our teacher for this heartfelt course in living may find it difficult to physically move, his clarity and brilliance as storyteller and psychologist moves us deeply in the most profound levels of learning: life, love, death, hope, beauty, truth, and wisdom are the beautifully delivered curriculum. I was sad when the book ended—loving this course in how to open our eyes and hearts to live life to the fullest—and profoundly grateful for the vision this book so magnificently provides to appreciate the wondrous gift of being alive and to inspire each of us to connect compassionately. This is an irresistible invitation to seize the moment and awaken our minds to live life fully present.” — Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., author of Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation
“This is a heart warming book written by the grandfather of a young child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The relationship between the two is remarkable, in terms of understanding each other’s point of view and life experiences. The book can be read at many levels, from a description of autism in a child and quadriplegia in a mature adult, to a philosophical understanding of the meaning of life. I really enjoyed reading the words of wisdom in The Wisdom of Sam.” — Tony Attwood, author of The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome
“In the imagination, important things are big achievements in the past or future. In life as it is experienced, important things are small, present, and moment to moment. This beautiful book is a meditation about those small and yet important moments. As you read it, you will find yourself settling down, breathing in, and opening up to your own life. Consider it a gift to your heart.”— Steven C. Hayes, University of Nevada, author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life
“When my son’s autism began over 25 years ago, I tried single-mindedly to change him. After seven years, I realized that he had changed me. Likewise Sam’s perspective through his different kind of mind makes him an extraordinary teacher to his learned grandfather and readers from all walks of life. Through Sam, Gottlieb reminds us of the passions of childhood. This is a book I will pick up over and over to take me back to that wisdom inside.” — Robert Naseef, author Special Children, Challenged Parents; co-editor Voices from the Spectrum
Sam is described as an Uncommon Child, not necessarily because he is on the autism spectrum, but because of his one-liners. The Wisdom of Sam beckoned to me because I have worked with several students with autism or Asperger's. Some of my friends have autistic children. Sam is 8-years-old. The author, Daniel Gottlieb, is his grandfather who happens to be quadriplegic.
Sam's comments and questions about life, death, and things in between such as "Why do people have to get naked?" are the backbone of the book. Gottlieb takes the backbone and fleshes it out with chapters about events in their lives. We learn about Sam's first solo night away from home and Gottlieb's first train trip since his accident.
Because I work in transition and career education, I especially liked the chapter "My Kind of Place." Gottlieb says the question "what do you want to be when you grow up" is not the kind of question kids ask themselves. He reminds us to stop what we're doing to experience our place. Just be.
5 stars from me
Disclaimer: The publisher, Hay House, Inc, sent me the eBook galley for an honest review. I'm glad they did; I plan to read Letters to Sam.
on blog: http://mcbetty.blogspot.com/2010/03/wisdom-of-sam.html
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9781401923853 |
| PRICE | |
