The Beautiful Life of Laura Humphrey

Book excerpt: Laura Humphrey has had her share of ups and downs. She's loved her job teaching high school music for over twenty-five years in her hometown with a special gift for musical theater. She is devoted to her church, family, and friends. In addition, a romance may be on the horizon with the high school coach, a widower and longtime friend. On the negative side, however, Laura has always doubted her worth to others and has always struggled with sadness over a failed marriage and having no children of her own. As the book opens, Laura has just received a difficult and potentially life-threatening diagnosis. As she is undergoing chemotherapy and struggling with some of the aftermath, several of her former students reach out to make sure Laura knows how much she has meant to them. The novel delves into Laura's interactions with each student, their particular struggles (poverty, abuse, parental abandonment, psychiatric illness, parental disappointment), and how Laura's help changed the course of their lives. Likewise, Laura's closest friends reminisce over their shared friendships, how they met, and the huge blessing knowing Laura has been. Laura's faith is an integral part of the book as is her love of college football, namely the Alabama Crimson Tide. Enjoy learning more about Laura's life and her vital impact on others in this book that spans 1976 to 2012.