The Gems of Inverness: A Father's Odyssey Through a World of Disabilities

by Len Gulino

A memoir as painful and joyful—and as real and memorable—as life itself. The Gems of Inverness chronicles Len’s walk on the path of manhood in contemporary America as a husband, a father, and a lawyer. His journey evolves from ambiguity, confusion, and despair imposed on him by family traditions, ethnicity, and Catholicism, to an eventual clarity evoked by his care, with his wife, Barbara, of their sons, Benjamin and Gregory, both of whom were unexpectedly born with profound developmental disabilities. In the early chapters, Len is lost, buffeted by the overwhelming emotional pain and physical burden of parenting disabled children, as well as by difficulties in his marriage, career, and relationships. His anguish and desperation steadily wane as he focuses on the health problems of his sons and on creating a loving, caring home for them—it is then when he finds new insight on the beaches of Inverness, Nova Scotia. His epiphany is not a rejection of his ancestry, ethnicity, and Catholicism, but is instead a redefinition and translation of his past into his present, consistent with the manhood he seeks to live. Poetic and powerful, The Gems of Inverness will touch hearts and change minds for years to come.

Genres: Memoir

376 pages, Paperback

Published November 5, 2019

Reviews

[Terry Schwimmer]

This is an amazing read. Len Gulino and his wife Barbara have two adult sons with profound disabilities and unique abilities of their own. This is an extremely rare look into the life and emotions of a father and how he deals with these challenges. It is such an easy read as Lenny pulls you in and takes you for a ride on an emotional rollercoaster. I devoured every page and became part of their lives with every chapter. As I was nearing the end, I found that I was wanting so much more. Benjamin and Gregory are truly gems. I adore this family and you will too

[Judy Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read.

Walk in Len’s shoes and experience what life is all about. The best things in life are not things. Len’s story proves that the human spirit cannot easily be broken. And a mother’s love is like no other.

[LORAINE JANELLE · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gems of Inverness is a heart-felt, gripping, story of a couple struggling with life, love, pain and despair raising two disabled sons.
Len Gulino pulls the reader into his world. Even if the reader is not a parent or one of a disabled child, the courage of this family is beyond words.....a must read!

[Claire LaBrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 starsOne of the best book I have read in a long time.nni am an avid reader.
November 14, 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I loved reading this book. I want to highly recommend the book be read by educators and administrators in order to truly understand the challenges some parents endure. I wish I had read this book before ever entering my career as a special education educator. I believe I would have better understood parents at IEP meetings for their children.

Parents who have a child with a disability will benefit from reading this book. They will have support in dealing with their own challenges.

I know this book will be highly praised by its readers. It will capture their attention and they will not want to put it down.

[Cindy Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Reeled me in from the introduction and I devoured it in 3 days. Never before had I considered the true extent of the sacrifices made by the family members of the developmentally disabled children and then, adults. This family had two disabled children!

The author, Len Gulino brings you into day to day life of the family, his work, his wife Barbara’s struggles and triumphs, Gregory and Benjamin’s doctor appointments, their hospital stays, the ups, the downs, the disappointments and the happy times. The way Len and Barbara managed their lives is a testament to how loving, caring parents and their village can overcome anything.

A must read for anyone interested in a story of a family not so similar to yours but not so different, either.

Highly recommended.

[Thomas Merrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a hard time leaving this book each time I put it down. The author drew me right in with his descriptions of despair, hope and strength as he navigated and balanced the daily challenges of work, his children and his marriage. How he and his wife made it thru each day, one day at a time, left me totally overcome with their love, hope, and resilience for each other. Anyone who does not know the many challenges of having a child with disabilities is able to see what the author and his wife have endured to ensure their children have the best of everything. A truly compelling read that left me in awe with their remarkable ability to persevere against overwhelming odds.

[Harvey Berman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A stunning and insightful memoir of a family's journey, which recounts a miraculous spirit. Their resilience and determination to create a lifetime of blessings and success for their two profoundly disabled sons is both heartbreaking and heartwarming at once. Their love of their children guided them as they overcame sadness, terror, confusion and lost hope. What they discovered about themselves and the gifts their boys bring them will inspire every parent, every teacher and all who read this incredible story of finding something within yourself you didn't know existed."

Harvey Berman

[Catherine Theriault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brave, vulnerable, and deeply moving, this memoir is told with unflinching honesty, laying bare the inevitable suffering and pain that comes with raising children with severe disabilities. Ultimately, this is a paean to the power of love that binds this remarkable family together.

I would recommend this book to everyone, for it exemplifies compassion in action.

"Reading is an exercise in empathy: an exercise in walking in someone else's shoes for a while."
--Malorie Blackman

[Jean Marvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a wonderful story of a family and how they manage the unthinkable - not one but two handicapped children. The author and his wife are painfully honest of what life was like in their home. This book also underscores the joys this remarkable family has shared and one leaves this book inspired by their love for their children and each other. I highly recommend this book!

[Jmmaher · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing story about a father's journey through the challenges of raising his two disabled children in our current system, personal, professional and warmly written. (Would've liked to hear a bit more about he and his wife's interactions as well as her personal challenges too.)

[Denise Jaronski · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book written by Lenny. He and Barbara are amazing people! I learned much about raising disabled children.. Heartwretching for any parent to read.