Life on Delay: Making Peace with a Stutter

The author, John Hendrickson, who is a journalist and a staff writer for the Atlantic, is a life-long stutterer. He shares his painful childhood when his parents did not know how to help him, his older brother made fun of him and he struggled in school. Speech therapy did not help. Even saying his own name aloud was a challenge. He lived in fear of answering a phone or ordering food in a restaurant.The reader learns a lot about stuttering for example, scientists might have identified the 3-4 mutated genes that may cause stuttering. Some therapists believe stuttering is caused by childhood trauma. Stuttering emerges between ages 2-5 with 75% of children growing out of it. If the child is still stuttering at age 10, he will stutter throughout his life. More males are stutterers than females. Hendrickson has found that the best way to deal with stuttering is to own up to it and talk freely, unapologetically and openly despite it. There is a National Stuttering Association which, like Alcoholics Anonymous, offers weekly support group meetings.Believe it or not, there are some assets to stuttering. Stutterers tend to be good listeners, great writers and empathetic. But, they can also possess a deep seeded anger stemming from their frustrations to communicate and the negative perceptions people might have about them because they struggle to express themselves. The author interviews many stutterers some of whom are well know in the fields of entertainment, sports and journalism. Stuttering is a very emotional disability. The author talks openly about his depression, fear, guilt and feelings of hopelessness and isolation. He shares the physical mannerisms he utilizes to unblock his speech. He digs deep to summon the courage to apply for jobs and initiate conversations.In August, 2019, the author interviewed Presidential candidate Joe Biden. The article was titled "What Joe Biden Cannot Bring Himself to Say" and it appeared in the Atlantic. This article was named one of the best stories written in 2019. Both the article and this book reveal so much and are definitely worth reading.

As a person who stutters, I've never been able to explain some of my feelings and experiences around my stuttering before; John explains it super well and made me connect better with my stuttering. The book is a see-saw of emotions that in situations quite similar to my experience that I could not avoid crying about joy and also sadness. However, John provides valuable information about stuttering, without getting deep into the topics, it is enough for me to google it and explore more about the topic, for example, the case of neurotransmitters and the work of Dr. Gerald Maguire, or the life of other public figures who stutter. Thank you so much for writing this book and making me even more proud to be a stutterer, it has been my favorite book this year by far. I hope this book could be translated into Spanish soon and be available to stutters, SLPs, and the general public that speak Spanish.

I had heard the author speak on a Ted Talk and read his article in the Atlantic. As a 60+ year stutterer ('m 69) it was difficult to read, but his voice is spot on and I'm giving the book to relatives and friends to help them understand my past and my present. Highly recommended, but painful.

Life on Delay: Making Peace with a Stutter: Everyone should read this to get an idea of what life is like for someone with a significant stutter. SLPs should definitely read this!

Recommended read!! So good.This book does what the best memoirs do, which is tell a personal story while providing a greater context and illuminating information about the topic. I picked this up because my Grandpa and a beloved uncle have had stutters, along with one of my son’s besties. I caught a hellcold and read this, intending to ditch it for crummy TV at any point. It never happened! I was enthralled and dedicated a couple days to this book.Here, we get to learn about how it feels to have a stutter, the bullying that can come with it, some history of treatment, some cool neurological & speech background, all from John’s unguarded, compelling writer voice.He takes a cue from David Carr’s Night of the Gun and begins interviewing people from his past. From his kindergarten teacher to his bullying brother to a comedian who interacted with him during a show, he uses their memories of his stutter to help his own understanding of his life. That part is revelatory.Some other notes:Reminder, don’t tell a stutterer, or anyone with a disability, to “take their time.”Stuttering can be repetition, slowed/sticking syllables, or blocks where the words don’t come.I learned about secondary habits, like twitching or looking down, to accompany a stutter. Some of these habits are to help push the words out, and some are to help the speaker avoid what John calls “the look” when the listener realizes what is happening.

Read this book thoughtfully as I stammer. Well written and close to the topic. One thing not covered is about us that stammer due to stress or some other mental quirk.

I have a grandchild who stutters. This book helped me understand stuttering and how I can better handle my own feelings. This book teaches about respect and patience and understanding the complexity of disfluency. I feel privileged to have read this book. What a gift! Thank you!

I haven't finished a book in probably 10 years and crushed this in less than two weeks. John's style of writing makes you forget you're not there with him. It gives you the sense you're experiencing the same events.I initially grabbed it hoping it would give me some perspective on how my son copes with having a stutter (which most people don't even realize). Although, I honestly would have enjoyed it even if I didn't relate to it.What a beautiful book! Also, I may or may not have cried at the end. 😉

Written in a very intelligent and compassionate way