Always Liza to Me: A Memoir for My Silent Sister

This is the story of the Rice family, and of Liza, Cecilia Rice's severely mentally retarded sister. It's a story about what it was like growing up in a large and chaotic family that is forever in the thrall of this unknowable, unreachable child. As children, the kids in Cecilia's family always believed Liza would not survive to adulthood and that therefore she would never be their problem.

With warmth, wisdom and humour, Cecilia shows us how, over the years, the family came to think of their problem as their sister and how, through a mysterious process of acceptance and forgiveness, their fears and resentment turned into attachment and love.

While on the face of it this is a memoir about the difficulties, challenges, stresses and rare rewards of caring for a disabled child, it is more than anything a story about family. Eloquently told in a very personal, entertaining and engaging voice, Liza to Me is an uplifting true story of how even the most dysfunctional and mixed-up of families can teach us great lessons and inspire great love.

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