This is the story of a long journey across America taken by a father, Antonello, and his eighteen-year-old autistic son, Andrea. It is a journey of discovery—not only of exotic, breathtaking landscapes filled with light, melancholy, and a rich tapestry of human experience, but also and above all a father's journey toward understanding his son, beyond the walls that seem to surround him, beyond outward appearances, beyond diagnoses, beyond his own embraces, beyond his son's silence—and through his smile.
An unmapped itinerary without guidebook or travel advice, one that begins on the day Antonello learns that his son is likely autistic.
The novel is the account that the father shared with author Fulvio Ervas, who has rendered it faithfully—like a painter capturing with skill what he sees, in this case what he has heard—without rhetoric or filter.
What emerges most powerfully, and what stays with both those who meet Andrea during the journey and with readers, is his smile. But we also encounter Antonello's feelings toward his son: "Between Andrea and me there is perfect harmony; nothing else is needed. It's like feeling love spread through you, tasting sweet as honey."
Don't Be Afraid When I Hold You is a pleasure to read—sometimes funny, too—an "adventure" of a book where each reader can discover the journey that matters most to them.
Review by Rita Massi
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