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Grace Under Pressure: Going the distance as an Asperger's Mum
By the time her daughter Grace was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, Sophie Walker’s life had unraveled. Her career was in disarray. She couldn’t sleep. She felt hopeless and useless in her role as a mother because Grace was suffering. Sophie began to seek the things Grace needed — everything from protection from bullying and insisting on her daughter’s educational rights to help with homework and making friends. When Sophie realized she was neglecting her own health and well being, she decided to train for the London Marathon to raise awareness of Asperger's as well as build the mental resilience and physical strength to support her daughter. Through running, Sophie ultimately found the strength to battle for Grace’s education, happiness, and future, as well as the inner strength to overcome her own frustration. At the same time, she started the Grace under Pressure blog to document her and her daughter’s trials and triumphs. The blog captivated readers with its honesty and real-world inspiration, as does this book.
- GenresNonfictionParenting
Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
12 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Walker
18 books8 followersWriter, mother, marathoner, campaigner. I've worked for a major news agency for nearly 20 years, reporting business, politics and trade from Paris to Washington to London via Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. A couple of years ago my daughter was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and I wrote about it as a means to cope and make sense of what we were experiencing, while starting a gruelling marathon training programme as a means of raising money and awareness. My blog, Grace Under Pressure, took off as other parents and Aspies (and runners!) found my thoughts and frustrations often mirroring their own, and Little, Brown (Piatkus) published the book in October 2012. I am now an ambassador for the National Autistic Society and will run my third marathon, in New York, in November 2015. I am also working on a novel.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 11, 2012
Also posted on my blog at http://snugglingonthesofa.wordpress.c...
‘Grace Under Pressure‘ was ordered in advance by me from the library. I think I first read about Sophie and Grace in a magazine article (god knows where) and I knew then that I had to get hold of the book. Luckily, my library had a copy on order so I put my name down straight away.
And I don’t regret it! I read a lot of mummy memoirs (trying to sedate my broody side!) but the way Sophie talks about her relationship with Grace just pulls on my heart strings. She describes the frustration she sometimes experiences with Grace, and how she differs from her younger daughter.
The thing that overpowers the book is the strength yet vulnerability exhibited by Sophie. As humans we tend to like to moan about the bad points of life, but Grace helps to put everything in perspective; every day she has a struggle to fit in, to understand homework instructions, to make friends. Things we do not consider, but are pivotal moments in Grace’s life.
As a result of the struggles Sophie has to get the things Grace needs, such as educational funding, she starts to run. Through running we experience the struggles Sophie feels. When you feel like staying in bed all day and forgetting the world, but you should really be running.
There are some truly magical moments in this book. When Sophie is in tears about a new spat of bullying or hardship Grace faces, and Grace turns to her and says that everything will be okay. I’m not usually one to cry and books, but the ending made me overwhelmed with emotion.
This is the kind of book that makes you sit back and realise how easy our lives really are, and what we take for granted. Inspiring does not begin to cover it. Many thanks go to Sophie Walker for writing Grace’s story, and for the magazine article that made me discover this wonderful relationship they have.
‘Grace Under Pressure‘ was ordered in advance by me from the library. I think I first read about Sophie and Grace in a magazine article (god knows where) and I knew then that I had to get hold of the book. Luckily, my library had a copy on order so I put my name down straight away.
And I don’t regret it! I read a lot of mummy memoirs (trying to sedate my broody side!) but the way Sophie talks about her relationship with Grace just pulls on my heart strings. She describes the frustration she sometimes experiences with Grace, and how she differs from her younger daughter.
The thing that overpowers the book is the strength yet vulnerability exhibited by Sophie. As humans we tend to like to moan about the bad points of life, but Grace helps to put everything in perspective; every day she has a struggle to fit in, to understand homework instructions, to make friends. Things we do not consider, but are pivotal moments in Grace’s life.
As a result of the struggles Sophie has to get the things Grace needs, such as educational funding, she starts to run. Through running we experience the struggles Sophie feels. When you feel like staying in bed all day and forgetting the world, but you should really be running.
