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jdgcreates's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5) This book pulled on my heartstrings given the premise and I found it touching and sad; there is also a bit of humor as well, but it really covers the grief involved in a terminal cancer diagnosis and in sharing your child with their estranged parent:
"we fell asleep pondering the condition of being mothers, which was, of course, the condition of helping the people you love most in the world leave you." (207)
Since it is written as a goodbye book from mother to son, it struck me as odd that she included so much of her work as a campaign manager in it (and that she chose to work at all at that point in her illness), but I guess it helped to flesh out the book more? And of course the character justifies it in the end:
"I suppose I could edit it now--I suppose there are things that I could say more carefully, that I could say better than I did." (340)
Overall I would recommend this one.
"we fell asleep pondering the condition of being mothers, which was, of course, the condition of helping the people you love most in the world leave you." (207)
Since it is written as a goodbye book from mother to son, it struck me as odd that she included so much of her work as a campaign manager in it (and that she chose to work at all at that point in her illness), but I guess it helped to flesh out the book more? And of course the character justifies it in the end:
"I suppose I could edit it now--I suppose there are things that I could say more carefully, that I could say better than I did." (340)
Overall I would recommend this one.
jack106's review against another edition
3.0
Received this copy from LibraryThing.
Karen Neulander is a busy political consultant and mom to 6 year old Jacob, while living with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer. With only a few years left to live, she starts journaling her life, her story to be left after she is gone and read by her son. Through her writing, we learn about her childhood, parents and sister. The story also focuses heavily on her relationship with Jake's father. Her son is insistent that he meet his dad and their new relationship unfolds through the book.
This story made me feel something- being of a similar age and having a young child- I felt her desperation to leave her legacy while leaving everything tidy behind her. I felt her emotional journey and thought the writing by Lauren Grodstein was done extremely well in this case.
The story was a bit predictable but otherwise would recommend as a bit of a tear jerker.
Karen Neulander is a busy political consultant and mom to 6 year old Jacob, while living with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer. With only a few years left to live, she starts journaling her life, her story to be left after she is gone and read by her son. Through her writing, we learn about her childhood, parents and sister. The story also focuses heavily on her relationship with Jake's father. Her son is insistent that he meet his dad and their new relationship unfolds through the book.
This story made me feel something- being of a similar age and having a young child- I felt her desperation to leave her legacy while leaving everything tidy behind her. I felt her emotional journey and thought the writing by Lauren Grodstein was done extremely well in this case.
The story was a bit predictable but otherwise would recommend as a bit of a tear jerker.
hookagoodbook's review
5.0
I received the ARC of this book through NetGalley for this honest review.
Karen Neulander becomes the sole provider for her son, Nathan, when she chooses to give birth to him even after the birth father informs her he doesn't want children. She is a very successful political consultant and is a partner in her own company and the two of them have a good life. When Karen finds out that she has stage IV ovarian cancer she decides to write a book for her son to read when he turns 18. Through her plight, she documents her thoughts, her dreams, her ups and downs as they occur with her treatment. During this time, her 6-year-old son asks to meet his father. Karen has been struggling with the treatments and their side effects, but her greatest challenge is giving up sole control of Nathan's future. She has carefully planned where he will live, go to school, etc. and the possible introduction of his father threatens to take away the one thing she feels she still controls.
The book is written as if it is the scattered ramblings of someone with attention issues, which is sometimes the case with treatment for cancer. The author goes from remembering, to what her young son is saying at the moment, to her physical issues, etc, with no forewarning to the reader. It is as if you are in her head, seeing the unedited version. The reader is with her on her journey. We share her sadness, her physical pain, her fears, and her hopes that she will be the lucky one and survive.
Very well written, fast paced and never boring.
