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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Sorry, but I felt compelled to update my scathing review. Being bored with nothing else to read, I continued on although I thought for sure I would not finish before the loan expired. I became mesmerized by the mom's spirit and attitude and somewhere more than 1/2 way thru, it got interesting. I have to say I did end up enjoying it,but it dragged for the first half. She was an amazing woman.
Maybe I am not enough of a bibliophile to appreciate this book. I am finding it depressing. His mom is a dynamic person who always thinks of herself before others and doesn't complain even in the throes of her chemo. But the story line is just not compelling. It's no page turner.
This story chronicles him mom's many chemo treatments and tests, along with the books they read and discussed along the way. You end up getting mini-synopses of the books they read. (yawn)
Maybe someone with a well-connected socialite mom who underwent chemo will appreciate this book more than I did.
Maybe I am not enough of a bibliophile to appreciate this book. I am finding it depressing. His mom is a dynamic person who always thinks of herself before others and doesn't complain even in the throes of her chemo. But the story line is just not compelling. It's no page turner.
This story chronicles him mom's many chemo treatments and tests, along with the books they read and discussed along the way. You end up getting mini-synopses of the books they read. (yawn)
Maybe someone with a well-connected socialite mom who underwent chemo will appreciate this book more than I did.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Death in the upper middle class family is a vastly different event than in less affluent families. Good but uneven writing.
I feel mean criticizing this book. Will Schwalbe's very personal, moving memoir of the book club he shared with his mother as she lived out the last of her life battling pancreatic cancer is a self-indulgent, sentimental account in which he glorifies his mother and her life. In other words, it's exactly the book I would want to write about my own mother. The theme of the book is the importance of books and reading in the human experience, with much of his mother's sage wisdom wound throughout. Mary Ann Schwalbe was, obviously, a dynamic woman and I felt that I became very close to her as I listened to her voice through the pages. One thing she probably would have pointed out herself if she was a stranger to the story is the obvious disparity between how she experienced the time at the end of her life and how others would experience similar events. Her journey, as depicted in the book, was free of monetary concerns, marital and family strife and so many other challenges that others without the obvious advantages that Schwalbe enjoyed would have. This didn't detract from the story, but did give it a somewhat sanitized feeling, and unfortunately, it sort of bordered on preachy.
I've added many of the books discussed in this book to my reading list though, and I look forward to comparing my notes with the Schwalbes.
I've added many of the books discussed in this book to my reading list though, and I look forward to comparing my notes with the Schwalbes.
As the author says through the words of another book... How can you not love a book that is so in love with books. A wonderful story. Really enjoyed it. It gives you so many great books to check out following reading it. But it also masterfully weaves the themes and quotes from all these great works into the story of a mother who is dying and the son who joins her on a listening journey to the final chapter of her life.
It's about books and people who love books and cancer and death and life. It's about never having enough time to do it all, read it all, see it all, so make the most of what you have. It's about asking the questions and taking the time to get to know someone, even if you're tired or scared or busy. It's a love letter to a mother.
I don't know if I am a better person for reading this, but I found this to be hugely satisfying. I got some great titles of books I'm anxious to read and I had a pleasant trip down memory lane for ones that I already had and enjoyed. I was reminded again how huge a loss it is to lose your mother. How hugely horrible cancer is, and utterly amazing the human spirit can be.
I am grateful that this book was chosen for my book club. I don't think would have read it since I tend to not enjoy memoirs. And that would have been my loss.
I don't know if I am a better person for reading this, but I found this to be hugely satisfying. I got some great titles of books I'm anxious to read and I had a pleasant trip down memory lane for ones that I already had and enjoyed. I was reminded again how huge a loss it is to lose your mother. How hugely horrible cancer is, and utterly amazing the human spirit can be.
I am grateful that this book was chosen for my book club. I don't think would have read it since I tend to not enjoy memoirs. And that would have been my loss.
I really enjoyed this book, am very glad I read it, and would unreservedly recommend it. I rated it 4 stars, but it's really more like 4.9999, or 5.999 with an asterisk. And the asterisk (which makes me feel like an ass) is because the only thing I found wanting in this book was that there wasn't any hint of criticism, any tiny indication that author Will Schwalbe's dying mother isn't a perfect human being. What kind of jerkface reader would be bothered by that?! Me, apparently. Also I wondered about Schwalbe's partner, David, who is not described in any detail. I wanted to know more about him even thought I admire Schwalbe's respect for his privacy.
All in all, this book is a wonderful love letter to reading, to kind and unselfish people, and to familial love. It's beautiful, funny and compelling. Schwalbe generously and charmingly acknowledges his own shortcomings, and has a pleasing way with words and ideas. About 3/4 of the way through, I found myself wishing, "Please don't let there be an epilogue," because I didn't want the book to end. I didn't want Mary Anne to die.
There are many excellent quotes and works referenced. Here's one I particularly liked, a quote from Mary Oliver's poem, "Where does the temple begin, where does it end?":
"Like goldfinches, little dolls of gold/fluttering around the corner of the sky/ of God, the blue air."
