Autobiography of a Face

by Lucy Grealy | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 006097673x Global Overview for this book
Registered by imabookie of Toronto, Ontario Canada on 3/11/2004
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16 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by imabookie from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Thursday, March 11, 2004
Insightful, poignant autobiography of a young woman's life during and after cancer diagnosed when she was 9 years old, and had 1/3 of her jaw removed. "I spent five years of my life being treated for cancer, but since then I've spent 15 years being treated for nothing other than looking different from everyone else. It was the pain from that, from feeling ugly, that I always viewed as the great tragedy of my life. The fact that I had cancer seemed minor in comparison." I think she finally came to terms with her reconstructed face ... now teaches writing in New York universities!

Journal Entry 2 by imabookie at Organic Buddha Cafe 443 Danforth Ave in Toronto, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Released on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 at Organic Buddha Cafe 443 Danforth Ave in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

release at meetup

Journal Entry 3 by msbooknut from Fenelon Falls, Ontario Canada on Saturday, April 17, 2004
Picked it up at the last meet-up in Toronto - I'm told by Imabookie, who released it, that it is a very good book, so, we'll see! Will read it and pass it on!

Journal Entry 4 by msbooknut at -- Controlled Release in Toronto, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Released on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 at Bringing it to the Meet-up in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Imabookie brought this book to the last meet-up and really encouraged me to read it! I did, and it is certainly a remarkable story of one person's triumph over cancer! Very detailed descriptions of what chemo does, etc., so not a "light" read, but certainly full of hope!

Journal Entry 5 by jessibud from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Caught this book last night at a meetup, my first! I will read it as soon as I finish the 2 books I am currently in the middle of!

Journal Entry 6 by jessibud from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Thursday, June 17, 2004
I just finished this book and am sending it out tomorrow to gebodogs, to fulfill my part of an exchange.

This was a book that was difficult and painful to read, yet, at the same time, engaging and gripping. Grealy is eloquent, sensitive and honest and I wanted to wrap my arms around her and protect her. She made me look at myself and really see myself, made me think about things I didn't know I wanted to think about. This one will stay with me for a long time.

Journal Entry 7 by gebodogs from Thermopolis, Wyoming USA on Friday, June 25, 2004
Received from jessibud. i'm looking forward to reading this book. Thanks!

Journal Entry 8 by gebodogs from Thermopolis, Wyoming USA on Friday, July 23, 2004
This is an outstanding memoir of cancer survivor from age 9 through adulthood and how she dealt with her disfigurement after having half her jaw removed. Very well told. Now I need to find Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchet, the epiloque to this story about Lucy Greely.

Thanks jessibud for trading with me.

Journal Entry 9 by gebodogs from Thermopolis, Wyoming USA on Friday, October 15, 2004
This excellent book is heading back to Canada again.

Journal Entry 10 by Lotusflower77 from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, October 26, 2004
I was just reading the journal entries for this book which I received in the mail today(thanks, gebodogs); nice to see that it's been travelling between the U.S. and Canada. Let's see where it will go next. Maybe I can take it with me to India/Egypt where I will be holidaying in December. I know it's not a light read, but I would love to pass it on to someone that will see it as a story of hope.

Journal Entry 11 by Lotusflower77 from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Sunday, November 14, 2004
I had heard that this book was a part of many high school curriculums in the U.S. and I am so pleased that it is, because surely, after reading this book, kids will learn to be more sensitive to people that are sick, disfigured or physically challenged in some way.

About Lucy herself, what can I say, but marvel at her resilience to all the traumas life chose to put in her path. One message that come through very clearly in the book however, is that one's identity is influenced by often superficial social signals. Had we lived in a world that wasn't so fixated on perfection of the face/body, would Lucy Grealy have felt the need to put herself through so much reconstructive surgery?

This book is a truly wonderful read- a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit. And like me, if you happen to be interested in the field of medicine, there is a lot of information here about hospitals in general and plastic surgery procedures.

As I came to the end of the book however, I couldn't help wonder what Lucy's life was like after she wrote the book. Did she finally come to terms with her looks? Did she meet and fall in love with someone? Did she marry and have children? If you also wondered about her, you might want to read this article by Ann Pratchett who was her housemate and good friend:

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/people/features/n_8396/

This book will soon be on its way to Southern California where I hope it will continue to travel.


Journal Entry 12 by JDT from Pleasanton, California USA on Monday, December 13, 2004
Happy to receive this well-travelled, powerful book in the mail today.
Thanks so much, lotusflower77!

Journal Entry 13 by JDT from Pleasanton, California USA on Wednesday, January 26, 2005
A gift having the chance to read this thought-provoking, heart-touching new-to-me book and author. Aware of the self-consciousness, vulnerable and good hearts of adolescents - as a teacher of high school juniors & seniors, I found Lucy's reactions, fears, and resilience especially poignant.

Thanks to all before me.

Sending on to corry000!

Journal Entry 14 by corry000 from Chicago, Illinois USA on Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Recieved safely. Thank you! I will try to read it soon.



Edited 1/26/07

i just realized i never wrote what i thought about the book. It was a tough read. I usually like happier books and it was really depressing as far as i remmeber. Nevertheless, it was worth reading.

Journal Entry 15 by jessibud from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Thursday, May 19, 2005
Sorry to barge in again but after writing my recent article for the BookCrossing newsletter, about how this book has woven in and out of my life over the last year, I came back to edit in a few links I thought I had already posted here. After reading the book, I was a bit obsessed for awhile and began to google, to find out more about Lucy (a sad ending...). I found several links to interesting articles, some of which are no longer available as links. But the following three still are and are definitely worth a look. Hope you enjoy:

NPR (All Things Considered) interview (it's an audio link; it's short and worth it): http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=889108


Ann Patchett on their friendship (brief):
http://www.powells.com/fromtheauthor/patchett.html

(the full story by Ann Patchett; read this, it's excellent):
http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/people/features/n_8396/index.html



I now return you to your regularly scheduled book relay journey, little book!

