Heather Lanier

Wow! This woman can WRITE! RAISING A RARE GIRL is Heather Lanier's intensely personal memoir, mostly about her daughter, Fiona, born with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (aka 4p-), a very rare condition that inhibits growth and slows development. Spiritual, introspective, emotional, funny, sad and intellectual - yeah, her narrative has all these things. A writer and teacher herself, Lanier is married to an Episcopal priest (a former aspiring Trappist monk and Zen Buddhist). Many WHS children do not survive for very long, so there is also, frighteningly, A strong element of suspense to her family story. Lanier, already an overachiever and academic, brought an informative mix of scholarship and deep research to her project, making it even more compelling. I found her story absolutely riveting and finished it in just a couple of days. A gift from my daughter, I was initially skeptical about her selection. Sorry, Suze. EXCELLENT choice! Thank you. My highest recommendation.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER… (plus d'informations)

Author Heather Lanier's daughter Fiona was born with 4p- deletion (Wolf-Hirschhorn) syndrome, which means that she is missing part of her fourth chromosome. The syndrome that results from this omission includes a distinct appearance, small stature, and cognitive challenges. Lanier takes readers through the stages that ultimately lead to her to both an acceptance of Fiona's limitations and a celebration of her abilities. Lanier also discusses the burdensome social expectations that are placed on white, middle-class mothers, and how these are magnified when a child has special needs. All in all, this is a worthy entry in the "parenting a child with a disability" genre.… (plus d'informations)