Flying at Night

By: Rebecca L. Brown

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Kivlighan de Montebello, Arthur Morey, Rebecca L. Brown

An emotionally charged debut novel of a family on the brink--an autistic child, his determined mother, and her distant father--who learn that when your world changes, you find out who you really are. . . .

While she was growing up, Piper's father, Lance "the Silver Eagle" Whitman, became a national hero piloting a plane through an emergency landing. But at home, he was a controlling and overbearing presence in her life, raining emotional and verbal abuse upon the entire family.

It's no surprise, then, that as an adult, Piper has poured all of her energy into creating a warm and loving home for her own family, while catering to her son Fred's ever-growing idiosyncrasies.

Then Lance has a heart attack, leaving him with a brain injury--and dependent upon Piper for his care--just before tests confirm Piper's suspicions that Fred is on the autism spectrum.

A powerful and extraordinary novel, Flying at Night gives voice to Fred, trying to find his place in a world that doesn't quite understand him; to Lance, who's lost what made him the man he was, for better and worse; and to Piper, who, while desperately trying to navigate the shifting landscape around her, watches as her son and father start to connect--in the most miraculous ways. . . .

Wonderful

This is Rebecca L Brown first book. I loved it and look forward to reading her next one.

A great account of the struggles to care for a needy ailing parent and a special needs child

My son was also diagnosed with Autism while at the same school Rebecca Brown’s children attended. We play in the same park featured in the story (Wingra in Madison, WI), and roamed the same streets. So, there is plenty of personal reasons for me to relate to this story (other than the ailing parent). I can easily imagine the exact streets they are walking down, the geese they are chasing, and the classrooms Fred attended. Even with all of these built-in reasons for me to love this book, I believe it is a wonderful one for all women caring for a special needs child or an ailing parent. She does a great job of chronicling the feelings one experiences while getting through day to day: guilt, longing, regret. I have also cried after watching my son’s peers interacting in an age-appropriate way that I never thought my son would do. I have also felt that great sense of relief in finding other parents with an Autistic child that understand the rudeness and quirkiness that goes along with the territory. My favorite birthday party for my son (age 9 or so) was lightswitch cover themed. It was all he wanted as gifts, and we had a lightswitch cover scavenger hunt. Luckily, his mainly ASD friends all loved it and went along with it enthusiastically. Good job, Rebecca! I would love to meet you at Trader Joe’s or something some day. We would have a lot to talk about.
If you need any lightswitch covers, I have a huge box in the basement :)

great

it is well written & well read by every narrator.

5 stars for sure!

Absorbing

Truly enjoyed this book. Loved the premise of the softening of the old man and the wisdom of the young boy all because the of “brain issues”. Maybe we should be more appreciative when we hear the words that describe those. We all can learn from those with TBI and on the spectrum. Will look for her next book.