Reviews
“…For ages, these strong and beautiful beasts have been venerated for their courage, stamina,
intelligence….and the healing powers of their milk. These fascinating and important pages detail Christina Adams’ personal journey of discovery that the camel herders were right. Her excellent book makes the case for camel milk’s medicinal value…and for treating camels with the respect, compassion, and even reverence that they deserve from humans.”
“A story as wondrous as a fantastic novel, full of amazing moments.”
“This is a book that can change the world. Adams . . . does it all with such an infectious sense of wonder, a love of facts, and an insistence to get at the truth, that I’d follow her anywhere.”
A mesmerizing new book. Just as I was awaiting a scientific explanation, there it was, eloquent and exciting. Camels, and their milk, are indeed special.
Camel Crazy is a joy to read and should inspire those of us who feel powerless in the face of industrialized life. Biodiversity matters. Animals matter. And it matters to enter into a space in which we consider possibilities that otherwise would seem impossible.”
If you think you know everything, then you haven’t read Christina Adam’s page-turning memoir. Adams has woven an incredible tapestry that will fascinate you with its science and touch you with its story. The book will teach you things you never imagined and move you to tears.
“Testimony not only of a dedicated mother, but also of a determined, intelligent woman whose ability to think outside the box enabled her to overcome serious medical challenges affecting her child.”
“As a neurologist, I can say that Christina’s observations of medical signs and symptoms are on par with a neurologist’s clinical skills. The healing and immune-modulating power of camel milk in the autism population is bona fide and realistic.”
Adams expertly fits together several pieces of the puzzle in making fulfilling and productive lives for people on the autism spectrum more the rule rather than the exception.”
“Camel Crazy relates an extraordinary story and captures how camels represent freedom to pastoralists like me. This book’s camel wisdom rings true.”
I met writer Christina Adams while living in Orange County, Calif. I had started a creative nonfiction writers group, and she was one of several who faithfully attended. In our meetings, I came to know Christina as a beautiful person: a writer who is whip-crack smart and not afraid to confront reality.
“Adams, a commentator for NPR’s Day to Day, offers an affecting personal narrative about her son Jonah’s diagnosis with autism at age two. She conveys the impact of this diagnosis on herself and her family, especially in the months immediately following, providing excellent accounts of how she
responded to teachers’ and family members’ suggestions that Jonah had autism. She also candidly discusses issues that have put pressure on her marriage, e.g., guilt and blame (she took the controversial drug Pitocin during delivery)…this book clearly illustrates autism’s impact on a family
and is recommended for academic and public libraries with autism collections.”
“Adams’s son, Jonah, was two years and eight months old when he was diagnosed as autistic. Eighteen months later, child development specialists evaluating Jonah couldn’t believe he’d had a history of autism. What made the difference? Adams–with the help of her lawyer husband–devoted herself completely to Jonah’s treatment, starting immediately with a rigorous gluten and casein-free diet. They enrolled the young boy in a 40-hour a week, one-on-one ABA (“applied behavioral analysis”) program for autistic children, supplemented with individual speech therapy and physical therapy….Adams, a self-described “Autism Mommy,” worked full-time on the intervention process, advocating for Jonah’s needs with the school system so they’d cover his high bills, cooking Jonah’s special foods and interfacing with each therapist privately and then collectively to help Jonah integrate the lessons into real-world situations. It’s pleasing to see Jonah make such a dramatic improvement….With the number of children on the autism spectrum growing, Adams’s upbeat, inspirational account has a ready-made market….”
“Fast-paced, riveting and often humorous… clearly reveals how parental determination can enable a child to grow and prosper.”
Among “the best of the writers and authors that I’ve discovered on the Web and whose work I would recommend.”
Regardless of whether readers have an autistic child or a child “on the spectrum” with a diagnosis ranging from attention deficit disorder to Asperger’s syndrome, they should enjoy Adams’ fast-paced tale. We learn the language of autism, explore its manifestations and gain an understanding of the world inhabited by an increasing number of families.
