Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Hachette Books (2010), 352 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Nonfiction. HTML: In the vein of The Glass Castle, 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. 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..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member -Cee-
Liz Murray’s handicap was her age. Too young to be taken seriously by those in positions of influence and power, she nevertheless managed to take shaky control of her own life as a small child and survive in a world with rules that were meaningless to her.
Eventually, with remarkably clear
At the risk of sounding just plain corny, I have to admit this book broke through my comfortable thinking and changed my perspective of homelessness. For more years than I care to admit, I had fallen into the trap of categorizing all homeless people into a group of those feeling somehow entitled to handouts and expecting to live off others.
There is now a major crack in my (past) solid conviction that the homeless should use their energies and problem solving abilities to “get a job – get a life”. Apparently, more often than I would like to think, there are those who truly fall outside the systems of our society through no fault of their own, especially children. It is not just about money, food and shelter. Just as important (especially to the young) are acceptance, opportunities, self-esteem and purpose.
Written with honesty and without self pity, this story of Murray’s childhood relates the pain of what drugs will do to a family, how she found friendship and love in unlikely and dangerous situations, and the failure of society to protect and nourish needy children. Still, I don’t believe this writing was meant to be a guilt trip for the fortunate. It was focused on pain, trauma, love, healing and empowerment and could apply to anyone. Time and again, it is clear in this memoir of loneliness and need that so little human kindness can mean so much.
This book should be suggested/required reading for all high school students. Based on how this book has pushed my thinking forward, I am giving it a high rating.
Eventually, with remarkably clear
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thinking and determination Murray managed to flourish – proving to herself that possibilities exist even in dire circumstances. She realized that though your friends can help you over the immediate crisis what you want and need in life must come from yourself. At the risk of sounding just plain corny, I have to admit this book broke through my comfortable thinking and changed my perspective of homelessness. For more years than I care to admit, I had fallen into the trap of categorizing all homeless people into a group of those feeling somehow entitled to handouts and expecting to live off others.
There is now a major crack in my (past) solid conviction that the homeless should use their energies and problem solving abilities to “get a job – get a life”. Apparently, more often than I would like to think, there are those who truly fall outside the systems of our society through no fault of their own, especially children. It is not just about money, food and shelter. Just as important (especially to the young) are acceptance, opportunities, self-esteem and purpose.
Written with honesty and without self pity, this story of Murray’s childhood relates the pain of what drugs will do to a family, how she found friendship and love in unlikely and dangerous situations, and the failure of society to protect and nourish needy children. Still, I don’t believe this writing was meant to be a guilt trip for the fortunate. It was focused on pain, trauma, love, healing and empowerment and could apply to anyone. Time and again, it is clear in this memoir of loneliness and need that so little human kindness can mean so much.
This book should be suggested/required reading for all high school students. Based on how this book has pushed my thinking forward, I am giving it a high rating.
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LibraryThing member lauralkeet
Talk about overcoming obstacles. Liz Murray has done it. Born to drug-addicted parents living in the Bronx, Liz was homeless at 15. By that time she had already experienced life's hard knocks in ways most of us could never imagine: waiting up all night for her parents to come home from bars,
Liz's mother left for another man, and Liz remained with her father. When conditions forced him to move to a shelter, Liz entered the foster care system, living in a group home for a while. She was then returned to her mother's custody, but soon began skipping school again and eventually left home to live on her own. She stayed the night with friends or slept on the subway. She became involved in an unhealthy relationship, and stayed in it too long simply for the perceived security. Shortly after her mother died from AIDS, Liz "hit bottom" and began working to get her own life together, attending an alternative high school and obtaining her degree in just two years. She also obtained a prestigious New York Times scholarship that enabled her to pursue a university degree.
