Unexpected Lessons from Professor Higgins

by Patti Smith

Unexpected Lessons From Professor Higgins is an inspirational memoir that follows a mother-and-son journey through the trials and joys of life with Down syndrome. Author Patti Smith lovingly and honestly reveals transformative lessons gleaned from forty-plus years of caring for (and being tutored by) her son, Christopher, whose diagnosis as a baby at first tilted her world off-axis, only to reveal itself, as the years went by, to be the thing that actually set her worldview at the exact right angle.

How was a boy who might otherwise live a life of being invisible to the world end up singing and dancing on stage as the brother of Elvis, speak Chinese without taking any courses, become the star of the show, and get medical treatment from Dr. Spock from Star Trek? Through chapters/lessons which relate hilarious, poignant, soul-stirring, and sometimes heartbreaking stories, Patti shows how challenges are made to be overcome, expectations are made to be surpassed, love is made to be unconditional, and that each person has unique abilities to lift humankind and change the world.

Although she initially thought her son didn't have the IQ to teach her much and she was ready and willing to spend her life coaching and teaching him, Patti shares how she was dramatically changed by Christopher's lessons about matters of the heart, of the soul and of the human family.

Anyone seeking enlightenment or amusement from life's provocations will enjoy this book, particularly family members impacted by having a child with developmental challenges or all who could grow by leaning into the unexpected. Patti explains how her transformation by the lessons her son offered allowed her to take the seriousness and hardships of life down a notch —to see and enjoy life through her son's perspectives of acceptance, love, and happiness.

Masterfully interweaving a witty sense of humor, Patti turned what could easily have been a somber recounting into a genuinely enjoyable and uplifting book that is more than a charming memoir. It balances what could be a sensitive and sometimes sad topic—that of tackling life with a disabled child—while navigating the complexities of challenging events with clever wit and levity.

Referring to her son as her master teacher, Patti learned to see life through his perspective and discover the joy in situations requiring her to dig deeply into her psyche to identify beliefs needing adjustment. She shares those changes with vulnerability and light-heartedness while giving credit to her clever son who is respectfully referred to as her own Professor Higgins.

Genres: Nonfiction

292 pages, Paperback

Published July 24, 2024

About the author

PATTI SMITH is a writer, performer, and visual artist. She gained recognition in the 1970s for her revolutionary merging of poetry and rock. She has released twelve albums, including Horses, which has been hailed as one of the top one hundred albums of all time by Rolling Stone.

Smith had her first exhibit of drawings at the Gotham Book Mart in 1973 and has been represented by the Robert Miller Gallery since 1978. Her books include Just Kids, winner of the National Book Award in 2010, Wītt, Babel, Woolgathering, The Coral Sea, and Auguries of Innocence.

In 2005, the French Ministry of Culture awarded Smith the title of Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, the highest honor given to an artist by the French Republic. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Smith married the musician Fred Sonic Smith in Detroit in 1980. They had a son, Jackson, and a daughter, Jesse. Smith resides in New York City.

Reviews

[Katherine Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected Lessons from Professor Higgins is a heartfelt, honest, and deeply moving memoir that offers wisdom far beyond its pages. Patti Smith shares her lifelong journey as the mother of Chris Higgins with warmth, humor, and vulnerability, revealing how what first felt like a life-altering hardship became a profound source of perspective, growth, and unconditional love.

Structured around the clever and endearing metaphor of her son as “Professor Higgins,” Smith organizes her lessons into stages of learning that mirror an academic journey. This framework gives the memoir both clarity and charm, allowing each chapter to focus on a distinct moment of insight sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, always sincere.

What makes this book especially powerful is its emotional presence. Smith does not shy away from the realities of single parenting, caregiving, exhaustion, or societal discrimination, yet the story never becomes heavy-handed or preachy. Instead, the narrative invites readers into lived moments that feel immediate and real, making the lessons resonate naturally rather than didactically.

The memoir is not solely for parents of children with disabilities. It is for anyone open to learning about resilience, compassion, and the quiet strength found in everyday acts of love. Smith’s storytelling reminds us that wisdom often comes from unexpected teachers, and that humanity is richer when we learn to see value through a wider lens.

Uplifting, emotionally grounded, and written straight from the heart, Unexpected Lessons from Professor Higgins is an inspiring read that lingers long after the final page.

[Armelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free as a Goodreads giveaway.

A memoir of the joys - and the struggles - of raising a child with Down syndrome, told via a series of lessons the author learned from her son. The lessons were mostly about letting go of her own expectations and allowing Chris to move, learn, and live on his own terms. Sometimes those lessons have to be learned over and over again, but the result is a happier, more joyful life for all.

I enjoyed reading about Chris and his ability to spread happiness to those around him. Having each chapter depict a particular lesson made it seem a little repetitive after a while as the big lesson was how much there was to be gained by letting Chris be Chris, whether he was the star of the show, the friendliest guy in the store, or the world’s biggest 45-year-old Santa fan (or wrestling fan!)

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This memoir was written by a lawyer who is the mother of a first-born son, Chris, with Down syndrome. Ms. Smith celebrates all that her son has taught her, and chronicles the joys and struggles of life with a special needs child. At times Ms. Smith’s own expectations for her son clashed with Chris’s own preferences, clashes that amplified as Chris grew older, but she ultimately learned that letting Chris, with his outsized, joyful personality, at least partially steer his own destiny made life better for him, her, and the rest of the family (three later daughter and her late sister’s older sons). She was married to Chris’s father, who abandoned his family, and then to another man, but she ultimately raised her family as a single mother and put herself through law school.

There is much to be admired in Ms. Smith’s story, but this book was self-published and really could have benefited from an editor. At times it was quite repetitive. Three and a half stars.

Thanks to Goodreads and Ms. Smith for offering this book in a giveaway, which I was pleased to win.

[Sunny Lovestories · Rating 4 out of 5]

The son is the teacher. The son is not the child the mother thought she’d have but he turned out to be the son she needed. A life as a mother I personally can’t imagine navigating, is told to us through some humor, some tears, but mainly we hear the voice of a mother who is beyond proud of her son…and herself. Which was amazing as I usually feel like the mother/writer of these narratives wants praise from us the reader, because of “look how good of a mom I’ve become.” In Unexpected Lessons, Patti does not need our congratulations, she simple shares that everyday we can learn something new…and learn how to process the “not normal” on a daily basis.

[Topper Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smith's “Unexpected Lessons" was an unexpected delight. The book is packed with laugh-out-loud moments and deeply moving anecdotes about the author’s journey raising her special-needs son. Through her experiences, Smith offers powerful life lessons that are sure to transform you. I especially appreciated her portrayal of Christopher, whose remarkable Emotional IQ offers readers a fresh perspective on the world. If you're in need of a heartwarming read, grab a copy of Smith’s debut. A chapter a day is sure to put a smile on your face.

[Travis Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected Lessons from Professor Higgins
Author: Patti Smith
Narrated by Tara Janae Smith

This is a memoir where Patti Smith is writing about raising a child with Down Syndrome. She tells different stories that lead to teaching moments. As someone who helped raise my twin brother with a mental disability I found her stories to be very relatable.
Tara Janae Smith does a fantastic job narrating the audio book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Two Octaves Publishing for giving me the opportunity to listen to the audio book for my honest review.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mother of a Downs syndrome child tells of the lessens she has learned from him during her lifetime. At first she was excited and nervous to be a new mother and then she was nervous and anxious to learn that her son had Downs syndrome. Doctors were suggesting that she put him in an institution. She didn't listen to them. She raised him and 5 other children as a single parent and tells how her son taught her that she was stronger than she knew; that you need patience, love, and understanding.

Audio book

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming memoir of unconditional love and acceptance. The stories were heartfelt, honest and full of happiness despite hardship.

I enjoyed the audiobook which is narrated well by the author's daughter, Tara Janae Smith.