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Stories of Identity and Love in Difference (video)

By Trent Gilliss, senior editor | Monday, November 26, 2012 - 6:28am

Perhaps you remember "The Soul in Depression"? It's a show we produced many years ago that remains one of our most popular and enduring productions. One of the voices featured was Andrew Solomon, who wrote The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, an encyclopedic work that won a National Book Award in 2001.

After nearly ten years of research and interviews, Mr. Solomon has produced another tome worthy of attention — this time exploring the theme of identity and difference as experienced through family. This trailer for his new book Far from the Tree is really well-done. To be able to witness the love between these people and their moving personal stories grounded in the grit of experience makes you forget this is a promotional video for a book, which I’m now reading with zeal. Look for a review in the coming weeks.

identity, parenting, video, Andrew Solomon, Difference, mental disabiliies

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4 Comments

Submitted by khadija on Mon, 2012-11-26 07:19

My late beautiful younger sister, Aicha, was created with Down syndrome. As a child, walking w/Mom & Aicha to the market, I would hear derisive and hurtful comments towards my sister, from children our age. I clenched my jaws, swallowed the pain, and one day, I lunged and beat the crap out of 2 kids; I was 6. khadija Ouahmane (originally from Rabat, Morocco). Brooklyn, NY.

Submitted by joanna on Mon, 2012-11-26 08:49

Wow. The hardest journeys in life change us and make us more whole than we could ever dream. These stories and people are gifts to all. Thank you.

Submitted by Connie Corey on Sat, 2012-12-01 17:40

OH MY what can one say to just these very "few comments" on this kind of torture & torment people go thru in life - I am a steady listener of Krista Tippett's prg. on "Being" & just am so honored that I can tune her program in on Sunday a.m.'s - I live in South Dakota & hunger for her kind of theology & ALL of it. So believe me when I say that I soooooo appreciative of this kind of special airing "food for the soul", I hear myself saying!!! THANK YOU, Krista!!!!! Connie

Submitted by Kelly on Sun, 2012-12-02 18:56

How beautiful! There is so much beauty we miss because it isn't what we expected or what we thought we should find. Thank you for this reminder.

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