The End of Your Life Book Club

This book is borne of a lovely concept, and it is clear that Mr. Schwalbe truly loved his most unusual and admirable mother. Perhaps he loved her too much to write an interesting book about her. She is revealed as almost Christ-like, but decidedly not human, in her generosity, forbearance and

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wisdom. The author revealed nothing that made his mother's story really interesting. I don't doubt that there is an interesting story to be told. Marianne Schwalbe's life was one well-lived and I want to hear more about it at some point, but this telling reveals only the surface and often feels inauthentic. The discussion of the books read is so brief it is not worth talking about that aspect of the book. I gave 2 stars because I am not made of stone. I appreciate a loving portrait of a man's mother and understand his grief, but at the end of the day I thought of this book what Willoughby thought of Colonel Brandon (Sense and Sensibility) it is the sort of book "everybody speaks well of and nobody cares about; whom all are delighted to see and nobody remembers to talk to." In other words, honorable, decent, boring.

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I’m sure that Mary Anne was a wonderful mother and dedicated humanitarian. I know that Will was a loving and devoted son. Hmmm, yep, that’s about it. Will might be a great son, but as a memoir writer, he leaves a lot to be desired. I never really connected with either him or his mother. The

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blurb on the book jacket said that when the two of them read, they weren’t a well person and a sick person, but a mother and son. But throughout the book (and it wasn’t on every page, but it sure seemed that way after a while), Will kept saying that Mom is dying but she isn’t dead yet. I didn’t need that reminder! If this was supposed to be a book about books shared, then it fell short there, too. While he listed many books and authors, not much was said about most of them, nor were we privy to much of Mary Anne’s or Will’s opinions of the books, except for a special few. This book often referred to things that Mary Anne did in the vaguest way possible, as she visited “some African country.” I’m sure that writing this book helped Will cope with his grief from losing his mother, but he failed to make me understand how starting a book club to cope with her illness and death was any different from others who have had to cope with losing a loved one. Many people read books and talk about them, and they don’t wait until one is dying to do so. Am I to believe that in his family of readers, this is something new? And with all his mother’s accomplishments, books were all that were left to remember and discuss? I know Mary Anne live and died, but I have felt sadder over the death of a fictional character than I did over this real person. And that is sad.

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Will Schwalbe has written a book about the last two years of his mothers life, and the books they read together during that time. This book is a very touching tribute to her. Each chapter is titled with the name of one of the books they read, and he does a fabulous job of comparing the books to

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what is happening with his mothers illness. I really found it more uplifting than sad, and I hope my boys do the same thing for me when my time comes.

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Recommended by many, some of whom note this as their favorite book read in 2012, this did not disappoint.

While the subject matter is serious and could be over dramatized, amazingly in the hands of this gifted author who chronicles watching his mother slowly melt away in pain from pancreatic cancer,

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the story becomes a beautiful tribute and love song.

Both book lovers and avid readers, Will and his mother form a personal book club and discuss the books, the authors and the pearls of wisdom garnered from their readings.

While her body is compromised and weary, and while Will's spirit is sad with the realization that his beloved mother is dying, their trips to the hospital while his mother is receiving chemo, become experiences of hope and light.

Finding the books to be an opening to discuss the very difficult subject of life, of death, of lessons learned, and of lessons to be assimilated after his mother's death, time spent reading together was poignant and powerful.

Highly recommended.

Four Stars

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“What are you reading?”

Mary Anne Schwalbe is in her early 70s. She is a mother, a humanitarian and a lifelong reader. She is also dying from pancreatic cancer. Her son, Will, is also a dedicated reader.
They have always enjoyed talking books and decide to form a two-person book club and while

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she is receiving her treatments, they discuss a book they have recently read together.
This is an amazing memoir. Warm, funny, touching and brave. It’s about love, friendship, caring and of course books, scores of books. Mary Anne is such a winning real-life character, I find myself smiling just thinking about her. Do you want a great end of the year read? Hunt this one down.

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This non-fiction book chronicles the last days of a mother who is dying of pancreatic cancer.

