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Two for Joy: The Uplifting True Story of One Courageous Family’s Life of Happiness With Severely Disabled Twins
Two for Joy is the heart-warming true story of disabled twins Thomas and Alice, and their desperate fight for life after being born four months prematurely. James Melville-Ross, their father, tells of how the twins not only survived—despite being given the last rites as babies—but also thrived. From the dramatic first few months of the twins’ lives—when Alice suffered a heart attack when only a day old, and Thomas’s lungs filled with blood, leaving him only 20 minutes away from death—Two for Joy reveals the path that James and his wife Georgie have followed as parents to two severely disabled children. After the initial anger came the sheer hard work: the sleepless nights; the hospital dashes; the curious stares and unwelcome comment from strangers. But slowly came acceptance and, eventually, celebration of the joy that the medical marvels Thomas and Alice—now happy and energetic ten year olds—have brought to their lives. Finally they understood that disability might have turned their world upside down, but that it has also provided rewards beyond anything they could have imagined. This story is for any parent experiencing the shock of having extremely premature babies or coming to terms with having a child diagnosed with a disability. More than that, this story will change people’s attitudes to disability, and show that love and true happiness can be found in even the most challenging of circumstances.
288 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2016
2 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 21, 2020
Great book for all!
I'm in a book club so this book was chosen for me. I'm extremely glad it was because, even though it was difficult at times to see the challenges this family faced, it gave me a better understanding of families going through them with disabled children. And a better understanding of how disabled people and their families would like to be treated. I feel this is a book everyone should read. It should be required reading in our schools.
I'm in a book club so this book was chosen for me. I'm extremely glad it was because, even though it was difficult at times to see the challenges this family faced, it gave me a better understanding of families going through them with disabled children. And a better understanding of how disabled people and their families would like to be treated. I feel this is a book everyone should read. It should be required reading in our schools.
October 6, 2017
Inspirational uplifting and proof that a parents love is matched only by the courage we find within ourselves once we become parents. I worked with Alice and tommy at treloars and I have to say the fact that they are both amazing, funny and a joy to be around stems from the love and support from their parents
December 5, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. It was a page turner, and I couldn't put it down, and my husband was the same when he read it after me. We both read it in days. I absolutely loved James' humour too. I then passed it on to my dad. The sign of a good book - that I want to share it with everyone. It struck so many chords with us parenting our daughter with a disability.
December 7, 2017
i came across this book after reading the Old School Mag, i was in the same class as the Author, and WOW this book is ASTONISHINGLY gripping i could hardely put it down, i really mean that, what an AMAZING journey of...yes JOY,!...READ IT.
August 4, 2018
This book is open, honest and moving. I felt myself going on the journey with them - the highs, the lows, the frustrations, the celebrations. I would highly recommend this book.
September 7, 2018
A book everyone should read to gain more understanding of how disability impacts families. So lovely to hear of it from a fathers point of view too. Would read again.
November 10, 2023
An honest insight into life with disabled children. Really enjoyed this
February 27, 2019
What an incredible, inspirational, and insightful collection of memories.
I laughed out loud, I got choked up, and I absolutely loved it.
Knowing this family only heightens the experience of reading it.
I laughed out loud, I got choked up, and I absolutely loved it.
Knowing this family only heightens the experience of reading it.
March 24, 2025
An uplifting and moving read, sad moments, joyous moments and a real insight to the highs and lows of being a family with severely disabled children.
September 6, 2024
Such an uplifting book. Just a joy to read.
January 10, 2017
This book had me on a rollercoaster of so many different emotions. Recommended by my mum (who read it for her book group because 1 of them knew the author) i was a little worried about reading it. This wasn't anything like the genre and type of book i read: skeptical is the best way to describe it.
It was nothing like i thought. As someone who has a partner with disabilities and faces the prospect of those being passed onto my children this hit me a lot more than i ever imagined, also as someone who faces infertility that drew me in too. I'm a strong person but i was sitting at the dinner table, finishing this book and crying in front of all my family.
The raw emotions, the honesty, the love, you can feel it all in this book. I don't for 1 minute think the author doesn't love his children but i can sense his desperation at surviving the struggle and being as strong as he can for his family. The greif of losing a 'normal' pregnancy/start in his children's lives. The strength of his marriage, the way their love carried the children to better prospects and the determination to beat all odds and doubts knowing full well how special capable and amazing their children are. With a lovely twist at the end i totally recommend this book to anyone with a heart.
