Book review

I read the book Late-Talking Children by Thomas Sowell.

My intention was to read another book by Thomas Sowell that the library did not have.  Sowell wrote a book based on a group of people he conversed with through emails, letters and such who all had late-talking children.  These families contacted Sowell after he wrote articles in the paper about his own son John.

The book starts with John's story and other adults who were once mysterious late-talkers.  The book proceeds with the stories of the families who contacted Sowell with their stories and what he knew about them based on letters and parent surveys.  Many of the stories are fascinating.  The book was written in 1997 and I was amazed at all the different parents saying their child was diagnosed with Autism by the school and professionals said "NO WAY!"  I was not aware that the quickness to label children Autistic was going on at this time.

Many of the children reminded me of Avery.  The children had excellent memory, quickness with numbers and letters, went from saying nothing to say full sentences and late to potty train because they just didn't care if they did or not.  The only difference was that compared to these children in the book Avery talking right at age 2 does not make him a late talker.  Most the children in this book did not talk much or at all until they were 4.

Sowell then addresses the similarities between families of late talkers.  This section actually made me feel that if my children were not late-talkers then they would be 'abnormal'.  What I mean by this is Sowell noted the occupations of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.  There was always at least one and more likely more than one family member in either, engineering, accounting, science, mathematics, computers or music.
   
                            So my kids have:  Father- science, music, Grandfather - computers, Grandmother - accounting, Uncle - computers, music, Grandfather- architect (I would lump that with engineering), Mother- music, and I would also have to include Grandmother- art
 * music was described as plays an instrument - musical profession

My only problem with this book is that Sowell continues the book with a story of a boy who really is Autistic and gifted.  However, even though the story is wonderful it gave little insight as to why this boy was really Autistic compared to the other children who sounded like they could be and weren't.

Many other reviews of the book on goodreads said they were not impressed since the book only covers children with very high IQ.  That may be true but I found that some of the children were thought not to have high IQ until they could talk...