I first heard about Lucy Grealy via Ann Patchett. She wrote a very touching portrait of her dead friend on New York Magazine.

So i started reading Autobiography of a Face knowing way too much about the book already, which is something i normally hate to do. But Ann Patchett's description of Lucy Grealy intrigued me enough.

Lucy Grealy suffered from a very serious form of bone cancer when she was a little girl. The right side of her jaw had to be removed. She survived the cancer after plenty of chemo and radiation, but she did not survive the disfigurement of her face. Lucy's identity resided so heavily on her face (isn't that the case with so many of us?) that she devoted her life to a quest for beauty, which she always found equivalent to love (or being worthy of love). This involved dozens of painful operations, all followed by disappointment after disappointment. The book ended, however, on a positive note: it was almost like Lucy had, in a way, come to terms with her face. But i knew, from Patchett's portrait, that there was no ultimate happy ending.

This should be mandatory reading for medical professionals. I was horrified to read some of her experiences, in particular the ones where there were conversations about her as if she was not there, yet she was hearing everything. How excruciating that must have been, probably hand in hand with the pain.

The writing is superb. I relished the clean flow of language, beautiful and poignant. Sometimes, in memoirs, i find that the author goes into such deep introspection that i end up feeling lost. That was never the case here. Whether it was the freedom that a Halloween mask provided, or the panic attacks after the anesthesia wore off, the complex relationship with her mother, the thoughts and imagery were always there, crystal clear. What a shame Grealy's production was so limited.

OK, BookRay begins now...

Please make a journal entry when you get the book, so that we can keep track of its whereabouts.
Of course make another entry when you finish reading it (to me, the exciting part).
If you could keep the book for a maximum of 4 weeks, that would be great. If you think it's going to take you longer to read it, please make an entry indicating that.

Shipping order:

Jenptcfan - Arkansas
BrooklinBrat - Canada
Chryso - Michigan
Prplpec - Georgia
Tiatia - Virginia
LyekkaMarengo - Pennsylvania
Seedstarter - New Jersey
Ebumu - New York
LizzieM - Australia

And off we go! Book will be shipping tomorrow.

I received this book today...and just in time! I'm leaving tomorrow morning for a week long trip. I will try to finish it up next week and send it on its way!

I finished this book today while visiting my hometown. I will send it to Brooklinbrat this afternoon.

I was very impressed with this book. It was well-written and honest. The saddest part of this book, to me, was that all of the people who touched Lucy's life had the power to shape it in some way. The children (and adults) who taunted her about her looks impacted her more deeply than they could have known. What would have her life and self-perception been like if people had been nice to her?

A kind word goes a long way...and so does an unkind word. It's a good lesson for all of us.

Arrived safe and sound - sorry it took me so long to get it journalled! Took it upstairs to read (halfway through it and enjoying it so far) and kept forgetting to journal after that!

Should be done within the week, then I'll get it off to Chryso.

I really REALLY enjoyed this book.

Her story is not only moving, but also well-written. I just love Grealy's writing style.

Thank you for including me in this ring. Will PM Chryso for address.

Received on Saturday, Nov. 19. Thanks, BrooklinBrat! Will read, journal, and pass on asap.

I really enjoyed this book. While her story is one to which few can relate directly, Grealy writes in such a way that her particular experience carries a universal meaning. (I may edit this post to add more later.) Thanks for sharing, GorgeousGlo!

Mailed to prplpec on Saturday, Jan. 7. Enjoy!

Just received in the mail--looking forward to reading this book next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Grealy writes in a style that is easy to read, yet is very profound. I wish I had read this right after reading Ann Patchett's Truth and Beauty--the story of their friendship. Makes me want to read that book again. This book shows you the thoughts behind the face and the facade--outwardly, in Patchett's book, I saw her just as an eccentric, troubled person.
Will send on to Tiatia after I check on her address.

In the mail today to tiatia.

Forgot to say about the book: I have a twin sister, and I was amazed at how little the author talked about her twin, or what a lack of a bond they seemed to have. She talked about her twin as if she were just another sibling. I don't know any twins who are so disconnected. I hope they have a better relationship as adults.

Have one and one half book ring selections ahead of this one but hope to not keep anyone waiting. Loved the Ann Patchett book about their relationship.

Wow! The sharp insights of Lucy from ten years old on as she experiences cancer are so well written. I could not help but hurt for her not only because of the cancer, but also the lack of communication given to her about her treatment and the impacts on her psyche that followed. Whatever happened to offering counseling for the soul?
Off to PA via Washington, where I am working this week, as soon as I get the next reader's address.

Thought I could mail it out but I haven't gotten an address from the next reader yet so I dragged it back home and will send another email.

Off to Florida in the morning.

Received safe and sound in PA on 02/18/2006. Also received Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamtress that was intended for someone else. I actually read that one over the week-end and enjoyed it also. I'll get to this one after one other bookring.. And I'll mail on the other book tomorrow.

Lucy Grealy suffered from a very rare type of cancer as a child. To say that her childhood was not typical would be one of the biggest understatements there is. But as unlikely as it seems she did her best to take everything in stride, although most of this was just an act that she thought would make her deserving of her parents love. Most of her lower jaw was removed in her battle with cancer and after undergoing radiation and very gruesome chemotherapy she began having reconstructive surgeries. She was teased cruely by boys at school and attributed all of her dissatisfaction to the fact that she felt she was too ugly for anyone to ever love. She later had bursts of promiscuity, which I suppose would almost be expected if you equate sex with attractiveness. She seemed to always be undergoing some sort of procedure to her face but when the doctors finally said that this was all they were going to be able to do it she finally had to come to terms with her face. It must have been an odd feeling since most of her life when she looked in the mirror she could always tell herself that after the next surgery she might finally look like "herself". I can imagine that it would have been a hard thing to accept that this was now forever "you". This book was very well written and very thought provoking in regard to how much we are what we look like.

Mailed on to Ebumu in Ithaca, NY on 03-16/2006 (note: Seedstarted asked to be skipped)

This arrived today in good shape; sometimes media mail is as quick as lightening. Thanks LyekkaMarengo!

As usual, I am doing things a bit backward. I first read Ann Patchett's memoir of her friendship with Lucy Grealy, and found it very touching. Of course now I need to read this one. I see I'm not the only one in this ray who came to the book this way! Thanks for sending this around, GorgeousGlo. I'll get to it soon.

I enjoyed this book, although it was sometimes difficult to read. I appreciated hearing from Grealy herself after having read Ann Patchett's memoir about her. Grealy's book is firmly positive. It seems as though she had confronted and resolved issues with her appearance in order to write the book, but I know from Patchett's work that wasn't quite the case.

How could it be? Body image is tough. I lack obvious deformities, and I have plenty of trouble with my own body image--I have no idea how others perceive me, and my mental picture of myself changes daily. It was interesting and sad to read about Grealy's very real body image problems, and the impact they had on her life. My three-year-old son has been commenting lately on the appearance of others. He'll turn to me in a shop and loudly ask, "did he hurt his legs? " or "why is her hair pink, mom? that's a funny thing." Hair pinkness is one thing, but I honestly haven't known how to deal with his very frank and public questions about handicaps and abnormalities. This book made me reflect on why the innocent comments of children are hurtful--they play into all the image/self esteem stuff that most people are already feeling.

I'll send this on to LizzieM in Australia early this week. Thanks to all of you in the ring for passing it along. The pictures in my journal entries are of hellebores and a tree peony bud in my Spring garden (ahhh! Spring). Mailed April 10.

Wow. What an insightful book and an amazing woman to come to grips with all these issues. Thanks for sharing, GorgrousGlo.