It was nothing like i thought. As someone who has a partner with disabilities and faces the prospect of those being passed onto my children this hit me a lot more than i ever imagined, also as someone who faces infertility that drew me in too. I'm a strong person but i was sitting at the dinner table, finishing this book and crying in front of all my family.
The raw emotions, the honesty, the love, you can feel it all in this book. I don't for 1 minute think the author doesn't love his children but i can sense his desperation at surviving the struggle and being as strong as he can for his family. The greif of losing a 'normal' pregnancy/start in his children's lives. The strength of his marriage, the way their love carried the children to better prospects and the determination to beat all odds and doubts knowing full well how special capable and amazing their children are. With a lovely twist at the end i totally recommend this book to anyone with a heart.
February 13, 2017
What amazing children, this book is a true and vivid recounting of how it is to to have two severely disabled children. It is a honest portrayal of both the highs and the lows that the family encounter, with lots of smiles and tears they sumhow survive and muddle through.
February 2, 2017
Wow! Such a full of so many emotions. I actually work with Tommy and Alice at Treloar School now so I really wanted to read this. Because I know them I found reading this evening more emotional I guess. I didn't realise what they had gone through, what Georgie and James had gone through, in the early stages.
The book shows so much strength by the whole family. It had me laughing as well as reading with tears in my eyes. I think this book is very educational, it shows what a family goes through when dealing with such severe disability. It shows the highs and the lows.
I really enjoyed this, I'm so glad James wrote it and so glad that I know the twins because they are lovely...just reading about Tommy's smile makes your heart melt because it really is such a gorgeous smile to see. They are both amazing children and I'd recommend to anyone to read this book!
The book shows so much strength by the whole family. It had me laughing as well as reading with tears in my eyes. I think this book is very educational, it shows what a family goes through when dealing with such severe disability. It shows the highs and the lows.
I really enjoyed this, I'm so glad James wrote it and so glad that I know the twins because they are lovely...just reading about Tommy's smile makes your heart melt because it really is such a gorgeous smile to see. They are both amazing children and I'd recommend to anyone to read this book!
June 7, 2016
Moving, poignant and strangely liberating.
A very personal account of a life less ordinary, written with humour, sadness, philosophy and hope all rolled into a very readable account of the meaning of life.
This could so easily have become a maudlin rant, but the author uses his keen observational skills and witty writing style to put his family and emotions under the microscope. He introduces us to the most delightful sounding twins, some determined and positive thinking characters and the often overlooked brilliance of people in the National Health Service.
This is a not a book to cry over (although my eyes did water at a couple of points). This is a book to embrace, celebrate and, maybe even change some perceptions.
I think everyone should read this – today.
A very personal account of a life less ordinary, written with humour, sadness, philosophy and hope all rolled into a very readable account of the meaning of life.
This could so easily have become a maudlin rant, but the author uses his keen observational skills and witty writing style to put his family and emotions under the microscope. He introduces us to the most delightful sounding twins, some determined and positive thinking characters and the often overlooked brilliance of people in the National Health Service.
This is a not a book to cry over (although my eyes did water at a couple of points). This is a book to embrace, celebrate and, maybe even change some perceptions.
I think everyone should read this – today.
August 24, 2016
Fantastic
Brilliant account of the struggle to become parents and the joy of then being given two. The word of parenting may have taken them down a slightly different root than they anticipated but the ultimate love and dedication was still the same .
Brilliant account of the struggle to become parents and the joy of then being given two. The word of parenting may have taken them down a slightly different root than they anticipated but the ultimate love and dedication was still the same .
October 12, 2016
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Beautifully written. I laughed, cried and all in between. The asn word can be a murky place but also the most inspiring. Great read for any parent or those supporting an ASN family
Beautifully written. I laughed, cried and all in between. The asn word can be a murky place but also the most inspiring. Great read for any parent or those supporting an ASN family
July 23, 2016
A truly honest account of one families struggles of raising disabled children and their children's abilities to overcome the odds
-Received via goodreads
-Received via goodreads
October 1, 2019
It was such a uplifting but at the same time heartbreaking story.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews