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A review by kimberussell
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
3.0
I enjoy books about people reading books, and that's exactly what this was. The author's mother -- a Radcliffe grad, an admissions officer for Radcliffe AND Harvard, and an activist on behalf of refugees -- was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that was destined to kill her. As book-loving son sits with his book-loving mother through chemo treatments and in doctor waiting rooms, they decide to create the only foodless book club. This chatty book is both Will's remembrance of those times, and a memoir of his mother.
Despite the inevitable sad ending, this book wasn't depressing. I liked their discussions about not only the books, but about Mary Anne's life and the choices she made throughout. I have a feeling that due to filial loyalty, Will smoothed over Mary Anne's character a bit. (That stuffed turtle story - things like that don't happen just once.) And I think that Mary Anne actually wrote more of the book than just the few stories she told him to add. But if actual Mary Anne was half as lovely as Will's portrayal, the world is a sadder place for losing her.
And I'm adding a few books to my "to-read" list to boot!
Despite the inevitable sad ending, this book wasn't depressing. I liked their discussions about not only the books, but about Mary Anne's life and the choices she made throughout. I have a feeling that due to filial loyalty, Will smoothed over Mary Anne's character a bit. (That stuffed turtle story - things like that don't happen just once.) And I think that Mary Anne actually wrote more of the book than just the few stories she told him to add. But if actual Mary Anne was half as lovely as Will's portrayal, the world is a sadder place for losing her.
And I'm adding a few books to my "to-read" list to boot!