Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard
Sep 2010 · Hachette+ORM
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58 reviews
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About this ebook
This memoir of a young woman's indomitable spirit to survive and prevail, against all odds, reveals her journey from homelessness to 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.
"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." —Robert Redford
"It's not just that Liz Murray's story is astounding and, at times, incredibly heartbreaking. It's not just that her grace alights every page. It's that she writes her story as a true writer does: with compassion and love for the humanity she experienced. That's the real reason Murray's book matters." —Kerry Cohen, author of Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity
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.
"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." —Robert Redford
"It's not just that Liz Murray's story is astounding and, at times, incredibly heartbreaking. It's not just that her grace alights every page. It's that she writes her story as a true writer does: with compassion and love for the humanity she experienced. That's the real reason Murray's book matters." —Kerry Cohen, author of Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity
This memoir of a young woman's indomitable spirit to survive and prevail, against all odds, reveals her journey from homelessness to 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 ...
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Ratings and reviews
58 reviews
Laura Strong
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February 16, 2018
If you can get through the absolute poverty and despair of the first half of this book, it is well worth it. The message is so simple, true, and powerful. We control our lives, our future, and our destiny. But we have to believe in ourselves first and foremost. Something that easily gets lost in today's world.
2 people found this review helpful
Emily Harl
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April 5, 2020
This story both moved me and broke me. its gut wrenching to try and get through but enthralling the whole time, making you never wanna put it down. One of the best books I've ever read and the most inspiring in my life.
1 person found this review helpful
Sticksnhand
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March 11, 2015
You think you know what some kids go through when dealing with parents with addiction. But this book although it seems long at times,opens your eyes...and it makes you see......it makes you see. GREAT BOOK,BUT HEART WRENCHING
3 people found this review helpful
About the author
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.
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...
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