BOOK REVIEWS & PRESS
“Powerful and searching, Porter’s book offers an unforgettable account of how one woman’s humanitarian gestures not only changed her, but also made a difference in the lives of people living in unimaginable misery. A movingly candid memoir about finding some measure of hope in ‘the poorest country in the western hemisphere.'” – Kirkus Reviews
“A Girl Named Lovely is more than a good story. It’s also a fascinating exploration of the complexities of giving. . . . Amid the messy complications, corruption and devastation, Lovely stands as a small, poignant symbol of hope, and this book as an eloquent testament to humanity’s imperfect optimism. Highly readable and heart-wrenchingly affecting.” – Toronto Star
“Porter has a gift for letting the people she meets tell their own stories in their own words, moving us to feel real joy and real dismay with Lovely’s family, and awe at the simple caring so evident in so many.” – Winnipeg Free Press
Through this experience I’ve come to realize that in part one of my strengths—which I perceive as a weakness at the same time—is that I wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m emotionally open and I connect with people because of that. I wouldn’t want to be in a position where I was hardened and wasn’t that emotional open self. – Interview with MacLeans Magazine
“The level of poverty is blistering and I felt the sticky weight of this sweaty money belt around my waist every day. My decision to help Lovely was a tonic so that I could look myself in the eye.” – Q and A in Chatelaine Magazine.