However, despite a compelling story, the writing was just average, and repetitive in parts. Sometimes the emotions were raw and hit hard; at other times I failed to connect even when I felt I should. Because it's a true story, it was a difficult read. I know there are thousands like Liz facing similarly extreme hardship, who will never be able to turn their lives around. While Liz's perseverance was amazing, what most impressed me was her ability to love, accept, and forgive those who wronged her. There's a lesson in that for all of us.
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watching them shoot up in the kitchen, having her belongings sold to buy drugs. The family's apartment was in poor condition to begin with, and her parents were unable to keep up with basic maintenance. The bathtub drain was so backed up, the smell permeated the rest of the apartment. By the time she turned 10, Liz was skipping school regularly, trying to earn her own money pumping gas or bagging groceries.Liz's mother left for another man, and Liz remained with her father. When conditions forced him to move to a shelter, Liz entered the foster care system, living in a group home for a while. She was then returned to her mother's custody, but soon began skipping school again and eventually left home to live on her own. She stayed the night with friends or slept on the subway. She became involved in an unhealthy relationship, and stayed in it too long simply for the perceived security. Shortly after her mother died from AIDS, Liz "hit bottom" and began working to get her own life together, attending an alternative high school and obtaining her degree in just two years. She also obtained a prestigious New York Times scholarship that enabled her to pursue a university degree.
However, despite a compelling story, the writing was just average, and repetitive in parts. Sometimes the emotions were raw and hit hard; at other times I failed to connect even when I felt I should. Because it's a true story, it was a difficult read. I know there are thousands like Liz facing similarly extreme hardship, who will never be able to turn their lives around. While Liz's perseverance was amazing, what most impressed me was her ability to love, accept, and forgive those who wronged her. There's a lesson in that for all of us.
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LibraryThing member silenceiseverything
I remember seeing the movie Homeless to Harvard on the day it premiered in Lifetime when I was about 15. I found the film incredibly inspiring. The book...not so much. Well, that's not necessarily true. I found it inspiring once Liz started getting her act together, but before then I was just
In Homeless to Harvard, the reason that Liz didn't go to school was because she didn't feel right in leaving her mother, who had AIDS, alone. In Breaking Night, most of the time that she cut school, she did it to hang out with her friends. She didn't go to school because she just didn't feel like it. Not cool, especially if you consider that her older sister, who grew up in the exact same environment, did persevere and ended up graduating high school. Besides all the crap that her sister went through, she decided to get up every day and keep going and not using pathetic excuses to not go. That right there is inspiring.
Liz Murray was just not sympathetic throughout most of the book. It was her decision to leave the house that she was living in, her decision to only visit her AIDS-stricken mom once after she left, her decision not to go back to the apartment her sister was living in once everything became to much. Maybe my non-sympathetic thoughts come from the fact that while I was in high school, my family was homeless for a while and I was shuffled from various family members' houses. Regardless of that, I graduated high school with honors and went on to college with minimal complaints. So, I just don't see what the huge deal is with having a tough home life and not going to school. She had the choice to attend school at first, she chose not to take it.
But again, once Liz actually enrolled in the alternative high school, Breaking Night started getting better. It was inspirational that she actually enrolled in school because it would've been easier to say "Screw it!" She worked extremely hard in trying to cram all of her high school credits into two years. However, the most inspirational thing for me was the number of people who helped her once her article appeared in The New York Times. These strangers capacity to be empathetic and help a complete stranger was just mesmerizing and heartwarming for me.
In the end, I thought that Breaking Night was just okay. Not sure if I would recommend it. I do, however, highly recommend the movie. It was amazing.
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baffled at the choices Liz made. The movie made Liz seem more sympathetic than she actually was. In Homeless to Harvard, the reason that Liz didn't go to school was because she didn't feel right in leaving her mother, who had AIDS, alone. In Breaking Night, most of the time that she cut school, she did it to hang out with her friends. She didn't go to school because she just didn't feel like it. Not cool, especially if you consider that her older sister, who grew up in the exact same environment, did persevere and ended up graduating high school. Besides all the crap that her sister went through, she decided to get up every day and keep going and not using pathetic excuses to not go. That right there is inspiring.
