For a House Made of Stone by Gina French

From the fleshpots of Manila to the glamorous streets of New York, this extraordinary account chronicles the sacrifices one woman made for her family, and her daily struggle to survive along the way. In this memoir, Gina recounts the journey that took her from coming of age in the Philippines, to being hospitalized after giving birth and having a breakdown, and eventually moving into the desolate world of exotic dancing. When a relationship with a client named Paul results in marriage, Gina thinks she can finally live peacefully in his home country, England--until Paul becomes physically violent towards both her and their young son. Thousands of miles away from her family, during a particularly violent encounter with her husband, Gina puts a stop to the abuse by stabbing and killing him in self-defense. The subsequent court case and Gina's family reunion back in the Philippines are sensitively narrated to conclude this incredible story of survival and the resiliency of the human spirit.