I enjoyed reading about the different books that the mother and son read during the mother's last days. I was very impressed that they managed to read so many books in such a short amount of time. I also

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enjoyed some of the mother's comments on the books and life in general. She seemed like a very intelligent person.

Despite the somber topic, however, this is one of the most matter-of-fact books I've ever read. I might have been reading a how-to book for all of the emotion it inspired in me. Part of this was due to the mother who was so saintly that I couldn't relate to her at all. There was also a lot of annoying name-dropping by the author.

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After my mother died in December, 2007, this was the book I vowed to write. Thank goodness I didn't.

Will Schwalbe does a much better job than I would have plus I now have the pleasure - and trust me, it's more pleasure than pain - to read about the unofficial book club he and his mother, Mary Anne,

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started shortly after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Bibliomaniacs will thrill to the abundance of titles to either revisit and smile over or go digging for at the local bookstore. I found my greatest joy was twofold: one, Mary Anne and I had similar tastes and two, I realized how much my mother would have relished this book.

The biggest push-back I get when I urge someone to read "The End of Your Life Book Club" is, "It's sad, right?" As a self-confessed weeper I confess to being brought to tears one time and getting rather verklempt several other times. But Schwalbe doesn't go for the heartstrings and focuses more on the sheer joy both he and his mother found in a great story. If you're a kindred soul, this is a must-read.

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The Good Stuff
•Obviously it reiterates something that I have always believed, that books are a way of bringing people together
•Hopeful and beautiful
•Wonderfully honest bonding experience between mother and son - never saccarine
•Darkly funny
•Makes you really think about those you love and

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encourages you to talk things over before its too late
•Mary Anne was a truly inspiring and courageous women (Reminded me very much of my father)
•Introduced me to some books that I have never heard of and now desperately want to read
•Such wise observations on how we should all live our life
•Fascinating discussions about books and the affect they have on us all
•Very respectful, yet deeply personal
•Loved the list of books at the end
•The discussions on religion and faith were very honest and loved that Will was honest about his lack of faith, but also respected his mothers beliefs

The Not So Good Stuff
•It made me cry -- not really bad, but I had to put something here

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"Books had always been a way for my mother and me to introduce and explore topics that concerned us but made us uneasy, and they had also given us something to talk about when we were stressed or anxious."

"She never wavered in her conviction that books are the most powerful tool in the human arsenal, that reading all kinds of books, in whatever format you choose - electronic (even though that wasn't fo her) or printed, or audio - is the greandest entertainment, and also is how you take part in the the human conversation. Mom taught me that you can make a difference in the world and that books really do matter: they're how we know what we need to do in life, and how we tell others.'

"And were you trying to teach me not to get too attached to things?"

"I wish, I'd given it that much thought! I really was just thinking of the orphans."

I can't help but feel sad when I think about Turtle, even if I remind myself to think about the orphans instead.

"I think I was pretty mad at you," I told Mom as we sat there.

"I was pretty mad at myself," Mom said. "Are you still?"

"Maybe a little bit," I said. Then we both laughed. But I was ... just a bit."

"One of my cousins and his wife had written to say, in a way they knew would make her smile, that even though they were 'heathens' they were praying for her. Mom loved this. Whe said to me - and to them - that she suspected heathen prayers were even more effective than Christian or Jewish or Muslim ones - perhaps because heathens prayed less."

Who Should/Shouldn't Read
•It might be a very hard read for someone currently living through watching a loved one dying
•Something for everyone in this one

4.5 Dewey's

I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review

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I was aware of the general buzz about this book so assumed it would include humor, wisdom and sadness. It does include all that which is what I would expect. When I started it, Will’s style did not knock my socks off but as I continued reading, something about his straightforward narrative began

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to work for me. By the end, I was happy to have spent time with the remarkable Mary Anne.

I knew I was going to like her early on even before I got to know her formidable accomplishments. When Will tells us that his mother always read the end of a book first, I felt a bond with a fellow spirit. I’ve abandoned this habit as I’ve gotten older, but I think it was partly because it felt almost like a reader’s sin.