Liz Murray was just not sympathetic throughout most of the book. It was her decision to leave the house that she was living in, her decision to only visit her AIDS-stricken mom once after she left, her decision not to go back to the apartment her sister was living in once everything became to much. Maybe my non-sympathetic thoughts come from the fact that while I was in high school, my family was homeless for a while and I was shuffled from various family members' houses. Regardless of that, I graduated high school with honors and went on to college with minimal complaints. So, I just don't see what the huge deal is with having a tough home life and not going to school. She had the choice to attend school at first, she chose not to take it.
But again, once Liz actually enrolled in the alternative high school, Breaking Night started getting better. It was inspirational that she actually enrolled in school because it would've been easier to say "Screw it!" She worked extremely hard in trying to cram all of her high school credits into two years. However, the most inspirational thing for me was the number of people who helped her once her article appeared in The New York Times. These strangers capacity to be empathetic and help a complete stranger was just mesmerizing and heartwarming for me.
In the end, I thought that Breaking Night was just okay. Not sure if I would recommend it. I do, however, highly recommend the movie. It was amazing.
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LibraryThing member lansum
Breaking Night is the memoir of a young woman, Liz Murray, who was born into horrific conditions of two drug addicted parents, but graduates from high school, wins a New York Times scholarship, and attends Harvard University. A 2003 made-for-television movie entitled Homeless to Harvard came from
I selected this early reviewer book hoping to find some insight into why the author became the accomplished person she is, while so many others never make it. I wasn’t disappointed. If you are considering reading it for the same reason, leave any value judgments of her parents behind and try to see them from the same perspective that she does. It is this perspective that makes the book so compelling.
In a quickly moving story, Murray writes as an adult who is looking back on her childhood. She develops her story as a young girl who is at once wise beyond her years and innocent in her youth. “Drugs were like a wrecking ball tearing through our family and … I couldn’t help but feel that Ma and Daddy were the ones that needed protecting. I felt like it was my job to keep them safe.” (p. 51).
Liz Murray forces me to look at my own values, which is one of the best things any book can do. I’d recommend it as required reading for high school freshmen everywhere, book clubs who want a real discussion about realistic themes, and any reader who wants a lot to consider after putting the book down.
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the same story. The book is better because it develops the characters with more depth and compassion than the movie. I selected this early reviewer book hoping to find some insight into why the author became the accomplished person she is, while so many others never make it. I wasn’t disappointed. If you are considering reading it for the same reason, leave any value judgments of her parents behind and try to see them from the same perspective that she does. It is this perspective that makes the book so compelling.
In a quickly moving story, Murray writes as an adult who is looking back on her childhood. She develops her story as a young girl who is at once wise beyond her years and innocent in her youth. “Drugs were like a wrecking ball tearing through our family and … I couldn’t help but feel that Ma and Daddy were the ones that needed protecting. I felt like it was my job to keep them safe.” (p. 51).
Liz Murray forces me to look at my own values, which is one of the best things any book can do. I’d recommend it as required reading for high school freshmen everywhere, book clubs who want a real discussion about realistic themes, and any reader who wants a lot to consider after putting the book down.
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LibraryThing member lmnop2652
Breaking Night: A Memoir by Liz Murray, an inspirational read, displayed no self pity that I could see. A heartbreaking life with drug-addicted parents, extreme poverty as a result, and no reason or hope to get up and face any given day, yet she did. Teachers and fellow students alike, if/when they
I'm not sure where Murray found the will to dig deep and survive her daily life, much less to seek out an alternative school as a late teen, set goals and reach them, but she is to be admired for what she survived, but mostly by the deep need to go beyond survival and live.
I must say, though, while I read an uncorrected proof, I struggled with a couple of things very early on. On page 1 of the prologue, Murray's mother had brown eyes and the author has her grandmother's "rich yellow-green" eyes, but on page 8 of Chapter 1, her mother was described as having "piercing amber eyes."
