{"id":659008,"date":"2021-08-18T17:41:39","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T21:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=659008"},"modified":"2021-08-18T17:41:43","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T21:41:43","slug":"book-review-the-extraordinary-is-a-powerful-reminder-of-sacrifice-and-a-fathers-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/book-review-the-extraordinary-is-a-powerful-reminder-of-sacrifice-and-a-fathers-love\/","title":{"rendered":"BOOK REVIEW: \u2018The Extraordinary\u2019 Is A Powerful Reminder Of Sacrifice And A Father\u2019s Love"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbook-review-the-extraordinary-is-a-powerful-reminder-of-sacrifice-and-a-fathers-love%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=659008&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/9781642939422-1.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span>As the United States approaches the twentieth anniversary of 9\/11, Americans are discussing the implications of our military\u2019s withdrawal from Afghanistan \u2014 a move that marks the end of our nation\u2019s longest war.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Though many citizens are grappling with isolationism-versus-interventionism in the Middle East, many others are grappling with the challenges of welcoming their loved ones home \u2014 or, in many cases, not seeing their loved ones again on this side of eternity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>This is the focus of \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/The-Extraordinary\/Brad-Schaeffer\/9781642939422\"><span>The Extraordinary<\/span><\/a><span>\u201d by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/author\/brad-schaeffer\"><span>Brad Schaeffer<\/span><\/a><span> \u2014 a commodities trader and writer whose articles have appeared in The Daily Wire, The Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, National Review, and other outlets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The novel tracks the return of Marine Corps Captain Peter Scott from his service in Iraq \u2014 but not through his eyes. Nor the eyes of his wife, nor his twenty-something daughter, nor his football star teenager.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The story of Captain Scott is told from the perspective of Wesley \u2014 his autistic, middle-school-aged son.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Wes is not like other children. He goes to a \u201cspecial school\u201d for those on the spectrum. He finds comfort in routines \u2014 and struggles to adjust when they are broken. But through it all, he knows his father \u2014 who calls his \u201cextraordinary\u201d son his \u201cEx-man\u201d \u2014 loves him deeply.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"16\">\n<p><i><span>\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Son. I have to go. It\u2019s, well, it\u2019s my job. There are bad people out there, and I have to stop them from hurting good people. It\u2019s hard to understand. Even for the Ords.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>\u201cOrds\u201d is his term for people who aren\u2019t special like me. He calls me an \u201cEx.\u201d \u201cYou\u2019re extraordinary. Unique. A gift to me,\u201d he would say. He briefly catches my eye. It\u2019s a fleeting moment. Like a rare bird that flits past an otherwise ordinary landscape and then is gone. \u201cI\u2019ll miss you too. But it\u2019s just one tour.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>Having a father who leaves for war \u2014 and then returns with only a portion of his former self, both physically and psychologically \u2014 is harrowing for any child. For Wes, however, the battle is all the more pronounced. Captain Scott is the only person in the world who truly attempts to understand his \u201cEx-man.\u201d Others in the Scott family love Wes, but they often see him \u2014 and sometimes treat him \u2014 as a burden rather than a blessing.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"20\">\n<p><i><span>Dad has to leave in the middle of the night. There\u2019s a pall over the house. I can feel it. Sadness. Fear. Regret. Mom\u2019s like the core reactor that sets the mood of our home. This evening that mood is dark, and it frightens me. At dinner I want to scream. I\u2019m not hungry. I just want to rock and moan and bang my plate. I don\u2019t want Dad to go away.&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Thomas is also tense, and he\u2019s sharper than usual tonight. It\u2019s in the air. \u201cCan we please just one time eat in peace?\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Dad glares at him. \u201cThomas. Your brother\u2019s upset. Can\u2019t you see that?\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Thomas recedes. Dad\u2019s the only one who intimidates him. \u201cHe\u2019s always upset,\u201d he says quietly, looking my way. I stare down at my carrots.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>Families with special needs children take care to ensure that they are loved. It is not easy \u2014 indeed, it requires an incredible degree of time, energy, and attention. In the case of the Scott family, these resources are often lacking due to the added stresses of having a father in the Marine Corps. Nevertheless, through the indescribably difficult challenges of their lives, they eventually learn how to love Wes \u2014 on <\/span><i><span>his <\/span><\/i><span>terms instead of theirs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>For the past decade and a half, I have witnessed my uncle and aunt faithfully care for my younger cousin, Ella, who is on the spectrum. Schaeffer\u2019s novel freshly reminds me that Ella and other Ex children are made in the image of God, just as deserving of love and affection as an Ord like me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I am confident that you will walk away from this book with the same reminder.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Brad Schaeffer is the author of the acclaimed World War II novel&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/Of-Another-Time-and-Place\/Brad-Schaeffer\/9781642932867\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/Of-Another-Time-and-Place\/Brad-Schaeffer\/9781642932867&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1624127216938000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGhiBaHpY3EgyGwKmpzbdNJg_23rQ\">Of Another Time And Place<\/a>.&nbsp;His newest novel,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/The-Extraordinary\/Brad-Schaeffer\/9781642939422\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/The-Extraordinary\/Brad-Schaeffer\/9781642939422&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1624127216938000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHt4uzDjpdIILWYTjuVQwMUYnQmRg\">The Extraordinary<\/a>, will be released August 31 and is currently available for pre-order.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author\u2019s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><i><span>member<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the United States approaches the twentieth anniversary of 9\/11, Americans are discussing the implications of our military\u2019s withdrawal from Afghanistan \u2014 a move that marks the end of our &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-659008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/659008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=659008"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/659008\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=659008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=659008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=659008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}