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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Really rate it about a 3.5. This book is written by a New York City-based book publishing insider, which gives it a bit of a too-precious, perhaps self-indulgent quality. All the same, the writing is engaging, as is the story. We all know where it is going, but it is oddly pleasant getting there. Schwalbe's mother is inspiring, and it is fun to participate in their love of and discussions of books. Touches on dealing with difficulties - not just dying of pancreatic cancer but also of traveling to refugee camps, and various human-rights issues. I enjoyed getting to know this family and picked up a few ideas of books I'd like to read as a result of reading the book.
(audiobook) I liked the premise more than the book. I was more interested in the books they read than the rest of the story.
This is a wonderful book about a wonderful person. Mary Ann is dying of cancer, and this is recount of the time spent between her son, Will and herself, talking about the books they love. There is so much to love about this book, particularly the sharing of books.
very powerful...and gave me MANY books to add to my to-read list
Really probably somewhere between a 4 and a 5.
This book reminded me so much of my great-grandma, grandma, mother, aunts and others. But at the same time, it was its own thing- a beautiful tribute to a remarkable woman.
I listened to the audio book, and I think that detracted from the true voice of Mary Schwalbe. Anything she said was read a bit... flatly? Like a two dimensional character with the same tones and audio phrasing for every word said, instead of like a dynamic person.
If I was of Will's generation, I may have bumped it up to a five for that reason as well. As it stands, this seemed to be more like a book written from my grandmothers point of view. That meant there were just a few generational culture things I couldn't connect with as closely as if I had lived through the same years myself. These moments were few and far between, but they did exsist.
I'd recommend this book to anyone intrigued by it. If you read it let me know- we can have our own informal book club meeting about it.
This book reminded me so much of my great-grandma, grandma, mother, aunts and others. But at the same time, it was its own thing- a beautiful tribute to a remarkable woman.
I listened to the audio book, and I think that detracted from the true voice of Mary Schwalbe. Anything she said was read a bit... flatly? Like a two dimensional character with the same tones and audio phrasing for every word said, instead of like a dynamic person.
If I was of Will's generation, I may have bumped it up to a five for that reason as well. As it stands, this seemed to be more like a book written from my grandmothers point of view. That meant there were just a few generational culture things I couldn't connect with as closely as if I had lived through the same years myself. These moments were few and far between, but they did exsist.
I'd recommend this book to anyone intrigued by it. If you read it let me know- we can have our own informal book club meeting about it.
A friend recommended this memoir and I loved it. Will Schwalbe was a harried publisher when his seventy-something mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Mary Anne Schwalbe was an original super-woman. During her life, she was a college counselor, head of a high school, director of admissions at Harvard, founding director of the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, world traveler especially on behalf of refugees, wife, mother of three and avid reader. At the time of her diagnosis, she was heavily involved in a project to build libraries in Afghanistan. Will and his father and siblings took turns attending doctor's appointments and chemotherapy sessions with Mary Anne. During those sessions, Will and his Mom began discussing the books they were reading. From there grew a two-person book club lasting until the end of Mary Anne's life. The memoir is told through the lens of the books they read and discussed together. Mary Anne and two of her children have a strong religious faith. Will and his Dad do not. Their love for each other, in spite of that difference, was also inspiring. This is a story of grace, courage, dignity and the love of books. As a bonus, there is an appendix listing all of the books mentioned in the memoir.
Although I didn’t give this one five stars because at times it was a little dragging, this one ALMOST made me cry. Almost. Not quite, but it was a close one. The story of a man (and former publishing editor) who bonds with his dying mother over books is something that brought back memories of my grandfather who himself died of cancer last year – although we bonded over a shared love of The Price is Right instead of books. If you liked THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING (mentioned often in THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB, actually), this is a book you’ll need to read ASAP.
reflective
slow-paced