“A poignant, beautifully written and intensely moving memoir . . .”
--Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone
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Available in March from SMU Press
The Shape of the Eye:
Down Syndrome, Family, and the Stories We Inherit
“. . . a book I couldn't put down, a story I found myself thinking about long after I'd finished the final pages.”
--Kim Edwards,
author of The Memory Keeper's Daughter
From the Introduction:
We were waiting for our family doctor. I felt—not serene, but expectant. Uncertain. Theresa lifted Laura from her car seat and set her, still sleeping, on the clean white paper of the exam table. I got out colored pencils and a notebook for Ellie. We were paging through magazines when Dr. E. came in, knocking softly. He closed the door, crossed the room, and turned towards us.
"We got the lab tests back," he said. "Nancy called and had them faxed down here." He paused.
"Laura does have Down syndrome," he said.
Ellie was coloring quietly. From where I was standing, I could see the first tears forming in Theresa's eyes.
"I believe," he said, "that these children come to the families most able to take care of them." read more
