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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Not sure why I opted to read a book that hits so close to home as my grandmother died from cancer (what feels like recently) whom I was dearly close to.
But I'm glad I read it. The journey Will goes through with his mother and their love of reading is absolutely beautiful. Wish I had half of that relationship with my own mother, luckily I had it with my grandma.
But I'm glad I read it. The journey Will goes through with his mother and their love of reading is absolutely beautiful. Wish I had half of that relationship with my own mother, luckily I had it with my grandma.
Liked this book, although it has left me with more that I want to read (damn. Too many books, too little time.....)
Absolutely LOVED this book. I felt like I was hanging out with a friend talking, rather than reading a stranger's words. This may be because I was grieving when I read it, but it touched me personally. It asked questions I asked, wondered things I was wondering.
This book is about more than books, more than a man's relationship with his dying mother. It's about living life, facing death, and honoring the people and things you care about.
In addition to this, I added quite a few titles to my "want to read" list (an alphabetical list in the appendix makes it easy to keep track of them, so you don't have to write them down as you come across them).
This book is about more than books, more than a man's relationship with his dying mother. It's about living life, facing death, and honoring the people and things you care about.
In addition to this, I added quite a few titles to my "want to read" list (an alphabetical list in the appendix makes it easy to keep track of them, so you don't have to write them down as you come across them).
meh. boring and not as much about books as one would be lead to believe. full review later this week.
I struggled between 3 and 4 stars for this novel (I wish we could give some 1/2 stars). The title alone scared me initially. It's not pleasant is it? But it was for book club this past month and I really wanted to see some people who attend, so I bought it. This is no Tuesday's with Morrie, but it definitely is worth a read. In it, a mother and her son discuss books they are reading during her chemo treatments and end up calling it a book club (they share books with one another etc). There are so many books mentioned that they are listed at the back of the book and some I have added to my ever growing to-read list on here (if you aren't interested in the book, I highly recommend at least looking at the list on here, there must be a book for everyone on it; there are 100+ listed). This woman's real life story (for this is a true story) was truly humbling for she truly lived her life to help others and to make them happy). She definitely was very well-off, but its nice to see someone that rich spending that much time helping the poorest of the poor. However, I felt like some stuff was left out. Was she really that strong? Even at the end when she was so close to death? I feel like her son left some stuff out, maybe for how he wanted us to view her or how she wanted us to view her (after all, he started writing a blog and she dictated those blogs until she got near death). However, it was a scary read also because, well no one wants to think about their loved ones mortality much less our own. But it is something that someone should probably read if they have a loved one going through something similar, felt like there were some tips suggested that could help. I did love a few quotes within it though:
"We all owe everyone for everything that happens in our lives. But it's not owing like a debt to one person--it's really that we owe everyone for everything. Our whole lives can change in an instant--so each person that keeps that from happening, no matter how small a role they play, is also responsible for all of it. Just by giving friendship and love, you keep the people around you from giving up--and each expression of friendship or love may be the one that makes all the difference.”
and this one especially:
“Mom taught me not to look away from the worst but to believe that we can all do better. She never wavered in her conviction that books are the most powerful tool in the human arsenal, that reading all kinds of books, in whatever format you choose - electronic (even though that wasn't for her) or printed, or audio - is the grandest entertainment, and also is how you take part in human conversation. Mom taught me that you can make a difference in the world and that books really do matter: they're how we know what we need to do in life, and how we tell others. Mom also showed me, over the course of two years and dozens of books and hundreds of hours in hospitals, that books can be how we get closer to each other, and stay close, even in the case of a mother and son who were very close to begin with, and even after one of them has died.”
"We all owe everyone for everything that happens in our lives. But it's not owing like a debt to one person--it's really that we owe everyone for everything. Our whole lives can change in an instant--so each person that keeps that from happening, no matter how small a role they play, is also responsible for all of it. Just by giving friendship and love, you keep the people around you from giving up--and each expression of friendship or love may be the one that makes all the difference.”
and this one especially:
“Mom taught me not to look away from the worst but to believe that we can all do better. She never wavered in her conviction that books are the most powerful tool in the human arsenal, that reading all kinds of books, in whatever format you choose - electronic (even though that wasn't for her) or printed, or audio - is the grandest entertainment, and also is how you take part in human conversation. Mom taught me that you can make a difference in the world and that books really do matter: they're how we know what we need to do in life, and how we tell others. Mom also showed me, over the course of two years and dozens of books and hundreds of hours in hospitals, that books can be how we get closer to each other, and stay close, even in the case of a mother and son who were very close to begin with, and even after one of them has died.”
2020 Pop sugar reading challenge-a book about a book club.
First of all, this book made me cry. I couldn't even read the epilogue I was so sad. IMO, probably not a great book for people with older, ailing parents. Or maybe it is. I don't know.
I think it was probably very cathartic for the author to write it which is good. But, I don't know that it was actually a good book. Like I said, it did make me sad, but you would have to try really hard to write a book about a dying parent and not have me cry. There are some subjects that are just always going to make me cry. but, it just seemed very repetitive and kind of all over the place.
