Despite so many of us
simultaneously falling apart . . .
My family was a last resort,
for I'm too old to come home,
too ashamed that I'm not as strong as
everyone insists that I am.

Smiling Is Not Resilience is more than a sequel to Aundria Sheppard Morgan's debut memoir, Cross My Heart and Hope to Die (2004). Morgan dissects America's ingrained survivor-as-hero theory, spotlighting how lifting up some unintentionally shuts down others. This memoir lends itself to conversations on grief, resiliency, illness, suicide, relationships, and why we must reeducate ourselves on how we vocalize, process, and support one another in the midst of profound tragedy. It is a first step in changing our understanding of grief and the thousands the traditional survivor story leaves behind.

In raw, unapologetic prose, Morgan walks us through a life that raises more questions than answers. She strips herself of all that has kept her afloat in Minnesota and California, and returns to family in New York, re-examining all.