Then, on page 7 of Chapter 1, Murray's paternal grandmother worked two jobs to put her "only child" through Catholic schools, yet on page 26 of the same chapter, "Daddy's mom and siblings"--wait, what?
This is a memoir, so the story may not be totally accurate, but the color of one's mother's eyes and the father's siblings showing up only pages after he is listed as an only child? These are things that left me questioning the rest of the book.
Still, I was left wanting more. Will have to do some research on Murray to find out where her life went once she got to Harvard. How did she pay for it (scholarships received from NYTimes was just not enough) and how did she live? What did she study? Where is she now?
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saw her at all, treated her with disgust. Don't people understand a filthy child dressed horribly and with an extreme truancy problem is in need of help and not ridicule? Murray's memoir says much about our society/culture.I'm not sure where Murray found the will to dig deep and survive her daily life, much less to seek out an alternative school as a late teen, set goals and reach them, but she is to be admired for what she survived, but mostly by the deep need to go beyond survival and live.
I must say, though, while I read an uncorrected proof, I struggled with a couple of things very early on. On page 1 of the prologue, Murray's mother had brown eyes and the author has her grandmother's "rich yellow-green" eyes, but on page 8 of Chapter 1, her mother was described as having "piercing amber eyes."
Then, on page 7 of Chapter 1, Murray's paternal grandmother worked two jobs to put her "only child" through Catholic schools, yet on page 26 of the same chapter, "Daddy's mom and siblings"--wait, what?
This is a memoir, so the story may not be totally accurate, but the color of one's mother's eyes and the father's siblings showing up only pages after he is listed as an only child? These are things that left me questioning the rest of the book.
Still, I was left wanting more. Will have to do some research on Murray to find out where her life went once she got to Harvard. How did she pay for it (scholarships received from NYTimes was just not enough) and how did she live? What did she study? Where is she now?
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LibraryThing member orangewords
Murray takes a somewhat clinical tone when describing her childhood as the neglected child of drug-addicted parents and her adolescent homelessness. The diagnoses of both of her parents with HIV and the death of her mother to AIDS receive similar treatment. Of course, this forced distance from her
Ultimately, I think that Murray would be a very interesting individual to meet in person, but I did not care for her memoir.
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narrative is quite understandable, considering the subject matter. She certainly tries to connect with the reader, but I did not find her attempts to be successful. She relies very heavily on descriptions of the external world, (the appearances of people, for example), but I found most of her writing to be, sad to say, skin-deep. Murray has certainly overcome many obstacles, and I applaud her for that. Perhaps this is a better movie than it is a book.Ultimately, I think that Murray would be a very interesting individual to meet in person, but I did not care for her memoir.
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LibraryThing member amandacb
I had heard of Homeless to Harvard and the bare bones outline of Liz Murray’s story before, but I never connected this memoir with her story until I began reading this actual memoir. Murray presents a compelling and intriguing bildungsroman-style memoir in Breaking Night; if at times it is
Overall, I enjoyed hearing about how Murray overcame the many obstacles in her childhood; she became self-sufficient at a young age and took on responsibilities of which other children would never become aware. Her story is compelling in that just when you think Murray is going to get a break and her path is going to become smoother, something else happens or she makes a bone-headed decision.
What I would have liked to have more of in the story is more emotional detail behind some of Murray’s decisions. I never truly understood why she stuck with Carlos for so long; nor did I understand why she didn’t want to live with her sister and Brick in a semi-stable household. I also didn’t fully grasp the ending of the novel; all of a sudden, she needed, wanted, to go to Harvard; it seemed very rushed to me.
It’s a memoir worth reading, although not as poignant or memorable as, say, The Glass Castle.