Karen Neulander becomes the sole provider for her son, Nathan, when she chooses to give birth to him even after the birth father informs her he doesn't want children. She is a very successful political consultant and is a partner in her own company and the two of them have a good life. When Karen finds out that she has stage IV ovarian cancer she decides to write a book for her son to read when he turns 18. Through her plight, she documents her thoughts, her dreams, her ups and downs as they occur with her treatment. During this time, her 6-year-old son asks to meet his father. Karen has been struggling with the treatments and their side effects, but her greatest challenge is giving up sole control of Nathan's future. She has carefully planned where he will live, go to school, etc. and the possible introduction of his father threatens to take away the one thing she feels she still controls.
The book is written as if it is the scattered ramblings of someone with attention issues, which is sometimes the case with treatment for cancer. The author goes from remembering, to what her young son is saying at the moment, to her physical issues, etc, with no forewarning to the reader. It is as if you are in her head, seeing the unedited version. The reader is with her on her journey. We share her sadness, her physical pain, her fears, and her hopes that she will be the lucky one and survive.
Very well written, fast paced and never boring.
happiestwhenreading's review against another edition
3.0
I was immediately drawn to the synopsis of this book and to be fair, I read it right after finishing "The Bright Hour: A Memoir on Living and Dying" (which I LOVED), so I think it just didn't have a real chance of holding up under that kind of pressure. The story gave me empathy and understanding for a situation I find unfathomable; however, I wanted more about the relationships - not the main character's work life. This woman is dying - leaving a 6-year-old behind - and too much time was spent on her job. Yes, I think it's an important element of the story (she wanted to make sure her son knew who she was when she was gone), but it just dwelled too much on that aspect for me.
coppenlander's review against another edition
3.0
Best quote: "...we fell asleep pondering the condition of being mothers, which was, of course, the condition of helping the people you love the most in the world leave you." Beautiful.
tracimreed's review against another edition
3.0
Diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Karen reaches out to the father of her son, at his request, and against her will. Jake’s father made it clear that he didn’t want to have children so when Karen told him she was pregnant, he rejected her and she raised Jake alone. Now, Karen has to deal with her mortality and letting Jake’s father, who is now inexplicably overjoyed with being a father, into her son’s life. Written as a first person narrative from Karen to Jake, Our Short History explores looming death and what it means to really be a parent.
Ugh, I am so torn about this book. On one hand, it’s insightful and sensitive but on the other hand, I just wanted Karen to die already, which is horrible. I found her to be a terrible character and was so ANGRY with her for trying to keep Jake from his father. If I were dying, I would be surrounding my only child with EVERY PERSON ON THE PLANET who love me him even a fraction as much as I did and instead she wants to keep him isolated from his father because he broke her heart 7 years ago. 🙄🙄🙄
I literally liked every character more than Karen, even smarmy politician Ace.
Ugh, I am so torn about this book. On one hand, it’s insightful and sensitive but on the other hand, I just wanted Karen to die already, which is horrible. I found her to be a terrible character and was so ANGRY with her for trying to keep Jake from his father. If I were dying, I would be surrounding my only child with EVERY PERSON ON THE PLANET who love me him even a fraction as much as I did and instead she wants to keep him isolated from his father because he broke her heart 7 years ago. 🙄🙄🙄
I literally liked every character more than Karen, even smarmy politician Ace.
tonstantweader's review against another edition
3.0
Our Short History is one of those books that will break your heart six ways to Sunday. Karen is a single mother who adores her six-year-old son Jake, though he’s expecting a lot from her when he asks to meet his father–the man who dumped her when she told him she was pregnant. Yes, she’s bitter and she has so many reasons to be. But, Jake has a reason for wanting to get to know his father. You see, his mother is dying and although she’s already arranged a safe and secure future for him with her sister, he still wants to know his dad.
We know how much this hurts Karen because she tells us. She tells us everything. That’s the conceit of Our Short History. It is the book Karen writes for Jake to read when he’s old enough to understand, set aside for when he grows up, so he can learn more about his mother.
There is a secondary storyline, Karen is a political consultant and her last client is admirable in many ways, but unfaithful on occasion, seeking excitement with young women. His opponent is a woman with an appealing bootstrap immigrant story. Karen struggles with liking the opponent more than her client.
