About the Book
Mary Anne's story is both ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary because she was searching for the same things many of us search for: love, understanding and purpose; and extraordinary because she had to go through hell to find them.
Mary Anne's life was turbulent. Born in a decaying northern town to a dysfunctional family in the 1960s, Mary Anne had to endure mental, physical and sexual abuse and cope with the devastating effects of parental alcoholism and suicide. She had her self-esteem and confidence crushed by two disastrous marriages, and she lives with the emotional and physical scars caused by a surgical procedure which has become the medical scandal of our age: mesh implants. But, despite everything, she always remained determined to endure and to find something better.
The Grace of a Nightingale is a brilliant, heartfelt odyssey of survival. Even in her darkest moments, Mary Anne's courage and faith, combined with her passionate appreciation of beauty in nature, books and music, bring glimpses of light and hope. On her journey through life, she is supported by her mat carriers, both friends and strangers, helping her to triumph over adversity. And, like all the best stories, there is a happy ending.
Table of Contents:
Preface
The Unmothered Child
The Vulnerable Child
Cigarettes, Whisky and Firearms
Wild, Wayward and Wandering
Welsh Seagulls
Longing and Belonging
An Irreversible Ending
The Call of the Nightingale
Carpe Diem
Pride and Prestige
The Prelude to Illumination
Priests, Ships and Hounds
Paradox and Paranoia
Forgiving Dreams
Tormented to Death
Bare Dreams
The Prophecy is Realised
A Secret Lie
The Widowed Spinster
Sophia An Invisible Loss
Herons and Horses
A Sanctimonious Halo
Surviving the Stitch-up
Smiling Through Pain
The Song of the Nightingale
After winter must come spring
The Nightingale
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
About the Author :
Mary Anne Willow was born in Yorkshire in 1962. As a child of three, she witnessed her father violently beating my mother 'like a deranged baboon' as she clung to her baby brother, believing they would die. At 7, Mary Anne's family moved back to her parent's hometown in northwest England. Over the next ten years, she would face domestic and sexual abuse, maternal alcoholism, the agonising death of her beloved grandmother from breast cancer and the sadism and indifference of her school teachers. Growing up in a misogynistic working-class culture, surrounded by irrational hatred and lack of female power, Mary Anne escaped to Wales to work in a seaside hotel, where she became enlightened by the beauty of the coastal scenery while discovering the joy of serving others. Empowered by the respite from domestic violence during she Welsh working holiday, she returned home to train as a nurse. In the years that followed, Mary Anne worked and studied in some of the most prestigious hospitals across England. She always strived to reach her full nursing and academic potential achieving a distinction in a master of arts degree in Leadership and Management. Despite the flawless career success, pain and suffering were constantly revisiting Mary Anne's life. Following a brief, disastrous marriage, she felt empty and lost. Haunted by the legacy of self-contempt, guilt and shame from her childhood abuse, she searched for a deeper meaning to life. After an unplanned journey to see her brother, who was suffering from PTSD following his experiences as a naval seaman during the Falklands and Gulf wars, Mary Anne's life changed forever. One brief, desperate phone call to the naval chaplain, Paddy the Padre, was the beginning of a journey of healing, hope and lifelong transformation. The book describes her journey of self-discovery as she fell in love with nature, animals, beauty and God.
Review :
Review
This gripping memoir follows Mary Anne Willow's life through unimaginable difficulties. If I mention domestic violence, sexual abuse, alcoholism and child grooming, you might not want to read on, but the times of great sadness are interspersed with moments of absolute joy. This joy, bringing the expectation of a better future, was made possible by the many supporters who have helped Mary Anne on the way. These are her 'mat carriers', giving her resilience and self-belief, allowing her to emerge whole and happy from the maelstrom of her life. Today she still endures debilitating physical distress but has also found love, hope, and peace.
From the outset, Mary Anne's imagination was her rock: the frightened child created a safe place in her mind where nature was a soothing presence, with rivers and streams, mountains and trees as trustworthy companions. Psychotherapists recommend to their clients the creation of a psychologically safe place, somewhere they can go when traumatic memories become too much to bear.
Mary Anne's journey offers us hope. We can learn to understand ourselves and our behaviours, to respect and accept our needs. By discovering our truth, we, too, can make choices for our good and the world.
Dr Evleen Mann
MB.BS, MSc, PGDip
**
I spent several days immersing myself in this wonderfully written book. I found it to be both thought-provoking and beautifully expressed, and it touched me in a variety of significant ways. The many aspects struck me and layers of the suffering that the writer experienced and how she still found the strength to handle it all despite the enormous challenges faced. Such a lot for one person to go through and somehow not only cope with but also have grown from. Her inner capacity to want the best for others and the depth and innate desire of her moral compass shone through her story, and I found that to be a huge inspiration. I was delighted to read the ending and to know that she found joy in such a wonderful way.
Amazon Customer
**
What an excellent book this is! It is a story of hope and courage and of keeping on going whatever life throws at you. Mary Anne has known the agony of life and the ecstasy and has told her story in a way that readers can connect to even if their experiences have not been as painful or difficult as hers. To read The Grace of a Nightingale is to enter the life of a woman who inspires the reader to learn from her triumph over tragedy. To read this book is to be enriched and encouraged that it is possible for courage and hope to overcome cruelty, despair, grief, bewilderment and deep disappointments. It also describes beautifully how the support of others, both humans and animals, helps us through the hard times. This is woven together with Mary Anne's faith and trust in the power, goodness and love of the Life-giver. I highly recommend reading this inspirational book.
Chris Wylie
**
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author showed courage and determination throughout adversity.
Not always comfortable to read but truthful and inspiring.
Jenny
**
An extremely well-written book. Thought-provoking and brought tears to my eyes at times. A story of amazing resilience and forgiveness.
RH
**
A brave yet vulnerable soul, The author deserves nothing but our admiration and praise for sharing. Written from an objective yet spiritual heart, this story is worth taking time over and pondering.