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uneven, I kept in mind I was thumbing through the “uncorrected proof” version, which was indeed replete with punctuation, grammar, and occasional plotline errors. However, these did not detract from the story.Overall, I enjoyed hearing about how Murray overcame the many obstacles in her childhood; she became self-sufficient at a young age and took on responsibilities of which other children would never become aware. Her story is compelling in that just when you think Murray is going to get a break and her path is going to become smoother, something else happens or she makes a bone-headed decision.
What I would have liked to have more of in the story is more emotional detail behind some of Murray’s decisions. I never truly understood why she stuck with Carlos for so long; nor did I understand why she didn’t want to live with her sister and Brick in a semi-stable household. I also didn’t fully grasp the ending of the novel; all of a sudden, she needed, wanted, to go to Harvard; it seemed very rushed to me.
It’s a memoir worth reading, although not as poignant or memorable as, say, The Glass Castle.
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LibraryThing member suzysunshine
I can't say enough about this wonderful book. The story, powerful and courageous, the pacing and the beautiful descriptive writing made this book a page turner I was unable to put down. How difficult it must have been to relive the horrendous details of ones childhood experiences while writing a
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memoir of such candor and unflinching honesty. I have read several memoirs with similar theme, children overcoming childhoods of neglect, abuse and addiction. I have to say this was the most compelling I have read to date. I highly recommend this book for its contemporary social commentary and as a beautiful account of the resilience of the human spirit. Kudos to Liz Murray! Show Less
LibraryThing member gillten24
For readers that have read The Glass Castle, this book will immediately be very familiar. A girl, who grows up with parents with dependency issues but who still love their children, somehow survives against all the odds to become a remarkable individual. Even though it is a common story, I found
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this one hard to put down and very well told. The Glass Castle in the city. Show Less
LibraryThing member itbgc
Breaking Night is an unforgettable memoir, depicting how Liz Murray struggles to survive as a young child and teenager while growing up in New York City, first with her parents (whose lives are wrapped around getting their next high on cocaine) and then on her own, homeless in a dangerous city.
I loved the book except for the ending. Liz was waiting for her letter to find out whether she was accepted or rejected from Harvard. Right when she was to get the letter, the book abruptly ended. Other than the ending, I cannot recommend this memoir highly enough. What an incredible story!
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Against incredible odds, while still homeless, Liz rises above her circumstances through sheer bravery and hard work, gets through high school, and is about to be accepted to Harvard University. I loved the book except for the ending. Liz was waiting for her letter to find out whether she was accepted or rejected from Harvard. Right when she was to get the letter, the book abruptly ended. Other than the ending, I cannot recommend this memoir highly enough. What an incredible story!
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LibraryThing member debnance
Liz was born to a mother and father whose lives were ruled by their addictions to alcohol and drugs. From an early age, Liz did not receive enough to eat, skipped school, had no supervision, and, eventually, drifted into homelessness. Yet, somehow, Liz managed to beat all these obstacles, complete
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high school, and win a scholarship to Harvard. A fascinating story. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jaylia3
Liz Murray had loving parents but they were addicts who spent their welfare checks on drugs, sometimes leaving Liz and her sister with nothing but ice cubes and toothpaste to eat. When she had a home its filthy backed-up shower meant she couldn’t bathe, so classmates made fun of her rancid smell,
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grimy appearance and tattered clothes. In first grade she was cutting school to look out for her parents. By 15 she was homeless and on her own. It’s a childhood you would not wish on anybody, but like Jeannette Walls in THE GLASS CASTLE being neglected made her resourceful, and it’s transfixing to read how she coped with a life that’s hard to imagine. It was not a straight path to success, but she ultimately managed to get accepted by Harvard even though she was squeezing four years of high school into two while living on the streets. Show Less
LibraryThing member Alie
This book is absolutely inspiring. Liz was raised by drug addicted parents, she loses her mother to AIDS, lives on the streets, and realizes that she deserves better, and can achieve better with hard work and determination. The story is eye opening and uplifting. I am so impressed by Liz, and I
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would like to thank her for sharing her story, which I'm sure wasn't easy. But I'm so glad she did, and I definitely recommend this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member txpam
This book had such promise and other reviewers gave it positive reviews. However, I had a hard time plowing through it. She tended to wander around and over the trials and hardships making it a tedious read. Really wish there had been an editor involved.
