Rachel in the World

by Bernstein, Jane

• ISBN13: 9780252076824
• ISBN10: 0252076826
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-02-01
• Publisher: Univ of Illinois Pr

Summary

What happens when love is no longer enough? Jane Bernstein thought that learning to accept her daughter's disabilities meant her struggles were over. But as Rachel grew up and needed more than a parent's devotion, both mother and daughter were confronted with formidable obstacles. Rachel in the World,which begins in Rachel's fifth year and ends when she turns twenty-two, tells of their barriers and successes with the same honesty and humor that madeLoving Rachel,Bernstein's first memoir, a classic in its field. The linked accounts in part 1 center on family issues, social services, experiences with caregivers, and Rachel herself--difficult, charming, hard to fathom, eager for her own independence. The second part of the book chronicles Bernstein's attempt to find Rachel housing at a time when over 200,000 Americans with mental retardation were on waiting lists for residential services. As Rachel prepares to leave her mother's constant protection, Bernstein invites the reader to share the frustrations and unexpected pleasures of finding a place for her daughter, first in her family, and then in the world.

Author Biography

Jane Bernstein, a professor of English and creative writing at Carnegie Mellon University, is the author of Loving Rachel: A Family's Journey from Grief, Bereft--A Sister's Story, and other books. For more, visit www.janebernstein.net.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Taking Rachel Swimming	p. 15
When She Was Small	p. 27
Taking Care	p. 41
On Regret	p. 55
Rachel Flies Alone	p. 71
At Seventeen	p. 87
Rachel at Work	p. 103
Talking	p. 125
Kishorit	p. 151
The Fourth Visit	p. 163
Love and Death	p. 173
Lifesharing	p. 189
At Emilia's	p. 211
Commencement	p. 229
How It Happened	p. 241
A Perfect Place	p. 251
Acknowledgments	p. 265
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