If there was one word that kept coming to me to describe Mary Anne it was “earnest.” Her desire to act seriously and with purpose is her north star. Would such a personality become a bit much at other times? I certainly don’t know, but under the circumstances described here, she remained appealing and someone you would want to be around. To be noble and selfless without pomposity or naiveté is a rarity.

I didn’t have any expectations about how much books would be discussed in this story so I wasn’t disappointed. I thought Will showed his editorial skils highlighting what he did. I’d read many of the books, some are on my to-be-read list and others I have little interest in trying.

Among his observations about authors, one that stood out was when Mary Ann spoke about cruelty. She says it is what gets to her. Reading about it helps us recognize it. Evil starts with cruelty, often subtle or small. She says that Tennessee Williams was a writer attuned to cruelty. Although many books have been written about cruelty, including The Kite Runner which she loves, it is Williams whom she ties to the theme of cruelty. She nailed a writer perfectly to a theme, and I thought this is a careful reader. Although the books themselves are not discussed at length, I enjoyed their brief observations. They were akin to those little bursts Elizabeth Strout writes about in Olive Kitteridge-insightful notations about a character or theme rather than the big burst of a full-hearted review or discussion.

Though cursed with a terrifying diagnosis and treatments, the Schwalbe family resources were optimal: a loving family and friends, good health insurance, top physicians and support people with great communication skills. In addition, Mary Anne seems to have embraced Churchill’s advice: if you’re going through hell, keep going. Using a book club–especially an intimate club of two such as this one–seems like medicine itself to me.

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When Mary Anne is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer her son Will, along with other family and friends, accompanies her to some of her chemo and doctor appointments. When she asks him one day "What are you reading?" this simple question starts them off discussing books and the books that they each

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think they other should read. This begins their two person book club and a way for mother and son to connect over a shared pleasure and a way to make saying goodbye a little easier.

This book made me cry, and cry and then cry some more. But it also made me think; about the way we treat people, how we interact with our families and friends and how we treat strangers.

I originally didn't think I would like this. I figured it was another one of those books that I would hear people love and then when I get around to reading it I would find it cheesy or highly overrated. I got it out of the library after a friend gave it a high rating, but then I let it sit for almost the whole allotted three weeks. It is due back in two days and I am so glad that I didn't end up sending it back unread!

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It’s no surprise Mary Anne Schwalbe is going to die at the end of this book. And Mary Anne would know, since she always reads the end first.

Will Schwalbe, a book editor, had always been close to his mother but a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and the resulting doctor visits and chemo treatments

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provided mother and son with a lot of time spent together. Why not read to pass the time? They read books with themes of death, survival (Mary Anne was active in the plight of refugees around the world), and how to live. Will recounts his mom’s journey, using the books they read as signposts. Sometimes the stories are indicative and pertinent to what Mary Anne was thinking or feeling - other times, they simply enjoy the pleasure and new thoughts that reading offers.

The Schwalbes are well off and Mary Anne has excellent health care but she never ceases to realize her good fortune or to worry about those who are forced to go without adequate treatment. She also claims she is not brave but her courage and her determination to continue to be a positive force in the world, even while mired in her own understated pain and fear, are obvious. She works tirelessly on building a library in Afghanistan, almost to her last day.

Will struggles with the steps of the end-of-life dance. The outlook for pancreatic cancer is bleak but Mary Anne beats the odds. There will be no cure but there may be more time - time to spend with her grandchildren; time to impart the wisdom learned of her travels in the world - both physically and through reading books; time to be fully present until she decides to stop fighting. Her faith in God and everlasting life is a comfort she wishes her son shared. But they are both adamant about the vital importance of reading and sharing books. In the books she loved and in the books she never got a chance to read but would have loved, Will finds a way to share his mom with others.

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I can see why people like this book. It is unique and has many redemming qualities. Yet somehow it did not reach me on an emotional level. I couldn't warm up to this family. I found the writing to be sterile and dare I say even just a touch sanctimonious. I did enjoy reading about the many literary

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references and also enjoyed learning about his mother's life. Such an accomplished and interesting woman!

