Autobiography of a Face

A few years ago I read Ann Patchett's memoir Truth and Beauty, about her friendship with writer Lucy Grealy. Patchett mentions that Grealy wrote a beautiful book called Autobiography of a Face. I filed the title in the back of my mind, in that space I throw names of authors and books I want to read someday to retrieve from later at the library or used book sales. I found a copy of Grealy's memoir for 20 cents and grabbed it.

Lucy Grealy, who died in 2002, was a beautiful writer and her story is one that stays with you. It's been weeks since I read it [I'm a bit behind on this blog] yet I still remember it in startling detail.When Grealy was nine years old she was diagnosed with cancer causing her to get part of her jaw removed. It's a sad and inspiring story of how Grealy coped with it all--the cruelty of her classmates, the multiple surgeries and pain she endured over the years, the hunger to fit in, and the challenge of dismissing vanity in a culture that puts so much emphasis on appearances. It is the kind of book that makes you look at life and the world a little differently, definitely a worthwhile read.