Expecting Adam by Martha Beck

So let's start with the easy part - Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic movingly encapsulates what a Harvard doctoral student went through when she discovered she was pregnant with a child with Down's Syndrome. Martha Beck writes in a brisk style and includes powerful anecdotes about the reaction of her students and family members. She delves into deep questions about intellect, spirituality, and values.

The problem for me, however, was what has happened in the decade since this book was published. The memoir succeeds partially because it's a testament to a marriage made stronger by adversity, so it's a bummer to discover that Beck and her husband divorced several years ago, for reasons I don't want to get into here. I also was disquieted by the controversy around her 2005 book.

In short, I think Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic has value. There is no doubt that should have more women writing and talking about the decision to continue or not continue an unplanned pregnancy, especially when tackling the issue of special needs. But often the reason people read memoirs is because it's a bridge, a chance to say "Ah, the author is One of Us." For me, learning more about this author made me wonder about the veracity of this memoir, which took away from the overall experience of reading it.