However, I'm thrilled that Ms. Murray
However, I'm thrilled that Ms. Murray
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survived and thrived. Show Less
LibraryThing member julierenee13
Braking Night was a heartbreaking story of a girl growing up with drug addicted parents. Elizabeth goes into much detail of her days at home living with filth, trying to go to school while being bullied and finally her life on the streets. While the story will break your heart, it will also make
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you make you cheer for Liz and see that no obstacle or "hurdle" is too hard to get through. The kindness of people really comes through and will leave you feeling good and wanting to find out more about Liz Murray. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jeanomario
I am SO pleased to have received this book through Early Reviewers. I was in a 2-month reading drought, but picked this book up when it came in the mail. Compelling from the first words, I read three-quarters of it quickly. The initial pace is fast and the story simple, yet so honest and
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straight-forward that you fly through the pages of young Liz's life and her father, mother and sister. The final quarter slows down, but not in a dreary or tired way. It slows down because of the significant realizations that Liz comes to and the decisions that she makes for herself. There is a positive message in Liz's story as strain and stress gives way to her revelations, grit and determination. Show Less
LibraryThing member sarradee
This early reviewer's copy is badly in need of an editor who can catch all the discrepancies that are sprinkled throughout the story. Little things like her mother's eye color and whether or not she has paternal aunts and uncles that make make it hard for an observant reader to immerse themselves
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into the story without that nagging feeling of something being out of place. Liz Murray had a harsh and unforgiving childhood. She was raised in the Bronx by drug addicted parents who often spent their last pennies on getting high instead of feeding their children. While her sister fought the odds at an early age and managed to graduate and get a job and fit into mainstream society early on, Liz chose instead to be a truant and run around with friends instead of attending school. For a large portion of the book, Liz makes bad choice after bad choice after bad choice, to the point where it makes it difficult to continue reading. Honestly the ending seemed a tad abrupt. Much time is spent on Liz's early life, her parent's drug use, her trials and tribulations with lice and poor hygiene, yet when it comes to her decision to finish high school and go to college her motives and actions aren't very fleshed out. Reminiscent of The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, this memoir falls into the poor girl overcomes and makes good category. Her story is also a Lifetime move, Homeless to Harvard. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jennyonfire
This book is very well written. It's sad and hopeful all a the same time. Liz is a character that is fully relate-able, at least to me, coming from a broken home with a messed up childhood. Parts of the story seem to be drawn out more than necessary. Over all I really enjoyed this book. I think
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everyone needs to realize the extent that their actions affect their children. It's good to know that people can go beyond the cards that they are dealt. For anyone that has had bad childhoods or that thinks things will get no better, this is a book that is really worth giving a shot. Show Less
LibraryThing member emeraldessence
BREAKING NIGHT A Memoir
by Liz Murray
Breaking Night is a memoir that pulls you in at page one, and never let’s you go. As a parent, this was an emotionally challenging read for me. I was shocked as I read of Liz’s childhood.
A childhood consisting of constant hunger pains that Liz and her sister
At a very young age Liz became the caretaker of the family, she did everything she could to keep her dysfunctional family together. Liz spent many school nights waiting up for her mother’s safe return from her late night drug buys at the local bar. She’d skip school and stay home to take care of her parents. It was easier for Liz when she finally quit school all together. She’d been subjected to the kids cruel jokes and comments because of her lice infested hair, and dirty clothing. She was the perfect target for ridicule.
