Running from the Mirror: A Memoir

Three days after birth, Howard Shulman contracted an infection that destroyed much of his face, including his nose, lips, lower right eyelid, tear ducts, and palate. His parents abandoned him at the hospital, and he became a ward of New Jersey. A state-employed surgeon experimentally reconstructed his face as he grew up. This memoir chronicles Shulman's survival and his efforts to build a meaningful life despite severe challenges. He describes his experiences as a bullied outcast without family support, and his path from working as a dishwasher to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Along the way, relationships with a European actress, a schoolteacher, and a Latina woman shaped his journey. The book combines accounts of hardship with moments of joy, documenting Shulman's resilience.