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A beautiful and life-affirming book. Although this is the story of a "book club" that started when the author started accompanying his mother to doctor visits after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, it is so much more. It's a conversation about the authors who have written of and shaped our

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world over the past 100 years; it's a tribute to reading; it's a call to action to do something about the injustices we see around us. But it's mainly a celebration-- of wonderful books, of a remarkable woman, of parents everywhere who instill in their children a passion for books. I'm thankful to my mom for passing on her own love of reading, and for giving me this book for Christmas, which I don't think I would have ever picked up on my own. There's a line in the book: "It's a book that I never would have read if so many friends hadn't told me that I must. But now I can't imagine not having read it." In a word, extraordinary.

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‘That’s ok, I have a copy,’ I told her, which was, in fact, true. There are certain books that I mean to read and keep stacked by my bedside. I even take them on trips. Some of my books should be awarded their own frequent flier miles, they’ve travelled so much. I take these volumes on

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flight after flight with the best of intentions and then wind up reading anything and everything else (SkyMall! Golf Digest!). I’d brought Crossing to Safety on so many trips and returned it to my bedside unread so many times that it could have earned at least one first-class ticket to Tokyo on Japan Airlines."

Ultimately sad, in that no cancer-defying miracle is forthcoming, but also uplifting in that Schwalbe had so long to come to terms with his mother’s imminent passing and to celebrate his mother’s life. Part book club record, part memoir of his own life, predominantly memoir for and homage to his extraordinary mother, a woman deeply committed to the needs of those less fortunate. It is obvious that Schwalbe had great love and great respect for his indomitable mother, and is truly grateful for the opportunity to share a beloved activity with her – and the opportunities for difficult conversations that the books provided. In a sense, the memoir will chronicle and assist Mary Anne’s legacy of libraries in Afghanistan and refugee camps in Cambodia, of refugees in Liberia and Pakistan and Thailand. This is (between books) the story of a woman who was ground-breaking and revolutionary in a quiet, mild-mannered way.

Schwalbe’s own life is perhaps less remarkable in events of his own making, but there is an untold story here – he walked away from a very successful career in publishing to “follow his bliss”. Throughout, his humility (inherited no doubt from the formidable Mary Anne) lets only a little of his personal achievements shine through – as relentlessly as Mary Anne refused to focus on her pain and suffering, so Will shines the spotlight back to his mother and their shared literary experiences.

All of that aside; the books. I slowed my own reading of this by making a note of works as they were mentioned – I wanted to look up a large number of them when I got back to an internet connection. It was only when I got to the end of the book that a clever editor had considerately put a list there! So if you read this, don’t worry about making notes as you go along. I wondered, a number of times, quite how Mary Anne, with her enormous programme of humanitarian work and commitments, had time to read so much. But then people look at me askance when I say I’m taking a book a day on a holiday, which I don’t understand, so I shouldn’t doubt another bibliophile’s capacity.

Will and Mary Anne read extensively, thematically (although that, perhaps, accidentally), thoroughly and resolvedly. There was always another book to surprise me (that they read and loved The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was both shocking and pleasing), another book which sounded daunting and impenetrable and an absolute must-read. Their love for literature is very clear, and their willingness to learn from the great (and not great) works of culture is admirable. Each chapter is named for a work that one of them was reading and some lesson that they learned from that work, or a difficult conversation that needed to be had. Schwalbe writes at just the right level about the books – most works get between a few sentences and a few paragraphs, but never more than that. There is a chapter of Tolkien vs. C S Lewis, but that is also mostly about the childhood of the Schwalbe brothers.

As one might expect, The End of Your Life Book Club prompted me to think about my own shared reading experiences, but that’s fodder for another post.

Additional information:
Copy kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher: Two Roads, 352 pages (hardback).

