Waiting for Home: The Richard Prangley Story

This is a painful book to read, but interesting and important. I know Richard Prangley, and his positive outlook and love of life are amazing, given the pain he's endured throughout his entire childhood. This book helps the reader to understand that it's possible to survive unspeakable horror and yet live a life full of joy and community. This book forces us to think about how we label and separate people who don't meet our standards in some way, and how we do so with what we believe to be "good intentions."

John Schneider uses an easy-to-read style and an insight into the life of the developmentally disabled to document the tragic, but true, story of a special child who was sentenced to grow-up in a Michigan institution for the retarded. Richard Prangley's remarkable growth into a man and a mental health advocate is due to his determination for justice and belief in doing what is right. Richard's positive attitude is an inspiration to us all.

Anyone who has even the slightest interest in biographies of people who have been "labeled" will find this book to be not only a treasure for the field of human services, but a masterpiece literary glimpse into a life. A very remarkable life. Given to the reader for better or for worse. But,definitly for our better!