-Susan Cummings Writer, Actress-
LIKING MY LOOKS
BODY IMAGE THEATER
BY SUSAN CUMMINGS
ADVENTURES OF A ONE-BREASTED WOMAN: RECLAIMING MY MOXIE AFTER CANCER
"You're cured now," Cummings's surgeon
proclaimed to her a few weeks after her mastectomy.
"That's it?"
"That's it," her surgeon repeated.
That wasn't it by a long shot for Cummings, as we learn in her memoir about her first six years after treatment for early-stage breast cancer. A struggling New York actress who was single and "progressing at lightning speed through her middle years" when diagnosed, Cummings takes us on her up, down and sideways adventures--sometimes poignant, often laugh-out-loud funny--after her mastectomy. She wrangles with her fear of more cancer and struggles to accept her altered body. Her spiritual assumptions must be revisited when she discovers a certain piece of statuary. She seems a "bust" at attempts to give back for all the love she received after she was diagnosed.
But with indefatigable determination, she scours the North American continent looking for the perfect health regimen. In Central Park and elsewhere, she discovers and rediscovers the beauty of asymmetry. She conducts a "beautiful breast survey" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. By the end of a breast cancer walk, she feels more love for her family and friends, and for people she doesn't know, than she could have imagined. She's always wanted to ballroom dance. She doesn't need two breasts or a boyfriend to do that! Step by step, she does reclaim her moxie!
Adventures of a One-Breasted Woman is a life-affirming memoir full of self-deprecating humor, which is sure to inspire breast cancer survivors as well as anyone with body image issues.
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
"Readers will be charmed and inspired as Cummings reconciles herself to, and situates herself in, a post-cancer life....The book is poised to reonate with those who have shared Cummings's health concerns and with women in general, as body image issues are a recurrent theme....Tfhe triumphs of the book's final pages perfectly punctuate this celebratory work." -- ForeWord Reviews
"Funny, honest and hopeful...Not a routine breast cancer memoir...Focus is on life in survival mode...It left me wanting more chapters!" -- About.com Breast Cancer
"A rare one...I got right into it and didn't put it down...Cumminghs is able to cut straight to the hilarious in the midst of her fears of the unknown. A wonderful writer, she shows herself without guile--authentic and delightful...Terrific book!" -- Joanna Bull, Founder, Gilda's Club Worldwide
"A must read for anyone dealing with breast cancer or body image issues!" -- Judith Rabinor, Ph.D., Director, American Eating Disorders Center/LI, Psychotherapist, Author
"An extraordinarily well-writen account, full of self-deprecating humor, of the roller-coaster emotions that accompany [breast cancer], including the threat mstectomy presents to a woman's self-image. Ultimately Cummings emerges to a new life with confidence and hope." -- Christine Ordway, Nurse Practitioner, MSN, APRN-BC, caregiver to breast cancer patients
"A great book which astounded me--the humor, information, the energy of it, the way she used art to heal. The book buoys up the reader, providing strength, humor, courage and moxie. An important and wonderful book." -- Marian Kelner, WMBC Radio
"The book is amazing!" -- Joe Donahue, The Roundtable, WAMC
"Cummings...has written a memoir that will resonate with women whether they are just beginning their breast cancer journey or...are years out from their diagnosis. Cummings manages to reclaim her moxie after breast cancer, and provides a heatfelt and useful template for those of us following in her footsteps." -- TheBreastCareSite.com
"The minute I picked up your book at the Blum Library at Dana Farber, I could not put it down...Thank you!" -- M. Littlefield, breast cancer survivor
"Honestly written...with lots of humor (I laughed outloud many times)....Exposing the fears and inner thoughts involved...Breast cancer survivors will apppreciate the book... and also health care providers...Great book." -- Paulet Farquharson, MSW, LCSW-R, OSW-C, Stony Brook University Medical Center
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"Readers will be charmed and inspired as Cummings reconciles herself to, and situates herself in, a post-cancer life....The book is poised to resonate with those who have shared Cummings' health concerns and with women in general, as body image issues are a recurrent theme.....The triumphs of the final pages punctuate this celebratory work." -- ForeWord Reviews
"A rare one...I got right into it and didn't put it down...Hilarious...Authentic and delightful...Terrific book!" -- Joanna Bull, Founder, Gilda's Club Worldwide