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I know I won't do justice to this book with this review. I'm still savoring it, but I wanted my 5 stars to get up and online so others could read it.
I'm a voracious reader, and I read probably 7 books a week....I love many, but don't rush to do a review.
I lost my Dad to pancreas cancer 2 years

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ago, and I was a young widow before that. While my experiences were different, this book had me at page 1, mainly because I AM a reader. Books can allow us to say what we sometimes can't, and gives us permission to think outside our normal comfort zone.
I learned things about parenting, about living, dying with dignity, and it made me think about how I want to be remembered when my time comes.
I love that a list of the books the author and his mom read is included at the end. Even so...I have MANY pages marked and passages highlighted.
If you are a reader, if you love books, if you are a parent, or a child...this is a book that will make you think, might make you cry, and will certainly make you wonder about your contributions on earth....
I very, very rarely re-read books....I will likely do so with this one.

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Watching a parent's gradual decline and death to pancreatic cancer is certainly a somber subject, but somehow Will Schwalbe's story of his mother's last two years in THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB becomes more of a celebration and a tribute than you would have thought possible. You end up almost

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envying the author for the special close relationship he shared with his mother, a well-known and much-loved champion of causes.

Schwalbe is a very talented writer, and his approach to telling the story of his mother's final weeks, months and years is unique. He describes how they formed a book club of two and discussed their literary choices whenever they could, but mostly while his mother was being infused with toxic chemo treatments or waiting to see her doctors. Always close, the two became even closer as they used their mutual love of good books to learn more about the world, themselves and each other.

While I might have wished for more details about the author's own life and the rest of his family, I had to admire how he kept to his own clearly defined focus - the importance books and reading had always held in his family. This made their story unique, even as the discussions of books and writing allowed you ever deeper into their system of beliefs and ideals. The author's sexual orientation - he is openly gay - is not avoided but it is not emphasized either. Even that aspect of their story is elucidated through books, as Will tells of discovering the books of Christopher Isherwood during his college years.

At first I found the 'books' aspect of the story more interesting than that of Will and his mother. (Indeed, the literary allusions are scattered everywhere and many of the books are discussed at some length, and there is a bibliography at the end of the book.) But I quickly found myself wanting to learn more about the life of Mary Ann Schwalbe, a truly remarkable and one-of-a-kind woman. The end, which you of course knew was coming from the start, is nevertheless very difficult. There is a point in the final weeks of his mother's life, where Will is ready to tell her how much he loves her, but instead he tells her how proud he is of her. At first he berates himself for this sudden change, but then he reconsiders, figuring she already knew he loved her, but how often does a child tell a parent how proud he or she is of that parent? A good point, I think.

As a confirmed and lifelong reader, I was already prepared to love this book. But as a son, I was not prepared for its emotional impact. This is good writing about a painful and difficult subject and completely deserving of its success. Highly recommended.

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As Mr. Schwalbe's mother lives through her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer the two form a book club. From the books they read they are able to access subjects they might not otherwise have discussed. Always close the book group draws them even closer. Mrs. Schwalbe led an extraorinary life, from

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director of admissions at Harvard to a champion of refugees the world over, to a driving force to build libraries in Afghanistan. This memoir was not really about dying but about living.

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ISBN-10: 0307594033 - Hardcover $25.00
Publisher: Knopf; 1 edition (October 2, 2012), 352 pages.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher and the Amazon Prime Program.

Will Schwalbe's mother is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after having battled breast cancer years earlier. This time Mary Ann

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Schwalbe's prognosis is much worse. In the early days of her treatment, Mary Ann and Will find themselves discussing books - from books that they'd read to books that they're currently reading and those that they choose to read together. Of course, their discussions about books are also about the characters, the dilemmas that they face, and how best to live one's life.

