(35) Raising Abel

Title: Raising Abel by Carolyn Nash
Publisher: CreateSpace
332 pages
Genre: Memoir - parenting

Synopsis: A woman of remarkable resourcefulness single-handedly raises a troubled child all the way to manhood in this intimate and inspiring blog-to-book memoir. At 38, Carolyn Nash had a good job, no apparent struggles and few conscious regrets—save, perhaps, her weight and her childlessness. She remedies the latter by fostering and then adopting 3-year-old Abel, a victim of unspeakable parental abuse, most of it sexual. Abel is charmingly innocent yet uncontrollably violent, and as he grows, so do his PTSD symptoms. Through the lens of Abel’s trauma, Nash peers into her own nightmares—she too feels deformed and unlovable—and learns their sick source.

Review: This book drew me in from the prologue. Haunting, yet uplifting this book shows the real trauma that happens when children are abused at an early age and the strength, determination and love it takes to help them through it. Carolyn Nash might not feel like a hero but she is one to me. Many people might have given up on Abel but she never did.  She showed him what unconditional love really is.

This book is written in short episodes, which highlight dramatic events throughout Abel's childhood and Carolyn's own self discovery journey in therapy. If you are a foster parent, or thinking of becoming a foster parent this might be a good read.  Its honest and maybe a bit scary but shows that you can get through it and what a huge difference you can make in the life of a child.  This is a book that will stay with me for quite a while.

If you are an amazon prime member and have a kindle or the kindle app you can "borrow" this title for free from amazon