All in all, this book is a wonderful love letter to reading, to kind and unselfish people, and to familial love. It's beautiful, funny and compelling. Schwalbe generously and charmingly acknowledges his own shortcomings, and has a pleasing way with words and ideas. About 3/4 of the way through, I found myself wishing, "Please don't let there be an epilogue," because I didn't want the book to end. I didn't want Mary Anne to die.
There are many excellent quotes and works referenced. Here's one I particularly liked, a quote from Mary Oliver's poem, "Where does the temple begin, where does it end?":
"Like goldfinches, little dolls of gold/fluttering around the corner of the sky/ of God, the blue air."
Mary Anne Schwalbe was an amazing woman and I'm so glad her son decided to share their story. I took many notes on my phone while reading this one...which is new for me...but there was so much I wanted to remember (I read a library copy so no writing in this book!) and now SO much that I want to read.
They discussed such a wide variety of books -- from literary to genre to nonfiction to poetry to short stories -- and had incredible conversations, many not about the books. Typical book club, right?
Early in the book, Will writes "One of the many things I love about bound books is their sheer physicality. Electronic books live out of sight and out of mind. But printed books have body, presence." And how correct he is! I have at least a dozen books on either my iPad or my Nook that I've never read -- I forget they're even on there or it isn't charged when I want to use the device!
Mary Anne's thoughts on "working mothers" and parents: "I think parents should do their best not to be unhappy. That's the worst thing for children--to have unhappy parents. If you want to work outside the home, you should. If you can afford not to and you don't want to, then you shouldn't."
There are more things I'd like to share. Their discussion about being nice and being kind. Mary Anne's thoughts on healthcare and voting. It's just a wonderful read.
Books I'd like to read and reread even more after finishing this one:
[b:People of the Book|1379961|People of the Book|Geraldine Brooks|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1348809332s/1379961.jpg|3020568]
[b:The Tender Bar|144977|The Tender Bar|J.R. Moehringer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1348917147s/144977.jpg|1100660]
[b:Carry on, Jeeves|16387|Carry on, Jeeves (Jeeves, #3)|P.G. Wodehouse|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1348077381s/16387.jpg|883903]
[b:Marjorie Morningstar|14504|Marjorie Morningstar|Herman Wouk|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1344264569s/14504.jpg|109591]
[b:Crossing to Safety|9820|Crossing to Safety|Wallace Stegner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333577850s/9820.jpg|1488871]
[b:A Prayer for Owen Meany|4473|A Prayer for Owen Meany|John Irving|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1260470010s/4473.jpg|1734019]
[b:The Hobbit|5907|The Hobbit|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328953407s/5907.jpg|1540236]
[b:The Kite Runner|77203|The Kite Runner|Khaled Hosseini|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309288316s/77203.jpg|3295919]
and many more...
They discussed such a wide variety of books -- from literary to genre to nonfiction to poetry to short stories -- and had incredible conversations, many not about the books. Typical book club, right?
Early in the book, Will writes "One of the many things I love about bound books is their sheer physicality. Electronic books live out of sight and out of mind. But printed books have body, presence." And how correct he is! I have at least a dozen books on either my iPad or my Nook that I've never read -- I forget they're even on there or it isn't charged when I want to use the device!
Mary Anne's thoughts on "working mothers" and parents: "I think parents should do their best not to be unhappy. That's the worst thing for children--to have unhappy parents. If you want to work outside the home, you should. If you can afford not to and you don't want to, then you shouldn't."
There are more things I'd like to share. Their discussion about being nice and being kind. Mary Anne's thoughts on healthcare and voting. It's just a wonderful read.
Books I'd like to read and reread even more after finishing this one:
[b:People of the Book|1379961|People of the Book|Geraldine Brooks|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1348809332s/1379961.jpg|3020568]
[b:The Tender Bar|144977|The Tender Bar|J.R. Moehringer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1348917147s/144977.jpg|1100660]
[b:Carry on, Jeeves|16387|Carry on, Jeeves (Jeeves, #3)|P.G. Wodehouse|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1348077381s/16387.jpg|883903]
[b:Marjorie Morningstar|14504|Marjorie Morningstar|Herman Wouk|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1344264569s/14504.jpg|109591]
[b:Crossing to Safety|9820|Crossing to Safety|Wallace Stegner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333577850s/9820.jpg|1488871]
[b:A Prayer for Owen Meany|4473|A Prayer for Owen Meany|John Irving|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1260470010s/4473.jpg|1734019]
[b:The Hobbit|5907|The Hobbit|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328953407s/5907.jpg|1540236]
[b:The Kite Runner|77203|The Kite Runner|Khaled Hosseini|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309288316s/77203.jpg|3295919]
and many more...
I'm very meh about this book. Given the content, I expected this to hit close to home and make me really emotionally invested but I couldn't connect with it at all. I found Will especially annoying.
Uh, yeah. Well written. A book list that compelled me to read/re-read them. And a whole hell of a lot of familiarity with the situation. Cried myself to sleep for a few nights, but worth it.