There are some truly magical moments in this book. When Sophie is in tears about a new spat of bullying or hardship Grace faces, and Grace turns to her and says that everything will be okay. I’m not usually one to cry and books, but the ending made me overwhelmed with emotion.
This is the kind of book that makes you sit back and realise how easy our lives really are, and what we take for granted. Inspiring does not begin to cover it. Many thanks go to Sophie Walker for writing Grace’s story, and for the magazine article that made me discover this wonderful relationship they have.
January 6, 2023
That feeling when you finish a book, go to review it - happen to check the author's Twitter first, and realize… she's a TERF.
I won't bother putting effort into a full review but here are my thoughts:(**turns out my ranting about how much I didn't like it turned into a sizable review. Ah well.)
This book is not worth your time. I know, I know - you think I'm just being mean because she's a TERF! No, that was my opinion before I looked her up, wondering what she had gotten up to in the last 10 years.
See, this book says a whole lot of… nothing. I went into it hoping for a parenting book meets feel-good marathon story. Marathon videos never fail to make me cry so I thought this one, which combines the topic with parenting a child with autism, would be a winner.
Mmm, no.
Sophie spends so little time going over running, I wonder why it was even included in the premise of the book. What I mean is: she glosses over running in sweeping strokes, recounting entire months of training in a few paragraphs. It seems an afterthought sprinkled through the book but then slapped on the dust jacket as the thread that ties it together. She's running because… she wants to raise money for the National Autism Society? Born to Run, a far superior non-fiction book about running, goes into the psychology of running just a little bit - how in the times in our history where things were bleakest (the Great Depression, after 9/11), people ran. That's what I was expecting here. A soliloquy to running. A manifesto of overcoming hardship with running.
What I got was a woman complaining about her child over and over again. Rationalizing her own bad behavior. Asking open ended questions. Taking us through the legal system in the UK that prevented her daughter from getting proper/earlier diagnosis, treatment, fair schooling. Fair points - but definitely not "parenting" and definitely not a feel good running story.
From the book the only thing that really stuck with me was her clear mistreatment of her stepchildren, two boys from her second husband's previous relationship. She admits that she takes her anger out on them, that she treats them differently than Grace, that she asks them to bend to Grace's needs and wants. All I could think was, where is their father? Where is their mother? Grace is a child, yes, and she needs protecting - but so do they. Especially from the author. Yikes!
I won't bother putting effort into a full review but here are my thoughts:(**turns out my ranting about how much I didn't like it turned into a sizable review. Ah well.)
This book is not worth your time. I know, I know - you think I'm just being mean because she's a TERF! No, that was my opinion before I looked her up, wondering what she had gotten up to in the last 10 years.
See, this book says a whole lot of… nothing. I went into it hoping for a parenting book meets feel-good marathon story. Marathon videos never fail to make me cry so I thought this one, which combines the topic with parenting a child with autism, would be a winner.
Mmm, no.
Sophie spends so little time going over running, I wonder why it was even included in the premise of the book. What I mean is: she glosses over running in sweeping strokes, recounting entire months of training in a few paragraphs. It seems an afterthought sprinkled through the book but then slapped on the dust jacket as the thread that ties it together. She's running because… she wants to raise money for the National Autism Society? Born to Run, a far superior non-fiction book about running, goes into the psychology of running just a little bit - how in the times in our history where things were bleakest (the Great Depression, after 9/11), people ran. That's what I was expecting here. A soliloquy to running. A manifesto of overcoming hardship with running.
What I got was a woman complaining about her child over and over again. Rationalizing her own bad behavior. Asking open ended questions. Taking us through the legal system in the UK that prevented her daughter from getting proper/earlier diagnosis, treatment, fair schooling. Fair points - but definitely not "parenting" and definitely not a feel good running story.
From the book the only thing that really stuck with me was her clear mistreatment of her stepchildren, two boys from her second husband's previous relationship. She admits that she takes her anger out on them, that she treats them differently than Grace, that she asks them to bend to Grace's needs and wants. All I could think was, where is their father? Where is their mother? Grace is a child, yes, and she needs protecting - but so do they. Especially from the author. Yikes!
