Tom has gotten a striking amount of pre-pub praise for his memoir, FOLLOWING EZRA: What One Father Learned About Gumby, Otters, Autism and Love from His Extraordinary Son (coming from NAL in September):

“Following Ezra is a revelation. I could not put it down. Life rarely goes according to plan, and too often we try to control situations that are beyond our control. In this life-affirming book, Tom Fields-Meyer offers a rare gift: He teaches that the things we least plan for can become our greatest treasures. This inspiring memoir of a father raising (and being raised by) his autistic son is a great lesson about patience and the blessings that can come when we let our unique children lead us.” —Naomi Levy, author of To Begin Again and Hope Will Find You

“I look for love in books about children. I trust the parent who yields to wonder and celebrates the unexpected. I honor the writer who tells a family story with dignity, clarity, and grace. Love is the river that runs through this book. Dignity and grace light each page.”  —Beth Kephart, National Book Award finalist for A Slant of Sun and author of Undercover

“Anyone who is raising a child with special needs should read Following Ezra. It shows how warmth and humor—yes, humor—can help not just the child, but the family, more than most of us could ever imagine.” —James Patterson

“A riveting account of raising one special boy, Following Ezra is a powerful story for parents of any child. This inspiring book shows us that seeing meaning and depth in our children’s idiosyncrasies is crucial to raising strong, secure and resilient kids. Tom Fields-Meyer has written a beautiful, funny, tender book. I highly recommend it.” —Michael Gurian, New York Times bestselling author of The Wonder of Boys

“When Tom Fields-Meyer’s son Ezra was diagnosed with autism, the author decided to forego mourning for the child who might have been and concentrate instead on the delightful kid he had. Following Ezra is at once a meticulous description of what it is to parent a child who has autism, and a salute to the kid whose mind takes both of them to mysterious, profound, and silly places we so-called typical adults can scarcely imagine.”  —Carolyn See, author of Making a Literary Life and grandmother of a child with autism

“A book about autism isn’t supposed to be funny. But I laughed reading Following Ezra as much as I cried. There’s sadness here, but also great joy, boundless love and inspiring devotion. Following Ezra—and reading his story—makes us better people. This book is a great and uplifting gift.”         —Daniel Gordis, author of Saving Israel and Coming Together, Coming Apart

“Following Ezra is an unsentimental, beautifully written memoir about a boy whose limitations and gifts are as extraordinary as his impact on the reader’s life. Like Ezra himself, this book is by turns funny, painful, poignant and scrupulously honest.”  —David Wolpe, author of Why Faith Matters

“Ezra’s struggles to live life fully and to be a participant in his beautiful family and the larger world will fill your heart and inspire you. His sweetness, courage, and resilience come alive in his father’s watchful gaze and masterful portrayal. Reading this book, you feel like you just gained a new set of relatives—wise, sometimes goofy, always remarkable.”  —Bradley Shavit Artson, dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and author of The Everyday Torah

“Tom Fields-Meyer expands our humanity and demonstrates that love and connection are possible in ways we might not have imagined—if only we are open. I laughed and I cried as I read page after page of this poignant, powerful, inspiring, and gentle book.”  —David Ellenson, President, Hebrew Union College