My recent books have been mainly crime fiction but there are a couple of exceptions.
This particular book was non-fiction and the title was a little off putting but the actual read was well worthwhile.
The End of your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
“A lifelong love of books plays out as a son accompanies his extraordinary mother during her two-year treatment for cancer. A very special book club with just two members: a mother and a son.
Mary Anne Schwalbe was an educator who worked at Harvard University before devoting herself to the cause of refugees, as founding director of an organisation that brought her to the world’s most desperate places. But her story here begins at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where, accompanied by her publisher son, she is waiting for chemotherapy treatments to begin. As they’ve always done, they talk about what they’re reading, and the conversation grows into tradition: soon they are reading the same books in order to talk about them as Mary Anne is given her treatments.
The books they read range from classic to popular, from fantastic to spiritual, and we hear their passion for reading and their love for each other in their dynamic and searching discussions around each one. They also explore how books tell you not only what you need to do in your own life but also in the world.
An inspiring and profoundly moving book: Will’s love letter to his mother, and theirs to the printed page.”
Some may be put off by the title and as I said I was rather hesitant to read this book but a good friend had given it to me to read. I am glad she did as I enjoyed discovering what books mother and son had found meaningful to them. The other aspect which I thought was worthwhile was the list of all the books they discussed over time not just those included in the telling of the chemo sessions.
One could look upon this book as being a rather sad way to look at reviewing books but I found it uplifting that books were what helped Will’s mother endure her chemo sessions. May I also say that she was quite some woman during her life.
Gippsland Granny 