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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
reflective
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Death of parent
This book could change your life. Will Schwalbe has written a gorgeous portrait of the relationship between a dying mother and her son and an intimate look at the evolution of that relationship through two years of medical treatments and books. At the very least, this book will appeal to anyone who loves reading and sharing books with others. I love that Schwalbe doesn't try to do too much with this memoir, but keeps the focus on the mother son pair while introducing the reader to his extraordinary mother, a woman who clearly still has much to teach us all about life, parenting, fulfillment, and hope. Through her son, Mary Anne Schwalbe reminds us all to try harder, to do more, to reach out. I went out last night after finishing it, and Mary Anne Schwalbe came with me, reminding me to ask people at the dinner about their stories and to be present and mindful of what they were saying. This is a book that will stay with you, long after you finish it.
I knew I would love this book when I got to this passage...
"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. Sure, sometimes they'll elude you by hiding in improbable places: in a box full of old picture frames, say, or in the laundry basket, wrapped in a sweatshirt. But at other times they'll confront you, and you'll literally stumble over some tomes you hadn't thought about in weeks or years. I often seek electronic books, but they never come after me. They may make me feel, but I can't feel them. They are all soul with no flesh, no texture, and no weight. They can get in your head but can't whack you upside it."
A couple things... i wasnt keen on the reader(it makes a huge difference in my enjoyment) and second the lady was a "privledged" person who journeyed to a better place. Dying is living. Somehow while she was dying her richness and trips to geneva and paris and london annoyed me. So many others in her circumstances would have been ravaged by so much more suffering. Such as Not having ability to pay $10000 for medication at a sitting.
So powerful for me. Inspirational, thought provoking, and beautiful. Read it!
this book is much different than I thought it'd be. It is definitely more about the Mothers life (which was very interesting) and the relationship between Mother/Son with tie-backs to books & book themes. I like how each chapter had a book and theme and made a few references but I didn't feel overwhelmed by the book references.
I love to get all meta, and this was an absolutely lovely and compelling tribute to books and reading and to Schwalbe's mother. Highly recommended.
The author's mother led an interesting life and the picture he painted of her personality was so vivid. Added bonus---Inspired me to add a few titles to my to read list.
Spoiler: Not what I was expecting. The book is mostly about the relationship between a son and his mother, who is dying of cancer. I was hoping for more of books I really should read before I kick the bucket. I did take note of a few such titles, I believe the only book that was familiar to me and that I had read was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
As someone who has experienced first-hand how challenging it can be to care for a dying parent, I must admit that this was a tough book to read. But, having read it, I feel I have completed some type of cathartic journey. Also, as a lover of books- I truly appreciated all their discussions about the stories they read and enjoyed together. Although I shed more than a few tears while reading it, I am a better person for it. I highly recommend it- it will make you want to do more, for more people.