Journal Entry 16 by Ri from Cincinnati, Ohio USA on Tuesday, July 19, 2005
And this well traveled book comes full circle! Thanks for passing it along corry000!

Journal Entry 17 by Ri from Cincinnati, Ohio USA on Sunday, January 22, 2006
Well this certainly was a poignant and emotional read! I was particularly fascinated to read about Lucy's early life and her struggles with the Ewing's sarcoma. I've already read _Truth and Beauty_ by Anne Patchett which describes the author's close friendship with Lucy during her young adulthood so I had a really different picture of Lucy. How refreshing to see what was going on inside her mind as well! If you haven't yet read Truth and Beauty, do read it as a companion to this one. It really compliments it well.

I was so moved to read this and will find just the perfect new home for it!

Journal Entry 18 by morsecode from Woonsocket, Rhode Island USA on Saturday, June 24, 2006
This book arrived safe and sound in Buffalo, NY today.
I was excited to end up with it in our Biographies and Memoirs Swap on the bookrelay site.

Journal Entry 19 by chargoyle from Ossining, New York USA on Tuesday, December 18, 2007
My daughter (morsecode) brought me this book at Thanksgiving.
What a book! I couldn't put it down. I found it riveting, but what amazed me most was Lucy's use of language. It was phenomenal!
I recommend to anyone who reads this book to read Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett afterward. My daughter suggested this to me, and I'm glad I did. It is the story of Ann and Lucy's remarkable friendship.

Journal Entry 20 by morsecode from Woonsocket, Rhode Island USA on Saturday, February 2, 2008
I read this book in the past week so that I could send it to camis (the original owner of the copy of Truth and Beauty I have on Mt. TBR) since it is on her wishlist and February is her month for one of our exchange groups.

I picked up Autobiography of a Face and Ann Patchett's Truth and Beauty around the same time after hearing that they were both fantastic books and should be read together.

I have yet to read Truth and Beauty, but it seems to me that it is impossible to read Autobiography of a Face and not be curious about Grealy's life beyond the part described in the memoir. In doing that supplemental reading, I discovered the tension between the two books and the fact that Suellen Grealy, Lucy's older sister, came out against Truth and Beauty in The Guardian.

Autobiography of a Face wasn't the easiest to read, but Grealy wrote about her life and struggles eloquently and with great honesty. The saddest part of her story, however, is the cause of her untimely death in 2002 (highlight if you'd like to know: apparently she became addicted to prescription painkillers after her last reconstructive surgery (similar to the brief codeine addiction she describes in the book), which served as a gateway to heroine and her eventual accidental overdose ). After I learned about her death, I began to see Grealy as much more of a tragic character than I did when I finished the book.

I'll be reading Truth and Beauty soon. I understand Suellen Grealy's concerns, but I know that each of the books only contains a version of the truth and, for better or for worse, Patchett, by writing Truth and Beauty has brought Grealy and Autobiography of a Face much more exposure than they would have had otherwise.

Journal Entry 21 by camis from Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom on Friday, February 15, 2008
Thank you so much for sending this to me - I loved Truth and Beauty so am looking forward to reading Lucy's account of her life.

Journal Entry 22 by camis from Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom on Wednesday, July 16, 2008
I haven't yet read this but am going to pass it round my postal book group first - I sent Truth & Beauty round last year and everyoen seemed to liek it, so thought this would be a good follow up. I will read it on its return.

Off to Barefootmum.

Journal Entry 23 by Barefootmum from Dorking, Surrey United Kingdom on Thursday, July 24, 2008
Arrived safely. Having read Truth and Beauty last year, I am looking forward to reading this one for a different perspective.

Journal Entry 24 by Barefootmum from Dorking, Surrey United Kingdom on Monday, August 18, 2008
I enjoyed reading this. It was fascinating to read from Lucy's point of view. A great insight into a child's perspective of cancer and illness. You wouldn't think that the Lucy in this book and the Lucy of Anne Patchet's "Truth and Beauty" were the same person.

Sending on to Anfield.

Journal Entry 25 by Anfield from Bagshot, Surrey United Kingdom on Thursday, August 28, 2008
After a short holiday at Bagshot post office, the book has finally found me.

Journal Entry 26 by Decembermum from Basingstoke, Hampshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Received today. Thanks

Journal Entry 27 by Decembermum from Basingstoke, Hampshire United Kingdom on Monday, October 13, 2008
I'm afraid I didn't manage to read this but I have passed it on to MrsBridgewater.

Journal Entry 28 by mrsbridgewater from Holybourne, Hampshire United Kingdom on Sunday, October 19, 2008
I enjoyed reading this book, having already read Ann Patchett's 'Truth and Beauty' I knew a little of the story. Lucy comes across as a far more positive person in her own account than she does in that of her friend!

Journal Entry 29 by camis from Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom on Monday, November 10, 2008
Arrived safely back with me - I will try and read it soon!

Journal Entry 30 by camis from Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 25, 2008
I really enjoyed this and am glad I have read things from Lucy's perspective as well as from Ann Patchett in Truth & Beauty.

I will try and find a new home for this well-travelled book soon.

Journal Entry 31 by camis from Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom on Thursday, December 18, 2008
This is now heading off to zzz from the Memoirs Swap on BookObsessed.

Journal Entry 32 by zzz from Rakovica / Раковица, City of Belgrade Serbia on Wednesday, December 31, 2008
It's here! WOW this book is such a traveler! And I see many familiar names here (waves to all!)
Thank you camis!

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