132,602
edits
Changes
The Way I See It by Nicole Dryburgh (view source)
Revision as of 10:50, 9 October 2020
, 10:50, 9 October 2020no edit summary
{{infoboxsortinfobox2
|sort=Way I See It
|title=The Way I See It
|date=January 2008
|isbn=978-0340956922
|amazonukaznuk=0340956925|aznus=0340956925|cover=<amazonuk>0340956925</amazonuk>
|website=http://www.c-h-o-c.org.uk/
}}
At age 11, Nicole was a typical, active girl. By age 18, she is blind, unable to walk following a stroke and just about in remission from cancer. This book is the story of those in-between 7 years and what went wrong and, surprisingly, right.
I was a bit apprehensive about reviewing this one because I thought either it would be quite sad and depressing, or it would be all American, happy clappy, [[''Chicken Soup for the Soul]]''-esque. You don't expect the first thoughts of a normal teenager going through cancer treatment to be "Ooh, let's see if I can write a book about this" and so you have to wonder whether Nicole is normal, but from a few pages in you clearly establish that she is, and what's more, that she's alive and kicking.
The book is mainly Nicole's diary in her own words, but it is supplemented by notes from her mother (from times Nicole was too sick to remember) and messages from her teachers, doctors and school friends. In the middle there are some pages of colour photos which chart her decline in health, from an active pre-teen doing gymnastics in her bedroom, to an 18 year old with limited mobility, virtually no sight and the short locks signifying a recent bout of chemo.
I really enjoyed the book, and felt glad that by reading it I was confirming that Nicole had achieved one of her numerous life goals, that of publishing a book. On the first page she lists the "rules" for reading, which include '' Do not think poor girl, because I'm not'' and if there's one thing I didn't feel on the last page, it's sorry for her. She has achieved some quite astounding things in her life already, and I'm saying that thinking of her as a regular teenager, not as a disabled/blind/cancer-surviving teenager. It really is an inspiring book, and she is a very inspiring girl. Recommended reading for everyone.
Johnnie Walker also talks candidly about cancer in his [[Johnnie Walker: The Autobiography|autobiography]] while if it's inspiring teens you're after, the fictitious [[Harriet Rose]] may be the answer. You might also enjoy [[I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson]]. We also have a review of Dryburgh's [[Talk to the Hand by Nicole Dryburgh|Talk to the Hand]].
Thanks as always to the publishers for supplying the book, but also thanks to Nicole for writing it, and for sharing this sometimes intriguing, sometimes quite worrying time in her life. You can learn more about Nicole on her [http://www.c-h-o-c.org.uk/ website].