Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson

Yesterday I listened to all nine CDs as author, Rupert Isaacson, read his own account of the search for healing for his autistic son, Rohan. The quest took them on horseback through Outer Mongolia to expose Rohan to powerful shamans. Last of all they visited Ghost, the shaman of the Reindeer People in Siberia. Rupert is transparently, painfully honest about his own fears, embarrassments, cynicism, exhaustion, disappointment, and passionate love for his son. Hearing him read is a treat because of his British accent and the way he is able to capture the intonations and timbre of his son's voice. A travel writer by trade, he has a fabulous ability to paint with his words so that we hear, taste, smell, touch and see the textures and vastness of the beauty of the steppes and the squalor of the broken down Soviet-built cities. He knows horses and indigenous culture too from growing up partly among the bushmen of South Africa and learning to ride and hunt foxes in England.

I've read a lot of books about autism but this one may be the first one written from the father's perspective. The narrative oozes with Rupert's love for Rohan. The perspective, incorporating American experts including Temple Grandin, along with the ancient wisdom of past cultures challenges our usual one to enlarge, consider spiritual causes and effects, and explore the hidden giftedness within autists.

From a spiritual perspective I was alternately fascinated and grieved. I understand how to function in the spirit and I know the High God and King of the Universe by name, personally. Unfortunately, few people on spiritual quests expect to find Him more powerful, and able to trump the gods of this world. This book is an indictment against the Judeo-Christian religious community through the ages for failing to take our God's name and reputation seriously.

Isaacson, Rupert, Horse Boy