When the state discovers that Liz has quit school, she is then forced to go live in a group home. Her parents drug addiction has torn their family apart. Liz’s mom has left to go live with another man. What Liz once called home doesn’t exist anymore. She runs away from her group home, and at the age of fifteen ends up homeless and living on the streets.
When Liz decides that she must to take control of her own life, she goes back to high school and completes four years of high school into two years time. The subway stations and warm hallways where she sleeps, are now where she studies and completes her homework assignments. Liz enters and wins a New York Times Scholarship and ends up in the Ivy League.
This memoir is an uplifting and unforgettable read. Liz is literally dumped into the world on her own, where she’s able to score food, earn money, find a warm place to sleep, and finally, finish school and end up at Harvard. I found myself unable to put this book down, and was thrilled when Liz made a place for herself in this world. This is an outstanding memoir.
by Liz Murray
Breaking Night is a memoir that pulls you in at page one, and never let’s you go. As a parent, this was an emotionally challenging read for me. I was shocked as I read of Liz’s childhood.
A childhood consisting of constant hunger pains that Liz and her sister
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Lisa endured, and the filthy bug-infested apartment they called home. She had neglectful, alcoholic, drug-addicted parents, who were unable to parent. Liz’s circumstances at home affected her overall comfort level with society. She ended up dropping out of school, became homeless and living on the streets. She went from feeling like an outcast in society, to a person that had enough guts and determination to get herself into Harvard.At a very young age Liz became the caretaker of the family, she did everything she could to keep her dysfunctional family together. Liz spent many school nights waiting up for her mother’s safe return from her late night drug buys at the local bar. She’d skip school and stay home to take care of her parents. It was easier for Liz when she finally quit school all together. She’d been subjected to the kids cruel jokes and comments because of her lice infested hair, and dirty clothing. She was the perfect target for ridicule.
When the state discovers that Liz has quit school, she is then forced to go live in a group home. Her parents drug addiction has torn their family apart. Liz’s mom has left to go live with another man. What Liz once called home doesn’t exist anymore. She runs away from her group home, and at the age of fifteen ends up homeless and living on the streets.
When Liz decides that she must to take control of her own life, she goes back to high school and completes four years of high school into two years time. The subway stations and warm hallways where she sleeps, are now where she studies and completes her homework assignments. Liz enters and wins a New York Times Scholarship and ends up in the Ivy League.
This memoir is an uplifting and unforgettable read. Liz is literally dumped into the world on her own, where she’s able to score food, earn money, find a warm place to sleep, and finally, finish school and end up at Harvard. I found myself unable to put this book down, and was thrilled when Liz made a place for herself in this world. This is an outstanding memoir.
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LibraryThing member jess0124
This is a good story, however as a book, it lacks the consistancy to feel like a true story. I was constantly going back to "check the facts" because I thought I was forgetting something, but no, the author has contridicted herself. Looking past that, it is one of those books that I put down and
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just said "okay." Possibly because I had seen the author speak on television before, but I did not have the same emotional response that I have had to other similarly sad turned happy memoirs. Show Less
LibraryThing member mojomomma
I hadn't heard of Liz Murray when I first picked up this book, but I had heard her story--this is the young woman on whom the made-for-TV movie "Homeless to Harvard" was based. Liz tells the story of growing up with her cocaine-addicted parents and sister in a tenement in New York City. Her frank
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recounting of grinding poverty and hunger are not what you expect to read and reminded me a great deal of Jeanette Walls' Glass Castles. Liz spends her childhood taking care of her parents and avoiding the truant officers. She takes to the streets at age 14, but after some scary incidents with a drug-dealing boyfriend, breaks free and turns her life around at age 17. The story takes us up to the postman bringing the letter from Harvard, leaving us open for another book about the next chapter of Liz's life. Show Less
LibraryThing member reader247
I found this to be a sad yet inspiring story of the life of Liz Murray, homeless to Harvard College, the journey of Elizabeth Murray and the life decisions she made to get her where she is today. Sad to be born surrounded by drug obsessed parents, on welfare and living from check to check for their