I cried throughout this book from beginning to end. I guess I am not in a place to be reading about someone dying of cancer so soon after my sister’s death. It’s funny, though, because many of my conversations with my sister while she was dying were focused on how her children and grandchildren would do after her death. She worried about them even though they are adults. She spent a lot of time preparing, wanting to get everything right. How much more, then, would a mother concern herself over taking care of her six-year-old son.
I liked that Karen was not too perfect, that she lost her cool, that she could be petty. There was a lot that was very realistic and natural, though sometimes it felt too natural. She would write advice, random and scattered notions that come to mind just the way they would in reality, but I am someone who prefers Klee and Kandinsky to Rembrandt and Courbet. I would like more art, less naturalism, in particular with the advice.
So this is a decent story and no one can expect to read a story about someone dying of cancer without some tears. However, this book is one that deliberately tries to wring out every possible tear it can. There’s a funeral eulogy for another character that is unusual, perhaps unusually honest, but really, it’s an exercise is pulling your heart strings. So often I felt pushed and shoved into grieving, it made me resentful. All that crying gave me a headache.
Perhaps it is just too soon after losing my sister to be reading such a mournful book, perhaps I cannot be fair. All I know is that while Our Short History was effective in plucking my emotions, playing them for all their worth, the book would have been better if she had focused more on making us think and less on making us cry.
Our Short History will be released March 21st. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.
★★★
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2017/02/25/9781616206222/
We know how much this hurts Karen because she tells us. She tells us everything. That’s the conceit of Our Short History. It is the book Karen writes for Jake to read when he’s old enough to understand, set aside for when he grows up, so he can learn more about his mother.
There is a secondary storyline, Karen is a political consultant and her last client is admirable in many ways, but unfaithful on occasion, seeking excitement with young women. His opponent is a woman with an appealing bootstrap immigrant story. Karen struggles with liking the opponent more than her client.
I cried throughout this book from beginning to end. I guess I am not in a place to be reading about someone dying of cancer so soon after my sister’s death. It’s funny, though, because many of my conversations with my sister while she was dying were focused on how her children and grandchildren would do after her death. She worried about them even though they are adults. She spent a lot of time preparing, wanting to get everything right. How much more, then, would a mother concern herself over taking care of her six-year-old son.
I liked that Karen was not too perfect, that she lost her cool, that she could be petty. There was a lot that was very realistic and natural, though sometimes it felt too natural. She would write advice, random and scattered notions that come to mind just the way they would in reality, but I am someone who prefers Klee and Kandinsky to Rembrandt and Courbet. I would like more art, less naturalism, in particular with the advice.
So this is a decent story and no one can expect to read a story about someone dying of cancer without some tears. However, this book is one that deliberately tries to wring out every possible tear it can. There’s a funeral eulogy for another character that is unusual, perhaps unusually honest, but really, it’s an exercise is pulling your heart strings. So often I felt pushed and shoved into grieving, it made me resentful. All that crying gave me a headache.
Perhaps it is just too soon after losing my sister to be reading such a mournful book, perhaps I cannot be fair. All I know is that while Our Short History was effective in plucking my emotions, playing them for all their worth, the book would have been better if she had focused more on making us think and less on making us cry.
Our Short History will be released March 21st. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.
★★★
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2017/02/25/9781616206222/
avalinahsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
★★★★✮ 4.5 stars
Question. Can books about single-motherhood, cancer and even mortality be funny? Enjoyable?
Answer. Dang, YES.
So with that said, you might have a better idea already about how I felt about this book.
This review is featured on my blog, check it out for more reviews.
Let’s start with what it’s about. Our Short History is about Karen, a single mother, who is (unfortunately) dying of cancer, but despite that, trying to build the best possible future for her kid, Jakey, as well as trying not to lose hope during this last span of time she still has with him. But, although she seems to be handling everything quite well, even the terrible physical ordeal she has to endure constantly, there’s just this one thing that won’t leave her alone. It’s the fact that Jake wants to know his father. Because Jake’s father was a stupid ass, pardon me, who said he didn’t want the baby and then never contacted Karen again. And Jake thinks he loves him. You can’t blame the boy – he’s only 6. Every little boy wants a father.
