Name All the Animals

A Memoir

By: Alison Smith

Narrated by: Alison Smith

The critically acclaimed, heartbreaking memoir that is at once a gorgeous, profound, and redemptive story of a family holding desperately to the memory of a lost child; and a touching, intelligent, and inspiring coming-out story.

A luminous, true story, Name All the Animals is an unparalleled account of grief and secret love: the tale of a family clinging to the memory of a lost child, and of a young woman struggling to define herself in the wake of his loss. As children, siblings Alison and Roy Smith were so close that their mother called them by one name, Alroy. But when Alison was fifteen, she woke one day to learn that Roy, eighteen, was dead.

Heartbreaking but hopeful, this extraordinary memoir explores the aftermath of Roy’s death: his parents’ enduring romance, the faith of a deeply religious community, and the excitement and anguish of Alison's first love—a taboo relationship that opens up a world beyond the death of her brother.©2004 Alison Smith; (P)2004 Simon & Schuster, Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

The poetry of memory

This book is moving and imaginative even in its realness. Alison Smith brings details of memory to life in a way that makes my own memories, feel closer, and since listening to this, I have been appreciating the beauty and poetry of every day moments more. For anyone looking for company in grief, this is a story that reminds of the complex beauty that is life love and death. It is also a very special gift to hear this memoir read by the author.