Fragile Innocence: A Father's Memoir of His Daughter's Courageous Journey

by James Reston Jr.

Book Overview

Fragile Innocence is the story of a child devastated by pure chance. This moving narrative of a father's journey to understand and accept the profound changes in his daughter's life is at once memoir,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1400082439
• ISBN13: 9781400082438
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Harmony
• Length: 253 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

It got better towards the end....

At first, I found this book very difficult to get into. It wasn't until around page 100 that I got interested. I thought the author moved away from the subject too many times, ie, he talked about his job as a writer. Really, who cares? This book was supposed to be about his daughter. However, the book did get a lot more interesting. I find it appalling that Hillary had to wait 8 years for a kidney transplant, and if the reason was because she was "handicapped", then that is outrageous. If you can get past the first boring part, it is well worth a read.

Innocent, but tough as nails

A beautiful and touching portrayal of life with a significantly impaired child. Mr. Reston does a wonderful job sharing the challenges, but more importantly, the joys of life with such a child. No one who reads this book will ever view a family like the Restons the same way again.

A child damaged and changed, a family's search for hope

At eighteen months toddler Hillary was struck by a terrible fever which would transform her from a bubbly, verbal child to one prone to seizures, health issues, and with a newfound inability to understand language or speak. Her parents searched for answers from some of the best medical facilities in the country: James Reston Jr.'s FRAGILE INNOCENCE: A FATHER'S MEMOIR OF HIS DAUGHTER'S COURAGEOUS JOURNEY recounts their struggle for answers and solutions. All kinds of issues are touched upon here; from stem cell research hopes to animal organ transplantation; yet the center of the story, Hillary, always remains the focus. A poignant, moving story of one family's search for help.

Extraordinary!

fragile innocence is a beautiful memoir. hillary's story is as touching as it is exquisitely written. i read fragile innocence last weekend & couldn't put it down. i crawled into bed with the book on friday evening. at 1 am, i forced myself to go to sleep. and i stayed in bed reading `til 11 the next morning. i can't remember the last time i did that. i've been thinking about hillary and the entire reston clan ever since.

Fragile Innocence: A Father's Memoir of His Daughter's Courageous Journey

James Reston has written a very touching book about his family and the illness of his daughter Hillary. I liked how honest Jim was about the impact of a handicapped child on mother, father and siblings at different periods of their lives. He also gives a realistic review of care givers, uneven medical support and the role parents have to play to get what they need for their child. It is a beautifully written love story and should be read by all to see value based decisions and real courage in action.