Pages: 280
Genre: Adult, Memoir
Source: Review copy from author.
From Amazon:
FREAK: Memoir of an Outcast is the author’s improbable but true story.
When only days old, an infection attacks the author’s face, destroying his
nose, lower lip, eyelid, and upper palate. Abandoned at the hospital by his
parents and made a ward of the state of New Jersey, he is placed under the care
of a state-employed surgeon who experimentally re-builds his face. Beginning what
would become decades of reconstructive surgeries and skin grafts, Howard
Shulman embarks on an unforgettable journey to find his place in the world.
With street smarts and humor, bullied and outcast, he defies all odds by rising
from dishwasher to successful entrepreneur. An unexpected twist of fate leads
him to his birth mother — a chance event that drives home the lesson of what it
will cost him if he doesn’t make peace with the past. By turns heart wrenching
and funny, Howard’s story is a testament to the human spirit. FREAK will
resonate with readers long after the final page.
My Thoughts:
There are many words that could describe Howard Shulman. Pity is not one of them. After reading this
story of courage and survival I feel like there are so many lessons we could
learn from him. This is an inspiring and
uplifting story. Bullied, unloved by his parents, Howard proves to us that no
matter what the obstacles or how unsurmountable they seem they can be conquered. There is always room for hope. This is a story that should be read by
everyone. What problems I have seem so
small compared to what he has endured.
This is the way to end the year with a story that is definitely uplifting.
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