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A review by kelly_e
A Heart That Works by Rob Delaney
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Title: A Heart That Works
Author: Rob Delaney
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: October 20, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Emotional • Unflinching • Powerful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When you're a parent and your child gets hurt or sick, you not only try to help them get better but you also labour under the general belief that you can help them get better. That's not always the case though. Sometimes the nurses and the doctors can't fix what's wrong. Sometimes children die.
Rob Delaney's beautiful, bright, gloriously alive son Henry died. He was one when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. An experience beyond comprehension, but an experience Rob must share. Why does he feel compelled to talk about it, to write about it, to make people feel something like what he feels when he knows it will hurt them? Because, despite Henry's death, Rob still loves people. For that reason, he wants them to understand.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I had never heard of A Heart That Works, a memoir written by comedian Rob Delaney, until a trusted book friend posted about it on her social media feed. When I found out it dealt with themes of grief and death I knew I wanted to read it.
Delaney's personal story of tragedy avoids platitudes, focusing rather on exploring the realities of illness, the grip grief takes, and the everlasting love. Told in a raw and honest voice, it's full of dark humour and emotion, something that makes it highly relatable. Despite Rob and I having bared very different tragedies, I related to his words in so many different ways - ways only grievers can truly understand.
Rob reads this audiobook himself and his narration is incredibly well done. The tone is tender and reflective, and I got the sense this was a therapeutic endeavor for him as well. If it is possible I'd highly recommend going the audio route as listening to him tell his story added an extra layer of emotion.
A Heart That Works is a heartbreakingly beautiful exploration of illness and death, as well as grief and all that it entails. It is a quick, yet deeply profound listen packed with raw thoughts and emotion. Definitely don't forget to bring the Kleenex if you decide to pick this one up and please do take care to be in the right headspace for such an emotional memoir.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• memoirs
• reflecting on life, death, and/or grief
• books that require Kleenex
⚠️ CW: death, child death, grief, cancer, terminal illness, medical content, medical trauma, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, suicide, vomit, pregnancy, alcoholism, addiction, car accident, cursing
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"There is no physical paradise where he’s waiting for me, and for that I’m glad. I have to imagine that would get boring after a couple of centuries, for him, for me. For you. Rather, I suspect I am a glass of water, and when I die, the contents of my glass will be poured into the same vast ocean that Henry’s glass was poured into, and we will mingle together forever. We won’t know who’s who. And you’ll get poured in there one day, too."
"I must confess I now find it difficult to truly and fully relax around people who haven’t had some significant tragedy and pain in their lives. Just another one of the many things that make me a fun hang."
Author: Rob Delaney
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: October 20, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Emotional • Unflinching • Powerful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When you're a parent and your child gets hurt or sick, you not only try to help them get better but you also labour under the general belief that you can help them get better. That's not always the case though. Sometimes the nurses and the doctors can't fix what's wrong. Sometimes children die.
Rob Delaney's beautiful, bright, gloriously alive son Henry died. He was one when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. An experience beyond comprehension, but an experience Rob must share. Why does he feel compelled to talk about it, to write about it, to make people feel something like what he feels when he knows it will hurt them? Because, despite Henry's death, Rob still loves people. For that reason, he wants them to understand.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I had never heard of A Heart That Works, a memoir written by comedian Rob Delaney, until a trusted book friend posted about it on her social media feed. When I found out it dealt with themes of grief and death I knew I wanted to read it.
Delaney's personal story of tragedy avoids platitudes, focusing rather on exploring the realities of illness, the grip grief takes, and the everlasting love. Told in a raw and honest voice, it's full of dark humour and emotion, something that makes it highly relatable. Despite Rob and I having bared very different tragedies, I related to his words in so many different ways - ways only grievers can truly understand.
Rob reads this audiobook himself and his narration is incredibly well done. The tone is tender and reflective, and I got the sense this was a therapeutic endeavor for him as well. If it is possible I'd highly recommend going the audio route as listening to him tell his story added an extra layer of emotion.
A Heart That Works is a heartbreakingly beautiful exploration of illness and death, as well as grief and all that it entails. It is a quick, yet deeply profound listen packed with raw thoughts and emotion. Definitely don't forget to bring the Kleenex if you decide to pick this one up and please do take care to be in the right headspace for such an emotional memoir.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• memoirs
• reflecting on life, death, and/or grief
• books that require Kleenex
⚠️ CW: death, child death, grief, cancer, terminal illness, medical content, medical trauma, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, suicide, vomit, pregnancy, alcoholism, addiction, car accident, cursing
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"There is no physical paradise where he’s waiting for me, and for that I’m glad. I have to imagine that would get boring after a couple of centuries, for him, for me. For you. Rather, I suspect I am a glass of water, and when I die, the contents of my glass will be poured into the same vast ocean that Henry’s glass was poured into, and we will mingle together forever. We won’t know who’s who. And you’ll get poured in there one day, too."
"I must confess I now find it difficult to truly and fully relax around people who haven’t had some significant tragedy and pain in their lives. Just another one of the many things that make me a fun hang."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Vomit
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Car accident, and Pregnancy