Running from the Mirror: A Memoir

I have read few memoirs. However,after meeting Howard Shulman at the Southern California Writers Conferences and hearing a bit of his story, I picked up a copy of Running from Mirrors. I knew a little about the amazing story of how Howard came into the world as a normal healthy baby before a staff infection attached his face eating away his nose, lips and upper eyelids. I also knew that his parents had left him at the hospital and he became a ward of the state. I even knew he had become a drug deal, and then walked away. I wanted to know more. While shock that parents could walk away from their deformed child, after reading this compelling memoir, I realized that for Howard, that may have been for the best and helped to make him the man he is today. Fortunately, he had a remarkable set of foster parents, who loved, accepted him, and encouraged him. His candid story of the ups and downs of growing up as what he describes as a monster and a ward of the state, (the rejection--the fortitude--the missteps-- the growth and redemption) is both heart wrenching and inspirational. It is the kind of story that creates a host of questions within the reader, You cringe at the cruelty of some and question what you might have done in Howard's place. I was captivated by Howard's exceptional storytelling skills as well as his candor. Running form Mirrors kept me turning pages far into the night.

Reviewed by Jessyca Garcia for Readers' Favorite Running from the Mirror by Howard Shulman is a memoir about Shulman’s life. When Shulman was just a newborn baby, he contracted a staph infection that ate his face off. His parents did not want to deal with a child that had so many health issues so they gave him up for adoption. This is his story about growing up different and looking for a place to belong. I thought Running from the Mirror was an interesting story. At times I felt really sorry for Shulman and wanted to give him a giant hug. Other times I wanted to yell at him because he kept making mistakes and hurting the only people that seemed to care for him. Growing up a foster kid is hard, but growing up a foster kid that requires a lot of medical care is even harder. Shulman’s foster parents, Shirl and Ed, were great. They might not have been perfect but I have tremendous respect for them opening their home to a stranger. I thought that this story was going to turn out a little different. I was not expecting Shulman to become a drug dealer. I am glad that he finally found happiness, but he walked a crooked road to get there. I can see this story being inspirational to some people. I liked the little follow up on all of Shulman’s friends at the end of the book. Reading Shulman’s words made me feel as if I too had known his friends personally. Overall, this was a good book.