title: A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself by: Ho Davies, Peter published: 2021-01-07 read: 2021-07 preview

Have you ever been pregnant?

Good chance your doctor suggested some tests on the foetus; such tests are more seriously suggested with increasing maternal age.

So if you do such tests, what’s then? Suppose the tests suggest that all is not ok, what do you do?

This book visits that impossible situation, based on what the author actually went through. A couple decides, based on chromosome tests, to discontinue a pregnancy.  The book describes the mental horror, in a very dry, factual way. 

“How do you mourn something you killed?” The novelty of the book is: it’s a man’s story.  Therein unique, worthwhile, and a gem.  The couple, by the way, later get a son, who has to suffer his parents’ hypertension, thinking he’s mortally ill with every small issue.  But I’m exaggerating: the book is observational, descriptive, and not emotional.  That makes it powerful.

A book for parents.  Not for aspiring ones.