4 Star Review
Click HERE to Purchase Your Copy Today!
Editorial Book Review:
By Matthew Law
Mary Pieroni Harper, author of the deeply poignant book "The Sound of Her Voice: My Blind Parents' Story," relates the incredible story of Mario and Jane Pieroni, who, despite being born blind, defied expectations and had full and successful lives. This charming book celebrates her parents' fortitude while underlining the importance of love, persistence, and family unity.
The memoir takes readers on a journey that spans generations, beginning with the challenges Mario and Jane faced as children, living with glaucoma-induced blindness. It centers on Mario's innovative career as the first blind graduate of Notre Dame Law School and his later Muncie, Indiana election as a judge. Following Jane's relentless independence as she ran the family and reared four sighted children without outside help, her story is gripping. Harper poignantly observes that love was not "love at first sight" for her parents, but rather "love at first sound." Their bond became stronger via shared experiences and the simple act of listening, making their story as much a tribute to human connection as it is to overcoming physical obstacles.
What sets '"The Sound of" Her Voice apart is its exploration of the unique ways Mario and Jane experienced love. Love, for her parents, was about "love at first sound," not about "love at first sight," Harper poignantly remarks. Their journey is much a monument to human connection as it is to conquering physical obstacles; their bond grew stronger through common events and the basic act of listening.
The book’s emotional core lies in its universal themes of perseverance and the bonds that tie families together. Harper writes with vulnerability and honesty, reflecting on what it was like to grow up in a household where love was abundant, though sight was absent. This memoir is for everyone who believes in the resiliency of the human spirit, not only for people fascinated in tales of handicap. The Sound of Her Voice asks readers to reevaluate how we view constraints via the Pieronis' life and reminds us that, under the direction of love, anything is possible.
About the Author
Mary Pieroni Harper
Mary Harper, the youngest of four sighted children, was born and raised in Muncie, Indiana. Nothing terribly special about that, except that her parents were both totally blind. Mary documents their remarkable lives in The Sound of Her Voice: My Blind Parents’ Story.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, she earned her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Houston. Perhaps as a legacy from helping her parents with everything from reading their mail to them to inspecting their clothing for spots, she’s always been interested in helping others.
After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1992, she became active in the Fibromyalgia Association of Houston. She served in various capacities, including as newsletter editor of The Fibromyalgia Connection, and as president for fifteen years.
She lives in Houston, TX with her blind rescue cat Lily. Nobody wanted a little blind kitten, but Mary didn’t hesitate to adopt her. Sweet Lily was very comforting when Mary’s husband, Jeff, died in 2012.
Mary has two adult children and loves being a grandmother.
Comments