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A review by silvern
Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story by Bess Kalb
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
4.0
“not an objective account of my grandmother’s story, but rather a representation of a life, an echo, an impression, shaped and blurred through two generations and many retellings.”
I think my impression that this book was a memoir was misleading. When I started reading this and discovered that the whole book was written from the perspective of Bobby, the grandmother, I was thrown off-kilter. I wasn’t expecting it, so initially it was really weird, and a little confusing. I will say though: Bobby is a Character. Her voice comes through strongly, her personhood well established. She certainly feels very real. Her unsolicited advice occasionally, familiarly, walks the fine line between offensive and from a place of love. She reminds me, sometimes, of my grandma. I particularly enjoyed the way pictures, phone calls, voicemails, etc. were employed to tell this story - it felt seamless. All in all, this was an easy read, and an interesting one.
I think my impression that this book was a memoir was misleading. When I started reading this and discovered that the whole book was written from the perspective of Bobby, the grandmother, I was thrown off-kilter. I wasn’t expecting it, so initially it was really weird, and a little confusing. I will say though: Bobby is a Character. Her voice comes through strongly, her personhood well established. She certainly feels very real. Her unsolicited advice occasionally, familiarly, walks the fine line between offensive and from a place of love. She reminds me, sometimes, of my grandma. I particularly enjoyed the way pictures, phone calls, voicemails, etc. were employed to tell this story - it felt seamless. All in all, this was an easy read, and an interesting one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death