Autobiography of a Face

When this book came out, it created a sensation, not just for the raw facts of Lucy Grealy's ordeal but even more for the lyrical, insightful point of view from which it was written. Diagnosed at 9 years of age with Ewing's sarcoma, a potentially fatal cancer that attacked her lower jaw, she underwent disfiguring surgery and horrific chemo and radiation that further distorted her appearance. She used, in this memoir, her experience as a springboard from which to soar into passionate examinations of the meaning of truth, beauty, genius, love - all those biggies - and she did it with stunning success. Her background as a poet shines through each paragraph of this seminal book. But. Then she died, and although her death was ruled accidental, it's clear she had been on a steady downward spiral through the last couple of years of her life. Ann Patchett's stunning and conflicted story of her 20-year friendship with Grealy (Truth and Beauty) uncovers the raw underbelly of Lucy Grealy's personality, her unending quest to be special, first, best, and most of all, lovable. To get a fuller picture, one that I feel still isn't quite complete, of this quixotic individual, it's imperative that readers of Grealy's book also read Patchett's.

January 15, 2003 I was devastated to hear of Lucy's recent passing. I hope she knew about the many fans that she had out there in readingland. I was one of them, and I also live with a severe disfigurement and have gone through numerous plastic surgeries and grew up going to the hospital every year and being tortured by peers for being "ugly". I read the book in my mid twenties and not only did this book teach and entertain me with the tons of wisdom she passed on to the reader, Lucy enchanted me with her wonderful sense of humor and sincere sweetness that comes through in the book. Lucy's deep insight into her pain and isolation is expresesd without cold detachment or over indulgence. I think those of us who actually live with cosmetic deformities can know the enormous amount of courage it took to write her memoir. Also, the book draws the reader into her world of her pains, joys, and discoveries of life in an effortless way without pity, drama-queen tactics, or sugary sap. Lucy was a true talent: a real writer who sucessfully tackled a highly complex subject with grace in a time when so much self-serving, simple garbage is published. This book is a real life lesson about adversity written with humor and strength. It has become a regular on high school reading syllabi for obvious reasons. In a time when our culture is addicted to and obsessed with physical beauty, Lucy was the voice of reason. Physical beauty fades (Has anyone seen Farrah Fawcett lately? Need I say more?) BUT marvelous books are forever cherished and this book will endure for generations to come. The world is a dimmer place without Lucy. Rest in peace, Lucy. I never met you but I read your book and admired you so much. Actually, it was my dream to meet you one day just to tell you that I loved your book. You will be so missed and will NEVER be forgotton.

I think about this book nearly every day, even though I read it several years ago. It has had a profound impact on my own life. It is a real-life story about a young girl growing up with jaw bone cancer and having to live with multiple surgeries and radiation to try to rid her jaw of cancer. During and after the disfiguring surgeries and radiation, she has difficulties adjusting to society's taunts and stares, beginning with her schoolmates and continuing with adults. There is no ugly duckling to beautiful swan transformation. It's just one girl trying to survive cancer and make it through a difficult life in this beauty obsessed world. This book is a must read for anyone who feels that their appearance makes them unacceptable. It is a story of great personal fortitude coming from a little girl whose family just isn't capable of dealing with the cancer and the emotional pain she must endure.

I am twelve. We had to read an autobiography for an assignment in literature, I don't like that kind of book. When I emersed myself in this book I never imagined I wouldn't come up for air. I guess, as a twelve year old, I never understood the effects and after effects of camcer. I thought I would just read it and do the report. But I did not expect to finish the book and to look around a different way. I hope that I don't forget the lessons sealed inside this book, and that through my adolescents I realize beauty isn't everything. I recomend this book for older readers, it was easy to read but tough to understand. Though my understanding reached further than I ever thought possible. Read this Please!