Rebecca Sue - by Kathleen Norris (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This is the story of Norris's sister who suffered from "perinatal hypoxia" resulting in mental disability and bipolar disorder. It's Norris's usual memoir voice with spiritual reflections and liturgical connections woven in"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"You should write a book about me, so I can be famous like you."

Five-time New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Norris fulfills this wish expressed by her sister Rebecca "Becky" Sue with this heartfelt and honest memoir of sisterhood, disability, and resilience.

Known for her insightful reflections on faith and life, Norris ventures into new territory in Rebecca Sue, sharing an intimate portrait of her younger sister. Becky's life was shaped by lifelong mental and physical disabilities. Though Becky was aware of her limitations and the frustrations they brought, she refused to be defined by them. This story, told from a sister's perspective, paints a picture of Becky's complex life, from her hopes, sense of humor, frustrations, and hardships to her journey from bitterness and anger to a life characterized by gratitude.

Norris' love for her sister is palpable as she presents a full and honest portrait of a woman who, like all of us, longed for love, family, and a place to belong. Weaving her memories with Becky's own words drawn from her letters and journals, Norris examines parts of her own story, the strength of familial bonds, the complexity of caregiving, and the myriad ways God works in our lives.

In Rebecca Sue, you will discover:

• stories that resonate with those who have loved ones with disabilities, offering the comfort of shared experience.
• a candid and vulnerable portrayal as Norris balances the heaviness and hardships brought on by Becky's diagnosis of perinatal hypoxia with the joy and hope in her life.
• a testament to how unwavering love, perseverance, and commitment can guide a family through life's most arduous journeys.

This book is a heartfelt and realistic exploration of relationships, resilience, and faith, perfect for anyone drawn to stories of human connection or those who belong to or support the disability community. Rebecca Sue weaves a powerful story of perseverance, love, and the unexpected ways people find strength during life's toughest moments. Discover Becky's unforgettable story--one that celebrates sisterhood and God's sustaining presence.

Review Quotes

"Kathleen Norris turns the story of her sister Becky into one of the most memorable eulogies you'll ever hear--loving, honest, sacred. With vulnerability, humor, and the depth of spiritual insight we've come to expect from Norris, this account of her sister's life made me want to read her books all over again."

--Steven Purcell, executive director of Laity Lodge and author of Even Among These Rocks

"Rebecca Sue is a profoundly moving tribute to the resilience of family and the beauty of unguarded love. Kathleen Norris takes us into the heart of her sister Rebecca's world with sensitivity, courage, and insight, offering a deeply human story that resonates with both struggle and grace. This book is a remarkable testament to the sacred bonds that sustain us through life's most profound challenges."

--John Swinton, professor in practical theology and pastoral care at the School of Divinity, History, and Philosophy at King's College at the University of Aberdeen

"Kathleen Norris doesn't shy away from the unresolved histories and social norms that shaped her life with a disabled sibling or from the mix of ordinary difficulties, earned insight, and unexpected grace that arise from conditions of human needfulness. Readers will find some of their own stories echoed here, as Norris plainly and elegantly recounts, holds open, and reconsiders her own."

--Sara Hendren, author of What Can a Body Do? and associate professor of art, design, and architecture at Northeastern University

"Kathleen Norris has always written with embodied, honest, human faith. In Rebecca Sue, Norris brings her insight into the human condition to her relationship with her disabled younger sister. The result is an invitation for all readers to discover their own humanity and to glimpse the hidden hand of God in all things."

--Amy Julia Becker, author of To Be Made Well and A Good and Perfect Gift

About the Author

Kathleen Norris is the award-winning poet, writer, and author of the New York Times bestselling books The Cloister Walk, Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, The Virgin of Bennington, and several volumes of poetry. Exploring the spiritual life, her work is at once intimate and historical, rich in poetry and meditations, brimming with exasperation and reverence, deeply grounded in both nature and spirit, sometimes funny, and often provocative.

Widowed in 2003, Kathleen Norris now divides her time between South Dakota and Honolulu, Hawaii, where she is a member of an Episcopal church. She travels to the mainland regularly to speak to students, medical professionals, social workers, and chaplains at colleges and universities, as well as churches and teaching hospitals. For many years she was the poetry editor of Spirituality & Health magazine. She serves as an editorial advisor for the monthly Give Us This Day from Liturgical Press, and writes for a weekly e-newsletter, Soul Telegram: Movies & Meaning with her friend Irish storyteller Gareth Higgins.