Sunday, November 1, 2009

Kathryn Soper: She Writes in Beauty


Are any of you familiar with Kathryn Lynard Soper of Segullah fame? Last night, I inhaled an entire book by this woman at one sitting, and it went down smooooth (like buttah). Her message spoke to my heart, but her words sang to my heart in an arrangement worthy of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Imbuing simple language with complex meaning, the pauses and spaces between words became as much a part of their impact as the sentences and syllables themselves. Sailing on a sea of inflection and rhythm, I was carried through a seemingly daunting tangle of trouble and raw emotion. Yet reading her book felt peaceful, like taking the first careful steps through newly fallen snow, not wanting to disturb the beauty. Oh, yes, her gift is a lovely one.

And I haven't even talked about content yet. The book is called "The Year My Son and I Were Born," and it details the first twelve months of her premature son's life. Born with Trisomy 21 and nearly succumbing to sepsis in the NICU, the child gets a rough start, to say the least. Boldly, Ms. Soper shines a light on her emotional journey through this unexpected challenge, sparing no detail to shield herself from the glare, applying no magnifying glass to enhance the glow. Her story just is. Is honest. Is real. Is accepting. Is uplifting. Is remarkable. Is worthy of your attention.

Do yourself a favor, and read it soon. (Or fall into it, like I did.) You don't need to have a son with Down Syndrome to be mentored and altered by it. You only need to be human.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It sounds beautiful. I'm sure with my experience with Autism I could find a lot of inspiration there.

jen said...

This is the second glowing review I've heard of this book. Maybe I need to suggest it to our book club.
And your review was equally eloquent and metaphorically beautiful.
Maybe there's a new job in your future . . .
:)

Grandma Honey said...

Thank you for this review. I had seen this book before and thought of buying it. Now I know I will.

Snarky Belle said...

Ok, this freaked me out a little. In fact, my chest is pounding. I've been working on a post for almost two months now. I keep going back and forth with myself, wondering if I should share it. I have felt strongly that I should, but it's pretty intense. It's about the epiphany I had around the time we moved. Your post has made me think that I should share what I've been working for so many weeks. Honestly, I'm just scared.

Anyway, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this book. I've heard and read so many terrific views on it. I haven't had the courage to read the book yet. Maybe the post I'm working on will give me the courage I want to find, so that I can read the book.

Sorry for my rambling and making little to no sense at all...all I really wanted to say is thanks.

karen said...

It sounds like a wonderful book, and I'm going to look for it. Thanks for the heads up!

Unknown said...

Oh, I'm all about butter and the Tabernacle choir!
I think I'm going to love a book that sings and goes down smooth!

Darlene said...

Want to read it soon. Anyone would want to read a book described so eloquently.