First of all, this book made me cry. I couldn't even read the epilogue I was so sad. IMO, probably not a great book for people with older, ailing parents. Or maybe it is. I don't know.
I think it was probably very cathartic for the author to write it which is good. But, I don't know that it was actually a good book. Like I said, it did make me sad, but you would have to try really hard to write a book about a dying parent and not have me cry. There are some subjects that are just always going to make me cry. but, it just seemed very repetitive and kind of all over the place.
A book that celebrates books, relationships, and the extraordinary life of Mary Anne Schwalbe. It was difficult for me to get into; it starts almost as a list of books. But as the memoir progresses, it grows ever more personal and more successful at drawing the reader in to the beautiful relationship between Will and his mom, and between both of them and books. Recommended.
3 ½ stars
To be honest the first half of the book didn’t blow me away, it was nice, I liked all the book references and the people involved were likable enough but it was nothing special.
Towards the middle of the story mother and son were talking about bravery, and Mary Ann felt that facing her cancer is not considered being brave. She then went to mention numerous examples of bravery she witnessed during her myriad of travels to Afghanistan, Bosnia and other war torn countries. I strongly disagree with this viewpoint – watching anyone battling with cancer or walking alongside a parent/loved one who is going through a debilitating illness and NOT giving up shows you daily bravery in action. Bravery does not have to be big ostentatious gestures.
The more I read on the more I fell under the spell of the story – I think the reason why Mary Ann lasted so long after her initial diagnosis with pancreatic cancer is her close knit support system but more importantly having a goal/focus that’s bigger than just herself. This was a sad but at the same time very uplifting tribute to one woman’s fight with cancer and her (and her family's) acceptance of the inevitable.
Oh and learning about the fact that Ritalin can assist cancer patients regain some energy was very surprising & informative.
To be honest the first half of the book didn’t blow me away, it was nice, I liked all the book references and the people involved were likable enough but it was nothing special.
Towards the middle of the story mother and son were talking about bravery, and Mary Ann felt that facing her cancer is not considered being brave. She then went to mention numerous examples of bravery she witnessed during her myriad of travels to Afghanistan, Bosnia and other war torn countries. I strongly disagree with this viewpoint – watching anyone battling with cancer or walking alongside a parent/loved one who is going through a debilitating illness and NOT giving up shows you daily bravery in action. Bravery does not have to be big ostentatious gestures.
The more I read on the more I fell under the spell of the story – I think the reason why Mary Ann lasted so long after her initial diagnosis with pancreatic cancer is her close knit support system but more importantly having a goal/focus that’s bigger than just herself. This was a sad but at the same time very uplifting tribute to one woman’s fight with cancer and her (and her family's) acceptance of the inevitable.
Oh and learning about the fact that Ritalin can assist cancer patients regain some energy was very surprising & informative.
This is a book full of love, respect, commitment, wisdom, hope, courage, acceptance, and so much more I surely forgot to mention here. I adored Schwalbe's mother, this genuinely amazing woman, more and more while turning the pages. The discussions of dying and impermanence made me grateful for the life I have and eager to increase my volunteering efforts. At the same time, Schwalbe's passionate praise for other books steadily extended my TBR list to an unforeseen length. There is so much more to do and to read!
there were moments where i REALLY liked this book. it's always interesting to see how other people digest and talk about books. and the overall premise here is lovely - son and mom - reading the last books of her life. i appreciated Will and his mom's take on the books and it definitely gave me a short list of books to tackle. smart people's thoughts on smart books = good.
the book's faults? one is that it's a little "journalistic" - yes. it's a memoir. yes it's also personal - and sad, and heartfelt... but some of the information about medical procedures feels a bit unnecessary. i know this isn't a novel, but it would be nice to have the events move forward in a more non-linear blow by blow method. and perhaps Will really does want to keep the rose colored glasses on about his mom, but for all the praise he gives to "dark", "real", "difficult" books he seems to have sugar coated his mother. i have no doubt she was an incredible woman - it seems like it - but her only fault in his eyes is that she direct's everyone's lives/plans when she can... it just rings a bit hollow. [makes sense - he loves his mom - he's grieving - he wants to remember her in the best light, but also seems impossible].
mostly, though, a really entertaining read. and i cried. and i miss being in a book club.
the book's faults? one is that it's a little "journalistic" - yes. it's a memoir. yes it's also personal - and sad, and heartfelt... but some of the information about medical procedures feels a bit unnecessary. i know this isn't a novel, but it would be nice to have the events move forward in a more non-linear blow by blow method. and perhaps Will really does want to keep the rose colored glasses on about his mom, but for all the praise he gives to "dark", "real", "difficult" books he seems to have sugar coated his mother. i have no doubt she was an incredible woman - it seems like it - but her only fault in his eyes is that she direct's everyone's lives/plans when she can... it just rings a bit hollow. [makes sense - he loves his mom - he's grieving - he wants to remember her in the best light, but also seems impossible].
mostly, though, a really entertaining read. and i cried. and i miss being in a book club.