Etched in Sand
A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island
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4.5 • 529 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
Regina’s Calcaterra memoir, Etched in Sand, is an inspiring and triumphant coming-of-age story of tenacity and hope.
Regina Calcaterra is a successful lawyer, New York State official, and activist. Her painful early life, however, was quite different. Regina and her four siblings survived an abusive and painful childhood only to find themselves faced with the challenges of the foster-care system and intermittent homelessness in the shadows of Manhattan and the Hamptons.
A true-life rags-to-riches story, Etched in Sand chronicles Regina’s rising above her past, while fighting to keep her brother and three sisters together through it all.
Beautifully written, with heartbreaking honesty, Etched in Sand is an unforgettable reminder that regardless of social status, the American Dream is still within reach for those who have the desire and the determination to succeed.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This true story of a woman surviving domestic abuse as a child, emancipating herself as a teenager, and then becoming a successful attorney is courageous and fascinating, written with a descriptive restraint that recalls moments of tragedy and perseverance with simplicity and subtlety. Her story begins with an account of life among "a scrappy pack of homeless siblings" and narrows to Calcaterra's rise to executive director of the New York State Moreland Commission on Utility Preparation and Response. Woven into the narrative is Calcaterra's search to discover the identity of her birth father, a man who resisted acknowledging that he is her parent; this conflict led to a landmark court decision in the state of Washington over an adult child's right to an accurate determination of paternity; it also led to a touching reunion with other members of her birth father's family. Written as a "story of the hope it took a community to raise a child," Calcaterra concludes her story with the genuine sentiment that "we all have to believe." At the end of this unforgettable book, readers will.
Customer Reviews
Etched in Sand
I could not put this book down. It is so good. It is so sad to see what all the children went through. It was so hard at times to not cry and wish someone would help them. So glad I got this book.
Unbelievable strength and courage
A beautiful and tragic accounting of a tortured childhood. What strength and resilience this woman has shown in a life that she not only survived, but found a way to excel and flourish!
Brutally honest account of a horrific childhood
This story was so extremely difficult to read more times than it wasn’t but to see the devotion, loyalty, love and commitment these siblings developed so deeply it leaves you believing that bonds like these are permanently tied. What a courageous story about the sheer power and the extremes humans turn to in order to survive and conviction in the better good even amid horrific adversity and abuse.