Finding My Voice

August 2, 1999
In a curiously unemotional account of a life rich in contradictions, the host of the nationally syndicated Diane Rehm Show on National Public Radio may leave readers wanting more. The child of a beautiful, cruel mother who beat her and used silent withdrawal as a form of punishment, Rehm built a rewarding career on talk. Her parents, both Turkish immigrants, had a loving marriage in which her mother's needs and wishes were paramount; meanwhile, Rehm and her older sister found warmth and acceptance in her father's extended family. Despite being a star pupil and, later, a smart, inquisitive woman, Rehm was insecure about her lack of a college degree. Her second marriage was to an Ivy League Washington lawyer, who also retreated into silence. At age 37, her career in broadcasting was spurred by the urging of her women's group, though Rehm says simply, "I don't know why." After 20 years on the radio, she developed a rare neurological disorder, spasmodic dysphonia, which causes hoarseness and vocal tremors. Her search for a diagnosis and the awful treatment, Botox injections, which cause temporary paralysis of the vocal chords and loss of voice, was covered in the Washington Post. Rather than delving deeply into her feelings, Rehm substitutes details about her high school boyfriends, piano lessons and prescription medicines that are less interesting than her family's mysteries, her relationship with her sister and the lessons of her marriage, which has been largely satisfying. Despite her potential to inspire others, as a self-made "late bloomer," abuse survivor and spokesperson for her disease, Rehm leaves her readers to connect the dots. Agent, Ronald Goldfarb; 10-city author tour.