A review by laurieperry417
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

5.0

The premise seems straightforward: an adult son is in the role of caregiver as his mother is in treatment for advanced stage cancer, and they discuss books (and therefore life) in the long periods of waiting at chemo appointments in the year+ leading up to her death. But this memoir has many layers to it, including the mother's illustrious career as a humanitarian and social change advocate, and the son's, um, maybe meandering and sheltered life in the upper class. The books they choose to read and their commentary on them are intellectual to the point of being a bit pretentious (because I can't fathom choosing those books or having those conversations with my family members!)... and yet, I was fascinated by their conversations and how they were central to the son's reckoning with his mother's failing health as well as with their entire relationship, and I thought his love and admiration for his mother shined through.