Nothing Special: The Mostly True, Sometimes Funny Tales of Two Sisters

by Dianne Bilyak Narrated by Dianne Bilyak

Overview

A late bloomer's coming-of-age memoir asks how does one accept and free themselves from visible and invisible disabilities and still retain their sense of connection and humor? Nothing Special is a disarmingly candid tale of two sisters growing up in the 1970s in rural Connecticut. Older sister Chris, who has Down syndrome, is an extrovert, while the author, her younger, typically developing sister shoulders the burdens and grief of her parents. In Nothing Special Bilyak offers vignettes that range from heartrending to laugh-out-loud funny as well as a real-world picture of fighting for her own life, finding a place in her family, and strengthening the relationship with her sister.

"Bilyak's Nothing Special is, despite its witty title, something special. [S]he takes us on a wild ride with her charismatic sister, the unflappable, self-avowed and completely uncowed Dr. Irma King, who just happens to have Down syndrome." -Dorion Sagan

"With charming specificity and hilarity, Bilyak writes frankly about her own identity, and that of her sister's. Through honest self-reflection and observation, Bilyak hits home something that we so badly need to hear right now: that people with disabilities are not a monolith, and that there is no perfect way to love or be loved by them." -Bekah Brunstetter

"Dianne Bilyak's Nothing Special is wonderfully fulfilling and accessible-you feel like you're reading this incredibly honest diary about the complexities of family that's so relatable!" -Brian Donovan

“Nothing Special is a revaluation of cultural perceptions of Down syndrome and a realistic portrayal of gritty humor in the face of adversity. Bilyak's honesty is breathtaking, with anecdotes ranging from poignant to laugh-out-loud funny." -Richard Blanco

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"As sister to Chris, a sassy, gender-fluid, rule-bending extrovert with Down syndrome, Dianne Bilyak—a thoughtful, shy, occasional rebel drawn to the page and the stage—spent her life experiencing a vast array of emotions, from loyalty and admiration to feeling lost in the shadows and bereft of identity. In Nothing Special, her highly readable, cliche-free memoir, Dianne shares her fifty-year journey of siblinghood and self-discovery. Rich in character, humor, hard-earned insights, and love, Dianne's story will surprise the uninitiated, be revelatory to parents, and, for those who also walk in her shoes, resemble a friend whose words shine with truth. Publication of this book is funded by the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving."—Rachel Simon, author of Riding the Bus with My Sister

"Dianne Bilyak's Nothing Special is, despite its witty title, something special. Honest, hilarious, and heartfelt, she takes us on a wild ride with her charismatic sister, the unflappable, self-avowed and completely uncowed Dr. Irma King, who just happens to have Down syndrome."—Dorion Sagan, author of Death and Sex

"In Nothing Special Dianne Bilyak tells the story of her older sister in a poignant, comic, and sometimes haunting examination of visible and invisible disabilities. Born with Down syndrome Bilyak's sister has her own story to tell. This is a complex, inventive, and indelible memoir about two lives sustained by ardor, curiosity, and imagination."—Steve Kuusisto, author of Planet of the Blind and Evesdropping

"With charming specificity and hilarity, Bilyak writes frankly about her own identity, and that of her sister's, comparing her own self-consciousness with her sister's striking lack thereof. Through honest self-reflection and observation, Bilyak hits home something that we so badly need to hear right now: that people with disabilities are not a monolith, and that there is no perfect way to love or be loved by them."—Bekah Brunstetter, playwright, screenwriter, and writer and producer for NBC's This is Us

"Dianne Bilyak's Nothing Special is wonderfully fulfilling and accessible—you feel like you're reading this incredibly honest diary about the complexities of family that's so relatable, especially as a sibling to someone with unique needs. Bilyak has written a beautiful, and beautifully candid book on the sibling relationship and more!"—Brian Donovan, director of the film Kelly's Hollywood

"Nothing Special is a revaluation of cultural perceptions of Down syndrome and a realistic portrayal of gritty humor in the face of adversity. Bilyak's honesty is breathtaking, with anecdotes ranging from poignant to laugh-out-loud funny."—Richard Blanco, author of How to Love a Country

"As soon as I finished reading, Nothing Special, I thought: wow, this book is a knockout! I'm grateful to Bilyak for writing it. It is just so moving and thoughtful. What a feat!"—Li-Young Lee, author of The Wingéd Seed: A Remembrance

Kirkus Reviews

2022-08-11
In this memoir, a writer chronicles her life growing up in a New England family that faced myriad challenges.

This heartfelt book by Pushcart Prize–nominated author and poet Bilyak was adapted from a series of personal essays on her experiences growing up with a sister with Down syndrome. Born in rural Connecticut in the mid-1960s just shy of one year apart, the author and her older sister, Christine, were “Irish twins.” Bilyak recounts that they were raised in a religious Polish family by a pretty, petite, “ubiquitous but peripheral” mother and a troubled, alcoholic father who became an award-winning chef. Early on, Chris began experiencing motor skills difficulties and was assessed by a local pediatrician who treated her as a subhuman “mongoloid idiot” best suited for life in an institution. Despite Chris’ Down syndrome diagnosis in 1969, the sisters’ bonding rituals continued, and their enduring relationship jelled symbiotically. The author was a curious child, prone to creating inventive versions of the truth and snooping into others’ belongings. Her parents dealt with Chris’ disability poorly and with “a sense of loss for the future they’d assumed she’d have.” Chris, outgoing and friendly, favored odd rituals, petty theft, denial, and a love of Special Olympics events and gymnastics. Both sisters navigated their incremental ascents into adolescence with a smooth amalgam of awkward trepidation and wide-eyed adventure. Fiercely loyal to each other yet playfully competitive, Bilyak and Chris were “two class clowns with a mafia streak—entertaining, unless you so much as look at us funny. Then, not only will we always defend each other, but we’ll stand together and find a way to make you pay.” Throughout the author’s college years and in separate adult trajectories, the women remained close, loving unconditionally and learning valuable life lessons from each other. Chris’ eccentricities and foibles often delighted those around her, and these traits end up stealing the spotlight in this delightful and moving chronicle.A selection for the Driftless Connecticut Series publication award program, the memoir urgently addresses issues surrounding familial disability, specifically growing up with the challenges of Down syndrome as a doting sibling. A generous selection of scrapbook snapshots sprinkled throughout give the book emotional depth and lend a moving visual marker to Bilyak’s family heritage. The author’s readable prose flows swiftly and descriptively through episodes ranging from ebullient moments with family and friends to poignantly sad ordeals of temporary separations and confusion. Bilyak’s flair for vivid language is evident right from the opening sequences, as when she describes Chris’ consistently “sleepy expression that offers a cryptic mix of faraway and immediate” and educates readers on what the disability is really like in the volume’s intimate vignettes. The women’s experiences coalesce beautifully as adults celebrating their 50th birthdays a year apart, their sisterly bond a lifetime in the making, with both emerging stronger and more supportive of the other than ever. Readers will cheer these siblings along as they grow and mature into women whose complex individuality and uniqueness make their story that much sweeter.

A warm account of supportive, loving sisterhood written with immense grace, humor, and heart.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175193924
Publisher:	Author's Republic
Publication date:	04/14/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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