Summon the Tiger

“That fact haunted me–I would not be surprised if it still does. My mother didn’t want me. I was so far from perfect.” Wendy Sura Thomson was disabled from birth with congenital abnormalities and has spent her life overcoming obstacles related to those disabilities. While it would be more than enough for a child to have to deal with learning how to do common everyday activities, she also had to deal with the knowledge that at the age of two months her mother shipped her off to her grandmothers so that her mother could investigate full-time care facilities for the handicapped. This clearly affected her life in so many ways.

Summon the Tiger is Thomson’s memoir detailing the trials she has faced with her physical health and also with her mental health. While she is very fortunate in the careers she has chosen, generally managing to come out rather well when companies have restructured, her home life and relationships have been less than successful. She describes dealing with difficult parents and a very self-absorbed and self-destructive husband of her own, all while excelling in her field and raising children without much help.

This novel is an uplifting treasure. Thomson manages to deal with whatever life throws at her with wit and humor and a drive to not just survive the storms but to grow and learn. Her tone is conversational and it reads like sitting and chatting with a good friend over coffee. There is no sugar-coating or excuse-making on her part, and she doesn’t offer any reasons for the events of her life. What she does, however, is let us laugh and cry along with her as she shares these events. Ultimately, you can’t help but cheer for her and wish her the best.