“Amy Silverman tells a story of struggle and triumph, but more than anything else, it’s a story of love. Every parent will be grateful for the chance to join her on her journey and to learn from Amy and her family’s courage and commitment to the possibilities of every life, and to being a game-changer for a more welcoming and inclusive future for all.”
— Timothy P. Shriver Ph.D., Chairman, Special Olympics
“With stunning bravery and unwavering honesty, award-winning journalist and mother Amy Silverman creates an engaging, surprising, and, at times, shocking memoir that is unparalleled in its research, precision, and enormous helpings of determination. My Heart Can’t Even Believe It is a remarkable journey through the territories of science, truth, and above all, love. Amy demolishes the status quo and insists on nothing but the best opportunities for her daughter Sophie. Like the unforgettable Sophie herself, this book will resonate with readers for a long time to come.”
— Laurie Notaro, New York Times best-selling author of The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club, and Autobiography of a Fat Bride
“Smart, fascinating, and sometimes painfully honest, My Heart Can’t Even Believe It is a love letter to the complicated and extraordinary world of parenting a child with Down syndrome. Amy Silverman manages to write as both a clear-eyed reporter and an unabashed fan of her daughter. I closed the book smiling.”
— Quinn Cummings, author of Notes from the Underwire and The Year of Learning Dangerously
“Parents of typically developing kids can get caught up in a quest to create a perfect child. But ours is an elusive quest; there is no perfect child, no perfect human, only each of us making our way with the strengths and limitations we’ve got, wanting to be seen, to know we matter, to know we’re loved. Silverman’s fierce account of coming to terms with having a child with down syndrome is at once precise, mordant, and compassionate, and ultimately is exquisitely human. It’s an inspiring account for any parent of a child with significant special needs, and a humbling recalibration for those filled with angst and frustration in far less challenging circumstances.”
— Julie Lythcott-Haims, New York Times bestselling author, How to Raise an Adult
“Raising a child with a disability is not for the faint of heart. Amy Silverman’s honest, funny, and heart-warming account of her family’s journey is a must-read for anyone who not only plans to endure something hard, but believes that rising above it is their destiny.”
— Keith Harris, father of Tim Harris, restaurant owner, social-media icon, and inspirational speaker, who also happens to have an extra 21st chromosome
“A refreshingly comedic look at parenting a child with a disability—this book is sorely overdue!”
— Eliza Woloson, author of My Friend Isabelle
“Amy Silverman has accomplished something rare: a book about disability that is both fiercely honest and impeccably reported. She blends genetics and medicine with personal narrative to create a portrait of a mother raising a child with Down syndrome that is funny, true, and—most of all—loving.”
— Kristin Gilger, Associate Dean, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and Executive Director, Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism
“My Heart Can’t Even Believe It is entertaining, enlightening, and emotionally devastating. Amy Silverman has managed to write a book that addresses history, medical science, parenting, and her own daughter’s Down syndrome with fearlessness and wit. I have not stopped thinking about it.”
— R. Bradley Snyder, author of The 5 Simple Truths of Raising Kids
