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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
I loved this book! I love to read and the story of the family relations & the love of reading was amazing! What a gift this mom & son had as they made their way through cancer and death!
Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-end-of-your-life-book-club.html
The End of Your Life Book Club is a story of two years - from the time Will Schwalbe's mother Mary Ann is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer to her death. It is a journey towards an end that the family knows is coming. It is also a celebration of their life. Finally, under the umbrella of their book club of two people, the book seeks to become a discussion of so many emotions, topics and lessons learned. Perhaps, it becomes a means to coping with the loss.
The idea of finding things we need to talk about and doing it in the context of a book, of course, appeals to me. I loved all the books references - becoming part of the conversation for those I have read and making a mental list of the ones I have not read. At the end of this book, the author does provide a list of all the referenced books. The books they read are not discussed in detail unfortunately, but merely become the vehicle to present the rest of the story.
As far as the family story, I found myself relating to parts and not to others. I could not relate to their lifestyle of big projects and world travel. I did completely relate to the their love of books, their love for each other, and the emotions of loss.
At one point in the book the author thinks, "I often forget that other people's stories aren't simply introductions to my own more engaging, more dramatic, more relevant, and better-told tales, but rather ends in themselves, tales I can learn from or repeat or dissect or savor." I am glad he had the chance to "repeat, dissect, and savor" stories with his mother, and I am glad he chose to share his story with us.
The End of Your Life Book Club is a story of two years - from the time Will Schwalbe's mother Mary Ann is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer to her death. It is a journey towards an end that the family knows is coming. It is also a celebration of their life. Finally, under the umbrella of their book club of two people, the book seeks to become a discussion of so many emotions, topics and lessons learned. Perhaps, it becomes a means to coping with the loss.
The idea of finding things we need to talk about and doing it in the context of a book, of course, appeals to me. I loved all the books references - becoming part of the conversation for those I have read and making a mental list of the ones I have not read. At the end of this book, the author does provide a list of all the referenced books. The books they read are not discussed in detail unfortunately, but merely become the vehicle to present the rest of the story.
As far as the family story, I found myself relating to parts and not to others. I could not relate to their lifestyle of big projects and world travel. I did completely relate to the their love of books, their love for each other, and the emotions of loss.
At one point in the book the author thinks, "I often forget that other people's stories aren't simply introductions to my own more engaging, more dramatic, more relevant, and better-told tales, but rather ends in themselves, tales I can learn from or repeat or dissect or savor." I am glad he had the chance to "repeat, dissect, and savor" stories with his mother, and I am glad he chose to share his story with us.
Reading this book, I was delighted to meet someone who loves books as much as I do. Sadly (and this is no spoiler, just read the title), that person does not make it to the end of this book. However, I was incredibly struck by the bravery and the character of the mother in the book. She was incredible, and I enjoyed hearing about her from the son's perspective. In addition, since talking about books with my mother is something I love to do as well, this book was very comfortable and familiar to me. It was well-written, and not nearly as depressing as you think a book about a dying mother might be. Definitely recommend to those who like to read and those who enjoy a good story.
This book made me want to be a better person. It is STUNNING and I enjoyed it so much
Excellent audiobook experience. A family story, a cancer story, and a book story. Very touching.
While an interesting chronicling of the end of a person's life through the books they read, I couldn't must up much sympathy or empathy for the mother who was dying. Descriptions of her made her out to be one of my least favorite kinds of people. Because of this, I wasn't too interested in what books they were reading (also because I had never heard of 98% of the books). Glad I read it, but not the book for me.
Make sure you have tissues for the end! THis book did help me to add more books to my Want To Read list.
I don’t know what to say but well done. It moved slow in points. And I might have like to have known Will just a little more. But really a wonderful memoir and I got many ideas of books I’d like to read myself. Thank you for sharing a very personal story. Mom is right. Books are the window to everything.
This beautiful tribute to a mother's love for not only her family, but for her community as well, takes the reader on a journey. While on the road, you'll find a mother's devotion to her son no matter his own life's path, a woman's undying faith for her God, and her devotion to her career and passion for helping those who cannot help themselves. As you travel, you'll hear from one of the most readerly people (and an editor, to boot) about some of the best books as if he is in the room with you booktalking them personally. In the end, The End of Your Life Book Club is about life, how to live it--well, and how to depart this earth leaving it a little better than when you found it. Gorgeously written, I only pray that my boys regard me in the same fashion as Will Schwalbe does his own mother. HIGHLY recommended.
With tears streaming down my cheeks, I closed the book and exclaimed, "That was such a sad book." Immediately, I found myself surrounded by my three boys, each one wanting to know more about it. My eight year old began rifling through the pages, my middle son ribbing me for being such a crybaby, and my oldest son coming quickly to my defense telling him to "lay off." He gets it, you see. He and I share our own book club of sorts-trading titles back and forth, him telling me about the latest "hilarious but slightly inappropriate" book (his current one being ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL), or him asking me, "Whatcha readin'?" My next book to be read, after much urging from my oldest son? The Walking Dead...Lord help me.
With tears streaming down my cheeks, I closed the book and exclaimed, "That was such a sad book." Immediately, I found myself surrounded by my three boys, each one wanting to know more about it. My eight year old began rifling through the pages, my middle son ribbing me for being such a crybaby, and my oldest son coming quickly to my defense telling him to "lay off." He gets it, you see. He and I share our own book club of sorts-trading titles back and forth, him telling me about the latest "hilarious but slightly inappropriate" book (his current one being ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL), or him asking me, "Whatcha readin'?" My next book to be read, after much urging from my oldest son? The Walking Dead...Lord help me.
Wow. Lots of stuff to process here. Amazing story, incredibly well written. I felt especially connected to it as my uncle is struggling with terminal cancer right now. Definitely recommend this book!!