So Karen is faced with the decision to either let it happen, or not. The whole book is about this decision, although it’s also about Karen’s battle with her health problems, her own ego, as well as her job and how important working can be to a sick individual. It’s about all those things, but still, mostly – it’s about giving her son up. Knowing she will leave him. Knowing his growing up will be out of her control. And also letting go and forgiving that damn ass for being an ass in the first place (sorry again, I might be biased here). And no – this is no romantic story. There will be no happy reunion or sappy love stuff (thank goodness). This is about human relationships, parents and children, about realizing what’s best for your child.
And – despite the sad topic – this is not a sad book. It’s not a depressing one either. You will find everything in this book – from joy to laughter, to plain humor, as well as heartbreak, pain and anger. It’s so all over the scale, it ends up making you feel like you’re seeing it live, or at least a movie. Such a lifelike book! Which is possibly why I enjoyed it so much.
Reasons why I recommend this book:
✮ The reality of suffering cancer in a non-scary, approachable, humane way;
✮ Issue of broken families, written about without taking sides – very objectively;
✮ Showing how people with terminal illness can be and are still a valid, working part of society;
✮ It’s quite emotional, but not in a sappy way at all;
✮ I absolutely loved the narrator! (Karen herself). She’s an extremely reliable narrator, honest, never hides anything from the reader;
✮ Point one was about the reality of a cancer sufferer, but I can not stress this enough how we should read more books about people like this and learn more about their lives.
So that’s my opinion. I truly do recommend it. It’s really worth your time – I know it was worth mine. And for a GIF sum-up:
Question. Can books about single-motherhood, cancer and even mortality be funny? Enjoyable?
Answer. Dang, YES.
So with that said, you might have a better idea already about how I felt about this book.
This review is featured on my blog, check it out for more reviews.
Let’s start with what it’s about. Our Short History is about Karen, a single mother, who is (unfortunately) dying of cancer, but despite that, trying to build the best possible future for her kid, Jakey, as well as trying not to lose hope during this last span of time she still has with him. But, although she seems to be handling everything quite well, even the terrible physical ordeal she has to endure constantly, there’s just this one thing that won’t leave her alone. It’s the fact that Jake wants to know his father. Because Jake’s father was a stupid ass, pardon me, who said he didn’t want the baby and then never contacted Karen again. And Jake thinks he loves him. You can’t blame the boy – he’s only 6. Every little boy wants a father.
So Karen is faced with the decision to either let it happen, or not. The whole book is about this decision, although it’s also about Karen’s battle with her health problems, her own ego, as well as her job and how important working can be to a sick individual. It’s about all those things, but still, mostly – it’s about giving her son up. Knowing she will leave him. Knowing his growing up will be out of her control. And also letting go and forgiving that damn ass for being an ass in the first place (sorry again, I might be biased here). And no – this is no romantic story. There will be no happy reunion or sappy love stuff (thank goodness). This is about human relationships, parents and children, about realizing what’s best for your child.
And – despite the sad topic – this is not a sad book. It’s not a depressing one either. You will find everything in this book – from joy to laughter, to plain humor, as well as heartbreak, pain and anger. It’s so all over the scale, it ends up making you feel like you’re seeing it live, or at least a movie. Such a lifelike book! Which is possibly why I enjoyed it so much.
Reasons why I recommend this book:
✮ The reality of suffering cancer in a non-scary, approachable, humane way;
✮ Issue of broken families, written about without taking sides – very objectively;
✮ Showing how people with terminal illness can be and are still a valid, working part of society;
✮ It’s quite emotional, but not in a sappy way at all;
✮ I absolutely loved the narrator! (Karen herself). She’s an extremely reliable narrator, honest, never hides anything from the reader;
✮ Point one was about the reality of a cancer sufferer, but I can not stress this enough how we should read more books about people like this and learn more about their lives.
So that’s my opinion. I truly do recommend it. It’s really worth your time – I know it was worth mine. And for a GIF sum-up: