Mother of Courage
The Inspirational True Story of an Armless Dentist and Her
Triumph Over Tragedy
In June 1941, a 24-year-old dental student in the prime of her life was severely burned when, during a placid Sunday afternoon outing, the mast of her sailboat struck a high-voltage power line that drooped across Houston’s San Jacinto River. Both arms had to be amputated at the shoulder to save her life. Days later, when the fog of morphine had dissolved into a rage of tears, she prayed to die. Her mother would have none of it. “There is still a purpose in your life,” she insisted. “It’s your responsibility to keep looking for it.”
Thus begins the inspirational true story of Margaret Chanin. Bolstered by the unflagging faith and support of her family and friends, she emerged from her dark cave of self-pity, determined to achieve what others thought was impossible. She returned to school and earned three degrees, married and raised two boys, and for more than 20 years taught at an historically Black dental school in Nashville, Tennessee. Along the way, she became nationally known for her advocacy of people like her who had a disability, but who also had great worth.
Part biography, part memoir, Mother of Courage is a compelling portrait of a child of the South and the Great Depression who found her voice and her purpose during the Second World War. Her commitment to serve and to inspire courage in others continued to shine, undimmed, through the tumultuous ’60s and ’70s, and beyond. As insightfully recounted by her son, Nashville psychologist Philip Chanin, Margaret’s story is both a celebration of a life well lived, and a roadmap for navigating the divisiveness and confusion of our current era.
Dorrance Publishing Co.
196 pages
(June 28, 2024)