September 12, 2018
A wonderful insight into one family's challenges. Heartwarming at times, heartbreaking at others.
I appreciated the effort and honesty the author took sharing her daughter's experiences. And mom ran. Awesome read.
I appreciated the effort and honesty the author took sharing her daughter's experiences. And mom ran. Awesome read.
November 16, 2022
This book was an absolute joy to read. It was the encouragement I needed when it comes to parenting my own marvelous daughter.
August 22, 2013
What would you do if you were a mother of a child who you loved dearly, but who reacted to life in ways that stretched your child-raising capabilities to its limits?
Would you question your parenting abilities if your child was bullied in school and had difficulty making friends?
How would you react if you finally discovered that there was a reason for all of the challenges your child was experiencing?
What would you do if your 8-year old child was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome?
Sophie Walker has experienced all of these moments – and she’s here to share them with you in her new book, Grace, Under Pressure – A Girl With Asperger’s & Her Marathon Mom.
Grace, Under Pressure is a must-read memoir for parents of children with Asperger’s Syndrome and other special needs. However, all parents will find something they can relate to in this book!
Sophie addresses all of these issues, and more, in Grace, Under Pressure. She also finds an outlet for her stress and depression through running. Ultimately, Sophie trains for the London Marathon to raise autism awareness and to build mental and physical resilience as part of her own self-care process!
Journalist Gaby Hinsliff says:
Would you question your parenting abilities if your child was bullied in school and had difficulty making friends?
How would you react if you finally discovered that there was a reason for all of the challenges your child was experiencing?
What would you do if your 8-year old child was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome?
Sophie Walker has experienced all of these moments – and she’s here to share them with you in her new book, Grace, Under Pressure – A Girl With Asperger’s & Her Marathon Mom.
Grace, Under Pressure is a must-read memoir for parents of children with Asperger’s Syndrome and other special needs. However, all parents will find something they can relate to in this book!
Every mom has moments where they experience frustration during child-rearing.
Every mom has moments when they question their child-raising abilities.
Every mom has moments when they need to protect and advocate for their child.
Every mom has moments when they are exhausted and need to learn how to balance the needs of others with the need to take care of themselves.
Sophie addresses all of these issues, and more, in Grace, Under Pressure. She also finds an outlet for her stress and depression through running. Ultimately, Sophie trains for the London Marathon to raise autism awareness and to build mental and physical resilience as part of her own self-care process!
Journalist Gaby Hinsliff says:
This is a book about Asperger’s syndrome and a book about running, but it’s so much more than that. It’s at heart a love story, testament to the power of a parent’s fierce devotion to their child. Any parent will see in it something of themselves.
If you’d like to learn more about what it’s like to raise a child with Asperger’s – how to advocate for your child – and how to take care of yourself during the process – read Grace, Under Pressure by Sophie Walker!
To watch a video interview with Sophie, visit the Grace, Under Pressure Book Review at Create With Joy.
This review was written by and originally published at Create With Joy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. I was not compensated or required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
September 16, 2013
What a tender, heart-warming story!
I recently read the latest edition (published by New World Library, August 15th 2013) and was deeply touched by Walker's personal journey as she supported her daughter, Grace, an 'Aspie'.
Transforming the fear of such an overwhelming medical 'label' into a positive experience must be a huge challenge for anyone, especially a mother who is hard-wired to protect her young from ANY danger. Walker tells her tale without any fuss; she shares her physical and emotional journey in easy-to-read prose and as such, the complex story within these pages is even more hard-hitting on the emotional scale.
I was particularly touched by Walker sharing her raw emotions about realising she needed some kind of more 'formal' support from a network of people who'd been there, walked along the same path with a precious 'Aspie' child. A reminder to anyone reading this title that without connection, with communication, we cannot truly function at any level.
