A white woman and an African-American man are in love in 1968. But that’s not the only obstacle in The Story of Beautiful Girl: Lynnie and Homan met as patients at the abusive Pennsylvania State School for the Incurable and Feebleminded. Lynnie has a developmental disability, which makes speech nearly impossible, and Homan is deaf. But their disabilities don’t keep them from falling deeply in love—and trying to create a family.
After escaping from the state school and giving birth to a baby girl in widow Martha Zimmer’s barn, Lynnie is caught by the institution’s staff and dragged back to the corrupt school, leaving the child in the widow’s care. Homan flees, and suddenly the little family’s chance for happiness seems to vanish. But Lynnie, Homan, Martha and baby Julia—along with social worker Kate—have a permanent connection that leads them on a 40-year journey to repair what has been broken. Each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective, and we watch as the individuals find the confidence to somehow make their way back to each other.
The Story of Beautiful Girl makes a beeline for the heartstrings in capturing a seemingly impossible love story—and the secret pact that makes it so unforgettable. Rachel Simon, who gained critical acclaim for her bestselling memoir, Riding the Bus with My Sister, graces readers with an illuminating and affecting view into a unique love.
