Title: Breaking Night Pdf A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard
Author: Liz Murray
Published Date: 2011-05-24
Page: 352
"From runaway to Harvard student, Murray tells an engaging, powerfully motivational story about turning her life around.... In this incredible story of true grit, Murray went from feeling like "the world was filled with people who were repulsed by me" to learning to receive the bountiful generosity of strangers who truly cared."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)"Truly uplifting ... Liz Murray has shown us the worst, and the very best, of America."--Haven Kimmel, author of A Girl Named Zippy and She Got Up Off the Couch"The admirable story of a teen who overcame homelessness through sheer grit and the kindness of friends ... An uplifting story of survival."--Kirkus Reviews"Breaking Night reads more like an adventure story than an addiction-morality tale. It's a white-knuckle account of survival. . . . By age 6, Murray knew how to mainline drugs (though she never took them) and how to care for her strung-out parents. She showed uncanny maturity, even as a child, and later managed to avoid that malady of teenagers and memoir writers, self-pity. . . . Murray's stoicism has been hard-earned; it serves her well as a writer. Breaking Night itself is full of heart, without a sliver of ice, and deeply moving."--The New York Times Book Review"Education was the miracle that saved Murray's life. . . . Her story is inspirational, and her description of [her high school], and its role in her life, should be read by everyone concerned about education."--Washington Post Book World"Liz Murray shows us that the human spirit has infinite ability to grow and can never be limited by circumstance. Breaking Night is a beautifully written, heartfelt memoir that will change the way you look at your community, the obstacles in your own life, and the American Dream. An inspiration; a must-read."--Robert Redford LIZ MURRAY was left homeless at age 15 after her mother's death from AIDS. She fended for herself on the streets, eventually returning to high school. She was accepted into Harvard, where she attended college classes for three years before taking time off to help her father, who died of AIDS. She returned to college, and is now taking graduate courses at Harvard. Liz gives speaking engagements around the country. A movie about her life, Homeless to Harvard, was made by Lifetime in 2003, and airs frequently.
Breaking Night is the stunning memoir of a young woman who at age fifteen was living on the streets, and who eventually made it into Harvard.
Liz Murray was born to loving but drug-addicted parents in the Bronx. In school she was taunted for her dirty clothing and lice-infested hair, eventually skipping so many classes that she was put into a girls' home. At age fifteen, Liz found herself on the streets when her family finally unraveled. She learned to scrape by, foraging for food and riding subways all night to have a warm place to sleep.
When Liz's mother died of AIDS, she decided to take control of her own destiny and go back to high school, often completing her assignments in the hallways and subway stations where she slept. Liz squeezed four years of high school into two, while homeless; won a New York Times scholarship; and made it into the Ivy League. Breaking Night is an unforgettable and beautifully written story of one young woman's indomitable spirit to survive and prevail, against all odds.
What "Hillbilly Elegy" should have been I read "Hillbilly Elegy" a few months ago after seeing such great reviews and because I grew up down the road from the author. However, I found that book to be more braggadocio and less of a tale of abuse or extreme poverty. I humbly submit that anyone who enjoyed that book to take time and read "Breaking Night". I rarely if ever cry during a book but did so a few times while reading Murray's memoir. This young woman survived terrible poverty, neglect, and teenage homelessness only to make it through Harvard. She never whines or blames anyone including her drug addicted parents who kept her out of school to " break the night" with them. This is a wonderful story of someone tirelessly beating every possible odd and coming out on top. One of the best memoirs I have ever had the privilege of reading.An Absolute Must-Read: A Story of Hope Amidst Horror Much like "The Glass House" (Jeannette Walls) and "Coming Clean" (Kimberly Rae Miller), "Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard" is a horrific, but incredibly inspiring, true story of how one little girl is emotionally and then physically abandoned by her parents and yet somehow grows up functional--so functional she goes to Harvard. Liz Murray spent more time cutting school than attending classes, doing all she could to get her drug-addicted mother to pay attention to her, surviving without a working shower/bathtub and stealing clothes and food because the family's money was spent on drugs and booze. And somehow social services never intervened until she was 13--even though many of those in authority knew what was going on in the house. I am so impressed with Liz Murray's fortitude and gumption. It would have been so easy to repeat her mother's story; instead, she created her own and it is a truly astounding one. Homeless from the age of 15, she managed to go back to school, graduate, win a New York Times scholarship and go to Harvard. Reading this book will make you both cry and laugh and feel both ashamed and encouraged--but most of all, it will give you hope. We humans are tough cookies!Zero judgements. Reality is often painful to read. Thank you for sharing this. Congratulations, and God bless you Liz Murray for surviving. Beyond surviving. For contributing to our society, which is suffering from many social ills due to drug and alcohol abuse, coupled with psychiatric issues.What saddened me more than reading this Memoir, were the negative comments. I do believe, without a shadow of a doubt, Ms Murray had, and still has, strong emotions regarding her life. She chose to try to write an inspirational book. Depressing? Yes, if you can't handle the reality of many children. I think reading the back cover would give a clue on the contents. When surrounded in such dysfunction, one would be emotionally delayed. Emotions can crop up many years after the actual situation. Her life was more of a daily battle zone. Survival mode does not give one much time to analyze feelings. Her forgiveness of her parent's are amazing, though those thoughts may change as she ages, and perspective sets in. Eating chapstick is hardly conducive to proper nutrition, or stimulating the brain cells. Neither is being born crack addicted. I suppose the 80's were different, though I cannot fathom why Social Services did not remove her from the hospital. I commend those who actually did help and guide her.It appears many simply ignored the situation. No family members involved? The breakdown of our society. I would like to see her write a second book. An update, if you will. More on Lisa. More on her emotions, even if it offends those who were depressed by the contents. No judgements from me. None. God has truly walked with these two sisters. May they continue on a path of peace. Thank you for writing this Liz.
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