Far from the Tree

Parents, Children and the Search for Identity

By: Andrew Solomon

Narrated by: Andrew Solomon

Length: 40 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

National Book Critics Circle Award, Nonfiction, 2013

From the National Book Award-winning author of the "brave...deeply humane...open-minded, critically informed, and poetic" (The New York Times) The Noonday Demon, comes a game-changer of a book about the impact of extreme personal and cultural difference between parents and children.

A brilliant and utterly original thinker, Andrew Solomon's journey began from his experience of being the gay child of straight parents. He wondered how other families accommodate children who have a variety of differences: families of people who are deaf, who are dwarfs, who have Down syndrome, who have autism, who have schizophrenia, who have multiple severe disabilities, who are prodigies, who commit crimes, who are transgender. Bookended with Solomon's experiences as a son, and then later as a father, this book explores the old adage that says the apple doesn't fall far from the tree; instead some apples fall a couple of orchards away, some on the other side of the world.

In 12 sharply observed and moving chapters, Solomon describes individuals who have been heartbreaking victims of intense prejudice, but also stories of parents who have embraced their childrens' differences and tried to change the world's understanding of their conditions. Solomon's humanity, eloquence, and compassion give a voice to those people who are never heard. A riveting, powerful take on a major social issue, Far from the Tree offers far-reaching conclusions about new families, academia, and the way our culture addresses issues of illness and identity.

©2012 Andrew Solomon (P)2012 Simon & Schuster, Inc

Critic reviews

"In Far from the Tree, Andrew Solomon reminds us that nothing is more powerful in a child's development than the love of a parent. This remarkable new book introduces us to mothers and fathers across America - many in circumstances the rest of us can hardly imagine - who are making their children feel special, no matter what challenges come their way." (President Bill Clinton)

"This is one of the most extraordinary books I have read in recent times - brave, compassionate and astonishingly humane. Solomon approaches one of the oldest questions - how much are we defined by nature versus nurture? - and crafts from it a gripping narrative. Through his stories, told with such masterful delicacy and lucidity, we learn how different we all are, and how achingly similar. I could not put this book down." (Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies)

"An informative and moving book that raises profound issues regarding the nature of love, the value of human life, and the future of humanity." (Kirkus)

Brilliant, sensitive, valuable!

I’ve appreciated every scrap of this extremely thorough and varied exploration. As a parent myself reckoning with the dance between vertical and horizontal identity, I found my better nature constantly challenged to rise up throughout this book… For my relationship to my own parents, my children and stepchildren, my grandchildren, and to my community at large. Fantastic! I was aware of Andrew Solomon before I heard this book, but he has risen to a place for my most highly regarded thinkers. His research amounts to years of his own life, and for him to share that publicly is a gift to us all that cannot be overstated. Now I need to give a careful think about which friends. I am most excited to share this with.

Fascinating

This is a quiet listen for those interested in the psychology of atypical parent-child relationships. It won't grip you, it won't suck you in, but you can pick up and listen at any point and get into it, which is unusual for an audiobook. I learned a lot about people with disabilities from this book, and have gained an appreciation for the exceptional circumstances depicted herein.

Will change how you see the world

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I remained intrigued throughout the many hours of this book, as preconceived ideas about ability and disability fell one after another.

What other book might you compare Far from the Tree to and why?

I have never read any book like this one.

Have you listened to any of Andrew Solomon’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I was wary of listening to an author read his own book, but Solomon does an excellent job and makes it all seem very intimate, as if you are along on each interview.

What insight do you think you’ll apply from Far from the Tree?

I will never look at people with differences in the same way.

Profound and Heart-warming

I don't remember how I stumbled upon Andrew Solomon and his work, but I am forever grateful that I did. I do not have children, but this book gave me tremendous insight on the complicated, rewarding, and strenuous relationship between parent and child. This book provides both anecdotes and research to support the idea that regardless of how far the apple falls from the tree, many grapple with decisions to keep growing the fruits from them. I loved this book, and listened to it beginning to end.

A exploration into humanity and identity.

A deep dive into humanity, labels, conditions, and identity.

Made me think about the way I think and use labels and think about humans and their differences and similarities.

I mainly listen to books while walking. I walked more while listening to this book, at times I had to retrace my steps and listen to a few passages again. I like that it was the author doing the reading and felt like he was sharing directly with me.
Thank you for this journey Andrew, would love to meet you someday.

ps check out The Noonday Demon too.

Excellent content, unbearably narration

This book was incredibly well researched and written and the content and personal stories were both fascinating and captivating. Unfortunately, the performance by the author made the listening experience painful. His monotone delivery and pretentious annunciations would have been difficult for a standard length book, but trying to get through over 40 hours of this was a challenge. I was torn between wanting to finish the book and cringing at the sound of his voice so much that quitting sounded like a better idea. In the end I preserved and am grateful for the decision. I would suggest reading, as opposed to listening if time allows you to do so.

Brilliant thoughtful treatise on the family

What made the experience of listening to Far from the Tree the most enjoyable?

Solomon has done an incredible job in focusing and illustrating how families stay healthy for all their members. His writing is excellent and he was, surprising to me, the perce t reader for the book. I read the entire book in a week. Amazing and wonderful.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Each of the families he interviews and described.

What about Andrew Solomon’s performance did you like?

Excellent. Not one false note.

Any additional comments?

This book should get a Pulitzer.

Explanation of so much re: non-typical conditions

A friend whom I trust recommended this tome, and tome it is! But so worth reading. I enjoyed listening to it, even though it was 40 hours plus! It is read by the author, a person who will never make a living as a voice...but it was excellent to hear him put the emphasis where, as an author, he wanted it to be.

My biggest take-away from the book is that we each rise to the task at hand and deal with what we need to deal with.

exceptional

An intellectual and spiritual journey that was so beautifully wrtien. this book should not only be required reading for policy makers, educators, parents, and doctors; but for anyone who wants to grow as a compassionate and open person.

This is the best book I've ever read!

The social commentary provided by Andrew Solomon is quite profound. The stories contained came alive and personalized the, sometimes, nebulous social situations contained within society. This is an opus that is ever so helpful, especially for those in the helping professions, but for all of humanity.