New Book Release: Morning Leaves by Harvard Alumna Laing Rikkers

In the wake of the untimely death of the author's younger sister and isolated by the pandemic, Laing Rikkers '93 produced Morning Leaves, a book of vulnerable, evocative, and ultimately hopeful poems. She introduces her story and explains how counseling, the artistic process, and nature helped her through the healing process. Her poems, paired with Kelly Leahy Radding's stunningly realistic botanical paintings, metaphorically describe the range of emotions she passes through while grieving. 

Rikkers is a leader in the field of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), an often hidden - and potentially fatal - medical condition. After her sister died of undiagnosed OSA, Laing sought solace from nature and creativity, and wrote Morning Leaves, a book of poetry to help others navigate grief. Her mission now is to save lives by encouraging people to recognize the symptoms of OSA and take better care of themselves and their loved ones.

Read more about the book here.