Emily Rapp Black is a very with a positive spirit, which was very unexpected. Though she has been through very rough challenges, she still has a great sense of humor and is confident in who she is. When she read part of her essay “Casa Azul Cripple,” I was really able to see the true authentic talent of her writing that allows the reader to be intrigued by something unfamiliar. The amazing thing about this essay is that she draws parallels between the painting of the dead babies to the death of her son, Ronan. Rapp Black’s emotions are conveyed throughout the scenes of her being in her son’s nursery and also when she switches to the scene where she is in the Mexican museum. This raw method of writing allows the reader to see the frame of mind Rapp Black is in when she is looking at this weird painting and how it is closely related to her own experiences; this authenticity allows us as readers to feel like we are there in these places with her, feeling these emotions. It is absolutely beautiful, and it seems that the writing is so natural. I will definitely be spending my spare time reading Poster Child: A Memoir and her many other works.
So glad you enjoyed the reading, Kaiya. Thanks for posting this.