“Soulful . . . Hendrickson provides a raw, intimate look at his life with a stutter. It’s a profoundly moving book that will reshape the way you think about people living with this condition.”—Esquire
“The kind of memoir that educates, endears, impacts and devastates, often simultaneously . . . Personal yet informative, Life on Delay delves into the internal poeticism of someone who feels perpetually on the fringe while offering tangible advice regarding what to say or not say to someone with a stutter. . . . Life on Delay is not a disability memoir that focuses on trying to find a cure for stuttering, nor does it fall into the category of sentimental, inspirational stories of overcoming impossible odds. Instead, the book promotes a simple message: Obtaining true peace comes from accepting every part of yourself, including the things that bring you shame.”—BookPage (starred review)
“John Hendrickson’s overwhelmingly honest, clear-eyed memoir of his struggle with speaking is by turns outrage-inducing, heartbreaking, and inspiring. And when the reporter in him seeks out others with similar struggles, an entire world emerges: millions of people, all sharing a need to be understood and accepted, not just by the world but often by those they love the most. The result is revelatory — and extremely moving. I can’t remember the last time I read a book that made me want to both cry and cheer so much, often at the same time.”—Robert Kolker, author of Hidden Valley Road
“John Hendrickson may have struggled to speak, but he shows himself a gifted storyteller. In this moving memoir, he beautifully recounts how a boy mocked for his stutter ended up as a professional communicator, illuminating along the way a world few of us understand. This is a powerful memoir, but more than that, it’s a beautiful one.”—Nicholas Kristof, coauthor of Half the Sky
“I could not put down this brave, eye-opening, and exquisitely moving memoir. I cried, laughed, and entered a whole new world that felt both specific and universal in the complexities of navigating a path to self-acceptance. It has made me view myself and others in entirely new ways, and I will be thinking about John’s journey for years to come. A must-read for every human.”—Lori Gottlieb, author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
“Armed with new thinking and attitudes toward his disability, John Hendrickson revisits his past—including both therapists and allies, and others who mocked and judged. It’s a brave, productive confrontation with years of shame, a resetting of old assumptions. From it, Hendrickson has fashioned this empowering and liberating memoir.”—Ted Conover, author of Cheap Land Colorado
“John Hendrickson’s Life on Delay: Making Peace with a Stutter is an elegant, heart-rendering, emotional account of how to grapple with personal obstacles but persevere with a combination of tenacity and self-awareness. Hendrickson has a magical way with words and pulls the reader into his world with the ease of Joan Didion and Susan Sontag. This shooting star glows brilliantly in this powerful memoir. Highly recommend!”—Douglas Brinkley, author of Silent Spring Revolution
“Brave, compassionate, and brilliantly observed, Life on Delay is not only one of the most engaging books I’ve ever read on disability, it’s one of the best books I’ve read on becoming a mature, authentic human being in a society that stigmatizes difference.”—Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity
“Life on Delay is both a revelation and an affirmation. The reader gets a vicarious, almost physical sense of what it means to stutter as well as a universal story of family and forgiveness, told with uncommon grace and wit. John Hendrickson is a beautiful writer, a warm companion, and a compassionate observer of what makes us human.”—Jennifer Senior, winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Feature writing and author of All Joy and No Fun
“I can’t remember the last time I read a book so human. Life On Delay brims with empathy and honesty. It is a book about family, relationships, and how we come to understand who we are in the world. It moved me in ways that I haven’t experienced before. It’s fantastic.”—Clint Smith, author of How the Word Is Passed
“Powerful . . . [Hendrickson’s] interviews with researchers, therapists, fellow stutterers, and parents of children who stutter widen the narrative scope and compassionately uplift a stigmatized community. The author is a thoughtful reporter, and he delivers a visceral understanding of how he compartmentalized his shame. This memoir casts a necessary light on a disability that too often goes unseen.”—Publishers Weekly
“Inspiring and empowering . . . [A] thoughtful, well-reported memoir . . . This is a potentially life-changing read for everyone, not only for people who are struggling with feeling different.”—Karen Springen, Booklist
