Perfectly Human: Nine Months with Cerian

Williams (The Shaming of the Strong), former professor of history at Regent College, tells the tearjerking story of her decision to take her pregnancy to term even though her child had skeletal dysplasia. When her doctors told her the birth would “certainly result in [the child’s] death,” Williams, already raising two daughters and teaching history at the University of Oxford, remained firm in her decision to go to term with her pregnancy. She was supported by her husband, family, and community. She also felt compelled by her belief that God wanted her to love this daughter, whom she named Cerian, which is Welsh for “loved one.” For Williams and her husband, the medical advice was unimportant because the child had a slim chance of survival, and they felt a great sense of responsibility to “ensure that all provision is made should that 1 percent chance come about.” During her pregnancy, Williams questioned assumptions about prayer (of God as wish-granter), normality (which she feels is overrated), and grief (Cerian did indeed die at birth). The book is a beautiful reminder of how individually specific the choice of whether to bring a pregnancy to term can be. Readers will be touched by Williams’s story of perseverance, faith, and love. (Oct.)