Liz Murray was left homeless at age fifteen 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 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
"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)
"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
"The admirable story of a teen who overcame homelessness through
sheer grit and the kindness of friends ... An uplifting story of
survival."--Kirkus Reviews
"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
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