Riding The Bus With My Sister

Riding the Bus With My Sister: A True Life Journey is the New York Times bestselling author Rachel Simon’s 2002 memoir chronicling her experiences with her intellectually disabled sister, Beth. Over the course of a year, Simon rides the bus with Beth and writes about the journey. She learns to confront her own ignorance about her sister’s condition and forms a close bond with her. The book chronicles Rachel’s emotional and spiritual growth, as Rachel’s time with Beth helps her see how she keeps herself isolated and uses work to avoid emotional intimacy. Simon and Beth ultimately recover their sisterly bond, and Simon becomes a staunch advocate for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities. The memoir was adapted into a 2005 television movie starring Rosie O’Donnell and Andie MacDowell. This guide refers to an updated edition by Grand Central Publishing. Another work by this author is The Story of Beautiful Girl.

Plot Summary

Rachel is living in an East Coast apartment, alone, after a very painful break-up. Rachel works 16-hour days, has no social life, and carries tremendous guilt about ignoring her sister, Beth, who is also living alone in Pennsylvania.