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Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
It’s been said that home is where the heart is and for many of us who share a special bond with a family member, quite often a grandparent, home is with that special someone, either in person or in spirit. Kara L. Zajac shared a special bond with her grandmother, Gram, and wrote her story in The Significance of Curly Hair. I shared a similar special bond with my grandmother, Gran, and, like Kara, I wrote Gran’s story. When we lose someone we love that much, it tears our hearts apart, but the simple act of writing their story is a healing balm. This is a story of love and bonding like no other; one that is passed on to the next generation when the author’s daughter develops a similar bond with her grandmother, Kara’s mother. Kara’s grandmother was a strong woman who survived stress and abuse and still managed to share her love with Kara and other family members. She was something of a relic of a bygone era when things weren’t always as they appeared to be, but people were expected to soldier on.
Kara L. Zajac’s memoir, The Significance of Curly Hair: A Loving Memoir of Life and Loss, is an endearing and sometimes heart-wrenchingly compassionate telling of someone’s life story. The author shares her memories of Gram as well as stories she has heard and stories she discovered when sorting through her grandmother’s personal items. The memoir begins with the sudden loss of Gram, a tragedy in so many ways. As she talks to Gram one last time, the author knows the plane will never get her home fast enough to see her beloved grandmother again. But she tells Gram over the phone that she’s finally set upon the task Gram always asked her to do: to write Gram’s story. The language is beautiful and sensitive and readers will be quickly drawn into the unfolding drama. There are photographs, too, adding to the personal element of this story. Overall, an engaging read. Loved it!