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basic needs only to have them run out and the rest is spent on drugs. No rules and parental guidance at home. Hair infested with lice and dirty clothes make her an easy target at school for ridicule. Learning about HIV and then losing a parent all make up the person Liz has become. Determination and drive from somewhere deep inside she her through to reveal this miraculous story of her life so far. Show Less
LibraryThing member doggonelaura
A rich and wonderful memoir. Liz Murray does not pass harsh judgment about her childhood—it was what it was. She describes in great detail her relationships and choices as she navigates life without the normal parental guidance. Her ability to simply tell her story without much editorializing is
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gripping, sad, funny, and a true testament to the human spirit. Just as in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, l was left wondering, how is it that some people refuse to see themselves as victims and rise above their circumstances? Beautifully told. If you liked this, also read Nic Sheff’s Tweak and his father’s book, Beautiful Boy (David Sheff). Show Less
LibraryThing member Micheller7
Reminiscent of Jeanette Walls' The Glass Castle, Breaking Night by Liz Murray, is the true story of a child of alcoholic and drug (cocaine and heroin) addicted parents, who although they love her cannot care for her. Told dispassionately, Murray recounts her early life with them in their Bronx
Not only were her parents addicted, they were mentally ill, especially her mother who was schizophrenic (and also legally blind). Her father was serving time in prison when Liz was born. Her mother died of AIDS when Liz was 16. Her father was eventually diagnosed with the same disease.
It is hard to imagine how Liz managed to keep going in spite of all of this, but some how she does and although surprisingly little is mentioned of her sister, just two years older, who grew up along with her in that household, apparently her sister also turned out well in the end. There was no alliance between them that could have helped, and Murray explains that Lisa was always hostile toward her and that they became competitors for the very few resources (food, love, everything) that they had.
After her mother died Murray says, “…without Ma to connect us, Daddy, Lisa, and I spun out of one another’s orbits and made independent lives of our own that barely even touched.
Her homeless period explains the title, as "breaking night" refers to staying up through sunrise. She did this often with the group of friends she managed to surround herself with, so she could pretend she really wasn't homeless at all.
This is a compelling story of the "against all odds" variety, well written and very bleak. But it does end hopefully like every dawn after night.
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apartment, the neglect she and her sister Lisa suffered, her truancy from school, her eventual homelessness after her parents separated, and her rededication to school despite being homeless.Not only were her parents addicted, they were mentally ill, especially her mother who was schizophrenic (and also legally blind). Her father was serving time in prison when Liz was born. Her mother died of AIDS when Liz was 16. Her father was eventually diagnosed with the same disease.
It is hard to imagine how Liz managed to keep going in spite of all of this, but some how she does and although surprisingly little is mentioned of her sister, just two years older, who grew up along with her in that household, apparently her sister also turned out well in the end. There was no alliance between them that could have helped, and Murray explains that Lisa was always hostile toward her and that they became competitors for the very few resources (food, love, everything) that they had.
After her mother died Murray says, “…without Ma to connect us, Daddy, Lisa, and I spun out of one another’s orbits and made independent lives of our own that barely even touched.
Her homeless period explains the title, as "breaking night" refers to staying up through sunrise. She did this often with the group of friends she managed to surround herself with, so she could pretend she really wasn't homeless at all.
This is a compelling story of the "against all odds" variety, well written and very bleak. But it does end hopefully like every dawn after night.
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LibraryThing member lindseyrivers
Liz Murray's story is completely inspiring. It makes all of my own struggles seem small in comparison. The ending was predictable, but Murray pulls you in and has you on her side from the first word so the reader is almost relieved when she gets the break she deserves. Anyone who enjoys stories of
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loss and self-redemption will love this book. I see it on Oprah's book club list soon. Show Less
Awards
Alex Award (2011)
Books for a Better Life Award (Winner — 2010)
Language
Original publication date
2010-08-18