Debi's letter (an appendix) had me in floods of tears, at the very end. For not only does Walker share her own hard, rocky path to finding peace as she supports her family, she also shares so beautifully an insight into Grace's own journey. Through the choppy waters of seeking understanding in the education system, past the immense frustrations and finally to a place where compassion and achievement, for the whole family, is the crowning glory.
A truly lovely, inspiring story of a mother's love for her daughter.
I recently read the latest edition (published by New World Library, August 15th 2013) and was deeply touched by Walker's personal journey as she supported her daughter, Grace, an 'Aspie'.
Transforming the fear of such an overwhelming medical 'label' into a positive experience must be a huge challenge for anyone, especially a mother who is hard-wired to protect her young from ANY danger. Walker tells her tale without any fuss; she shares her physical and emotional journey in easy-to-read prose and as such, the complex story within these pages is even more hard-hitting on the emotional scale.
I was particularly touched by Walker sharing her raw emotions about realising she needed some kind of more 'formal' support from a network of people who'd been there, walked along the same path with a precious 'Aspie' child. A reminder to anyone reading this title that without connection, with communication, we cannot truly function at any level.
Debi's letter (an appendix) had me in floods of tears, at the very end. For not only does Walker share her own hard, rocky path to finding peace as she supports her family, she also shares so beautifully an insight into Grace's own journey. Through the choppy waters of seeking understanding in the education system, past the immense frustrations and finally to a place where compassion and achievement, for the whole family, is the crowning glory.
A truly lovely, inspiring story of a mother's love for her daughter.
October 30, 2013
An Inspiring Journey of Love
It is said a Mother’s love has no bounds. In this awe inspiring book that is simply an understatement. Ms. Walker’s love for her daughter is endless. This is a motivational book about how not to give up in finding the resources and help for your child no matter what is causing the need. The emotional stories are raw and real. The book is well written. A guidebook for all parents. Enjoy! NetGalley and New World Library provided an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It is said a Mother’s love has no bounds. In this awe inspiring book that is simply an understatement. Ms. Walker’s love for her daughter is endless. This is a motivational book about how not to give up in finding the resources and help for your child no matter what is causing the need. The emotional stories are raw and real. The book is well written. A guidebook for all parents. Enjoy! NetGalley and New World Library provided an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2016
Quite an emotional roller coaster of a read.
Sophie finds out her daughter has Aspergers and struggles with her own feelings of inadequacy, how to provide Grace with the support and help she needs, while not neglecting her other children.
Grace has a tough time at school. Sophie recounts how to get a "statement of educational needs", so grace can get the help she needs to benefit from school.
She starts running, as a way to cope with the stress....and eventually after much training and difficulties, run the London marathon for the National Autistic Society.
Sophie finds out her daughter has Aspergers and struggles with her own feelings of inadequacy, how to provide Grace with the support and help she needs, while not neglecting her other children.
Grace has a tough time at school. Sophie recounts how to get a "statement of educational needs", so grace can get the help she needs to benefit from school.
She starts running, as a way to cope with the stress....and eventually after much training and difficulties, run the London marathon for the National Autistic Society.
December 30, 2016
A good read !
I found myself so able to relate to this mom and her daughter. She made the world seem smaller and gave me a bit of comfort and friendship I needed. It helps to know there are other families just like mine. Struggling, quirky, happy, messy, frustrating, families just like mine.
I found myself so able to relate to this mom and her daughter. She made the world seem smaller and gave me a bit of comfort and friendship I needed. It helps to know there are other families just like mine. Struggling, quirky, happy, messy, frustrating, families just like mine.
July 13, 2016
Didn't quite live up to my expectations...I was hoping for more out of the running side...didn't get it. I did think the Aspbergers side was interesting overall. Also not my style of writing. Interstitial insight though into the author's life as a mom to a daughter with aspbergers.
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September 9, 2013Wow.. I will be posting my review when I get the chance to put it all into words. This was such an inspirational book. A must read for any parent.
September 18, 2013
commenting on the cover the cover looks like a book that I will enjoy to read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews