Revisiting a favorite book: THE HORSE BOY

Horse Boy A father's quest to heal his son ended up making one heck of an interesting book, and later, documentary film.

Here's what the publisher says: When his son Rowan was diagnosed with autism, Rupert Isaacson was devastated, afraid he might never be able to communicate with his child. But when Isaacson, a lifelong horseman, rode their neighbor's horse with Rowan, Rowan improved immeasurably. He was struck with a crazy idea: why not take Rowan to Mongolia, the one place in the world where horses and shamanic healing intersected? THE HORSE BOY is the dramatic and heartwarming story of that impossible adventure. In Mongolia, the family found undreamed of landscapes and people, unbearable setbacks, and advances beyond their wildest dreams. This is a deeply moving, truly one-of-a-kind story--of a family willing to go to the ends of the earth to help their son, and of a boy learning to connect with the world for the first time.

Note from Gina - Here's what I wrote a couple years ago after I read the book: "This one will leave you laughing and crying at the same time. Your heart will ache as you read the accounts of this young couple trying to deal with their autistic son - as he gets older, larger and less controllable. (I won't tell you what "CODE BROWN" stands for - you'll have to read to find out - but you can imagine...) And the author's insightful reflection on his wacky scheme to heal his son's autism via Mongolian Shamans will inspire you - that there is nothing that can't be accomplished if one is willing to take risks - and have a sense of humor along the way. To read a good synopsis about shamans and what they do, go here."

What I didn't have the nerve to mention then was some of the grittier events in the book that emphasize just how serious Rowan's parents were about this endeavor, and what a challenge it was for them along the way. The book was written by Rowan's father - author Rupert Isaacson, and subtitled "A Father's Quest to Heal His Son". But that does NOT mean that Rowan's mother did not have a very big role in the adventure. A tired mom at her wit's end, trying to juggle career and motherhood - she agreed to take the trip, even though it sounded like a far-fetched idea. Before they embarked on the journey, they met with renowned expert on autism Temple Grandin. Grandin's words to them were: "The worst thing you can do is nothing. All the experts agree on that, even if they can't agree on much else. Take your son to Mongolia if it seems to agree with him. Make your film. Add it to the archive of what we're learning. Come back and let us know what happened."

And let us know, they did. Consider this excerpt:
"Then it was Kristin's turn to drink milk, say prayers, cast her milk as an offering to the west, crouch down for the antler thumps; both of us lined up to have vodka spat on us too.... Then a small bowl of vodka was proffered to Kristin, and Tulga (the translator) was suddenly listening intently as the shaman's assistant gabbled what was clearly a complicated set of instructions. Oddly, as he listened, I saw Tulga blush, cast a sidelong look at Kristin, blush again, and nod. Then, almost reluctantly, he turned to her and gave her the small, brimming bowl.

"Er... the shaman says that when you were pregnant, black energy entered your womb. You must take this vodka and cleanse the, um, parts where Rowan came down. The shaman says it is very important" Poor Kristin. Off she went to the river, Michel filming away. "Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing too personal ends up in frame," he said, grinning to himself. ... "And you had better Photoshop out my cellulite," I heard Kristin say as she and Michel marched out of earshot. At least her sense of humor hadn't failed her. Yet."

and this one from Rupert:
"In perfect response to the rising anxiety, I'd woken in the small hours racked with pain, not just in my lip but in my whole face... I'd never let a cold sore go this far without antiviral drugs before. Now the virus, loosed to it's full potential for the first time, was making a playground of my face. ... My whole lower lip had cracked open, all the way, in one big red sore."

So, here they are, this young couple with high hopes for helping their son, and wanting to share it with the world via film if it is a success... they pay someone to accompany them to film the journey. Kristin is ordered to clean her vagina with vodka, and Rupert ends up with an enormous sore on his lip that is impossible to conceal. These are just 2 of many, many "interesting" encounters the family experiences. They fall off horses, get kicked by horses, get sick, are whipped by shamans, and a host of other events that I am sure they did not expect. Without giving away the ending, I will say it is a good one. The film is very well done, and the questionable scenes are depicted in good taste. I recommend reading the book before watching the DVD, to get the full effect. Don't worry - it won't take long to read the book (even though it's 355 pages). Once you get started you won't be able to put it down.