Slow Motion: A Memoir of a Life Rescued by Tragedy

“Chilling. . . . There is a gritty honesty to her cautionary confession that will alert others to listen for and respond to wake-up calls of their own.” — New York Times Book Review

Slow Motion is the critically-lauded bestselling memoir from acclaimed novelist Dani Shapiro (Black & White, Family History) — a “riveting” and “breathtaking” look (San Francisco Chronicle), free of self-pity or regret, at a life that was rescued by an unspeakable tragedy.

At twenty-three, Dani Shapiro was in the midst of a major rebellion against her religious upbringing. She had dropped out of college, was halfheartedly acting in television commercials, and was carrying on with an older married man when her life was changed, in an instant, by a phone call. Her parents had been in a devastating car accident. Neither was expected to survive. In her first memoir, Shapiro offers this powerful true story of a life turned around—not by miracles or happy endings, but by unexpected personal catastrophe.

At twenty-three, Dani Shapiro was in the midst of a major rebellion against her religious upbringing. She had dropped out of college, was halfheartedly acting in television commercials, and was carrying on with an older married man when her life was changed, in an instant, by a phone call. Her parents had been in a devastating car accident. Neither was expected to survive. In her first memoir, Shapiro offers this powerful true story of a life turned around—not by miracles or happy endings, but by unexpected personal catastrophe.

“Stylishly written . . . splendid . . . Shapiro’s prose is seamless.” - Newsweek

“Absorbing, sweetly stinging. . . . Shapiro’s book succeeds as a gracefully written story of reckoning inspired by tragedy and the long reach of familial roots.” - Wall Street Journal

“Cogent and unforgettable.” - Houston Chronicle

“Shapiro’s writing has the spare elegance of a thin, gold bracelet—with all the timeless appeal and elegance and fine craft that implies. Her self-examination is untainted by self-pity. . . . A great piece of writing and an inspirational tale. . . . Slow Motion illuminates the rocky road to integrity in graceful but wrenching steps.” - Salon.com

“Notably free of self-pity and rigorous in her scrutiny, Shapiro doesn’t spare her lover, her family, or herself, yet there’s emotion on these pages that is rare among the recent spate of confessionals. The result is a story that isn’t perversely voyeuristic, but simply rewarding.” - Entertainment Weekly

“Chilling. . . . There is a gritty honesty to her cautionary confession that will alert others to listen for and respond to wake-up calls of their own.” - New York Times Book Review

“Riveting. . . . A combination of breathtaking candor and bravado. . . . A smart, well-written take on the form.” - San Francisco Chronicle

“A candid memoir of a misspent life resurrected from the ruins of a devastating tragedy. . . . Shapiro does not sugarcoat her life; she writes with an eviscerating, raw honesty about the wrong turns and mistakes she made.” - Boston Globe

“Fabulous. . . . Brutal honesty and a well-honed sense of humor.” - People