by Frank Deford
First published 1983
Frank Deford tells the story of his daughter Alex, who faced each day with remarkable bravery despite her diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. Alex lived her young life with an infectious spirit that touched everyone around her. The disease threatened to cut her time short, but Alex refused to let it define her existence. She played, laughed, and dreamed like any other child, even as her body fought against itself. Deford captures his daughter's determination to live fully in the face of overwhelming odds. The family navigated hospital visits, treatments, and the constant awareness that time was precious. Alex's courage became a source of strength for those who knew her. This is the story of a girl who showed that a brief life can burn brightly, and how love persists even when everything else falls away.
Genres: family-life, medical, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, overcoming-adversity
196 pages · Hardcover · Viking Adult
Content warnings: terminal-illness