I Dream He Talks to Me: A Memoir of Learning How to Listen

Shortly before his second birthday, Allison Moorer’s son, John Henry, stopped using the twenty-seven words he had learned. John Henry’s diagnosis of nonverbal autism was devastating, even though Allison knew in her bones that something was shifting. In the years since then, Allison and John Henry have embarked on a powerful journey-filled with the heartbreak, adventure, confusion, and unending love that are the hallmarks of a quest for understanding.

In I Dream He Talks to Me, Allison details the temper tantrums, the toilet accidents, the moments of unexpected grace, and the pain of never truly knowing her son’s hopes, fears, or what he loves with the same gorgeous prose that is a hallmark of her first memoir, Blood. I Dream He Talks to Me is an exploration of resilience, compassion, and how to find things to celebrate every day. A moving meditation on communication-what words mean, what they don’t, and how we strive to do the best for those care for-it is also a surprising look at what unconditional love truly means.

The saying goes, If you know one person with autism, you know one person with autism. No two stories are alike, and yet there are universal truths. As with Blood, Allison shares her unique story while also creating a riveting narrative that will appeal to anyone who has struggled to parent.