Synopses & Reviews
Jesse Cooper was an honor-roll student who loved to windsurf and write poetry. He also had severe cerebral palsy and was quadriplegic, unable to speak, and wracked by seizures. He died suddenly at age seventeen. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;In fiercely honest, surprisingly funny, and sometimes heartbreaking prose, Jesseand#8217;s mother, Marianne Leone, chronicles her transformation by the remarkable life and untimely death of her child. An unforgettable memoir of joy, grief, and triumph, andlt;Iandgt;Knowing Jesse andlt;/Iandgt;unlocks the secret of unconditional love and speaks to all families who strive to do right by their children.
Review
and#8220;A motherand#8217;s passion-filled memoir of her fight to give her disabled son the life he deserved. . . . Love for her son and rage at those who did not see him as worthwhile permeate the narrative, which surprises with its humor and frankness. . . . Leoneand#8217;s character sketches are deft and humorous, and included throughout are selections of Jesseand#8217;s poetry and photographs of the boy with family and friends, attesting to a life that, though short and often painful, was filled with accomplishment, love and joy. Heartwarming.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Kirkus Reviewsandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;andlt;Iandgt;Knowing Jesseandlt;/Iandgt;'s title mentions grief and grace and everyday bliss.andnbsp;Yes, those elements are included.andnbsp;But thatand#8217;s a fraction of the fun. Yeahand#8212;that's right.andnbsp;I said andlt;Iandgt;funandlt;/Iandgt;.andnbsp;As in andlt;Iandgt;funnyandlt;/Iandgt;.andnbsp;This book made me laugh and cry and then laugh again until I was crying with laughter. . . . This kidand#8217;s journey is one of a kind and so is this book. Do yourself a favor:andnbsp;buy it, read it, and when you are doneand#8212;read it again.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Denis Leary, author of andlt;Iandgt;Why We Suckandlt;/Iandgt; and co-creator of andlt;Iandgt;Rescue Meandlt;/Iandgt;
Review
and#8220;In prose so full of life and love and rage and grace it will fill the room where you read it, Marianne Leone tells the story of her son, Jesse. Sorrow and joy are found in the same breath, but grace abounds and justice triumphs.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Abigail Thomas, author of andlt;iandgt;A Three Dog Lifeandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Like a master tightrope walker, Marianne Leone avoids any fall here into understandable sentimentality or self-pity. Instead, she has stepped nakedly into the larger human truths of her own story and given us back a life-sustaining feast. andlt;iandgt;Knowing Jesseandlt;/iandgt; goes beyond a living portrait of this remarkable boy and his family; it explores the unbreakable blood ties between parents and children, that chosen thread between husbands and wives, and that sometimes hazardous web of other people called bureaucracy. At the heart of all this is a Sufi aphorism that speaks agelessly to the true nature of loss itself, that it has an afterlife where spirit lies. With humor, guts, and grace, andlt;iandgt;Knowing Jesseandlt;/iandgt; will carry you compellingly to yours!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Andre Dubus III, author of andlt;iandgt;House of Sand and Fogandlt;/iandgt;
Review
"I was stunned. Stunned and moved to tears. This book is about unwavering courage, unbounded love, and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Review
“An uplifting but never saccharine account of three brave people fighting for their humanity . . . A fine and moving book.”
—Steve Oney, Los Angeles Times
Review
“Funny, fierce and illuminating . . . You have to get this.”
—The Boston Herald
Review
“
Jesse is an incandescent memoir, glowing with a mother’s love.”
—Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children
Review
“This book will lift you up.”
—Ann Hood, author of Comfort and The Knitting Circle
Review
“This book made me laugh and cry and then laugh again until I was crying with laughter. . . . This kid’s journey is one of a kind and so is this book.”
—Denis Leary, co-creator of Rescue Me
Review
“
Jesse is an important book for any parent to read.”
—Richard Russo, author of That Old Cape Magic
Review
and#8220;This book will break your heart. This book will make you angry. It will make you laugh and cry and cheer. But mostly, this book will lift you up.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Ann Hood, author of andlt;iandgt;Comfortandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;The Knitting Circleandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;andlt;iandgt;Knowing Jesseandlt;/iandgt; is an incandescent memoir, glowing with a motherand#8217;s love for her disabled son and fueled by her righteous anger. With fierce honesty and unexpected humor, Marianne Leone illuminates the challenges of Jesseand#8217;s life, the courage with which he faced them, and the joy he brought those lucky enough to know him.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Tom Perrotta, author of andlt;iandgt;The Abstinence Teacherandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;Little Childrenandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;andlt;iandgt;Knowing Jesseandlt;/iandgt; is an important book for any parent to read. The Coopersand#8217; story forces us to face the hard question of whose responsibility it is to speak for children who cannot speak for themselves.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Richard Russo, author of andlt;iandgt;That Old Cape Magicandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;I was stunned. Stunned and moved to tears. This book is about unwavering courage, unbounded love, and perseverance in the face of adversity. It grabs you by the lapels and takes you on a wondrous, inspiring journey. I couldnand#8217;t put it down and I now carry Jesseand#8217;s journey in my heart.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;William H. Macy
Synopsis
In this unforgettable memoir of joy, grief and triumph, Leone tells the story of her son, Jesse, who lived a remarkable life with cerebral palsy.
Synopsis
In this searing memoir, actor and screenwriter Leone reflects upon the 17 years she spent raising a son with cerebral palsy.
About the Author
andlt;Bandgt;Marianne Leone andlt;/Bandgt;is an actress who appeared in andlt;iandgt;The Sopranosandlt;/iandgt;, a screenwriter, and an essayist published in andlt;iandgt;The Boston Globe.andlt;/iandgt; She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, actor Chris Cooper, and two rescue dogs.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Jesse Cooper Foundation funds inclusion and adapted sports for children with special needs, and supports disabled orphans in Romania.