The End of Your Life Book Club is a lovely and moving tribute to Will's mother. Mary Ann Schwalbe is an amazing woman in her own right. We learn of her accomplishments as a young Radcliffe graduate, the first woman to head the Admissions office at Harvard and Radcliffe, and a devoted and accomplished figure in the area of Refugee rights - all of which are impressive and enough to draw you in. Mary Ann Schwalbe's other accomplishments are less easily listed but perhaps even more unforgettable. Will paints a clear picture of a woman of unconventional grace and generosity of spirit. She is determined to make a difference, to bring hope and to be a force of good - it sounds strange but when you learn about Mary Ann Schwalbe, it's hard not to see her as someone for whom doing the right thing is an essential part of her life. She is unfailingly generous to those who need help while invariably forgoing cabs for NYC buses. It's so difficult to describe what I loved about the book. I loved learning about Mary Ann and the things that moved her. Reading about her courage, her stoicism and her grace throughout her struggle with cancer was particularly poignant. As a bookworm, I found the conversations about the books fascinating as well and have copied down the list of books that Will and Mary Ann Schwalbe read.

Mary Ann Schwalbe reminded me of my mother - someone who loves people, finds them interesting, and who will give unstintingly. I came to care for Mary Ann Schwalbe deeply and am grateful to Will for writing this book, for sharing these moments and memories of a woman of extraordinary courage, grace, and heart.

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Will Schwalbe's mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in her early 70's. An activist all her life, she embraced a fairly aggressive treatment regimen in an attempt to lengthen the quality days she had left.

Her son Will, recently retired from a publishing job as Editor-in Chief at Hyperion

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Publishers, often volunteered to accompany her to various doctors appointments and medical procedures during the almost 2 years she lived after her diagnosis.  As they rode buses and subways, and sat in waiting rooms or "treatment booths", they found themselves not only following their life-long habit of reading, but also trading books and discussing their impressions, likes and dislikes of various books.  As they discussed the books, stories of their previous adventures in life became intertwined and personal details were allowed to percolate to the surface.

I chose the book for the book club related subject matter.  In the end however, I discovered a treasure of a tribute to an emancipated woman, a loving mother and a courageous family.  It was heartwarming without being maudlin, and gives the reader a glimpse of a rich and varied reading life that both of them enjoyed.  Even MaryAnn's penchant for always reading the end of the book first, a habit I normally find abhorrent, did not produce a negative feeling toward her.  The appendix gives a complete list of books   the two discussed - as you can see, the range was wide, deep and eclectic.  There were quite a few I had read, and several other that popped right up as candidates for our local book club.  It was an exceptionally good ending to a great reading year and a loving tribute to an incredibly well-read woman.

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It was a pleasure to meet Mary Ann Schwalbe even if was for a very short time at the end of her life. I would have loved to have known her during the rest of her life. She had a beautiful spirit and outlook on humanity. There are a lot of lessons to take away from this wonderful memoir, The End of

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Your Life Book Club. Will Schwalbe has bared his heart and love for his mother, and her life. He has also shared with us the love of books that she instilled in her children and others around her.

Maybe I loved this book because the values that she carried and passed on to her children were much the same as ones that we learned as kids from my parents. Or maybe it was her simple unadorned love of books and the need she had to share her opinion, or passion of the topic with others. Whatever the pull was, I completely fell into this story, the discussion of some books that I have loved as well, and a recommendation of some that I will now have to read as a result of her enthusiasm for the story.

Will’s love for his Mom comes out over and over again. He admired not only how she had lived her life and the service she gave to refugees, students, women and children around the world, but he was a witness to how she was choosing to live the end of her life and loved her even more for that.

Mary Ann gives out a lot of advice for anyone who will come in contact with a loved one or friend who is dealing with a terminal illness. I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to read this book early, and that I will be able to share it with my friends. Some may want to compare this book with other memoirs about death and the loss of an immediate family member; however, I believe this memoir is about life.

Thank you, Will Schwalbe for giving us this extraordinarily personal gift.

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I bought this book for myself after Christmas, but I hesitated to pick it up. I've read many glowing reviews of it, and I was looking forward to the parts about the books that Will Schwalbe and his mother Mary Anne read and discussed together. I love reading about other people's reading

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experiences. But I was concerned that the book would be too sad. Will and Mary Anne began reading together after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They often discussed the books they read while waiting for doctor's appointments or during chemotherapy. The cancer was treatable, but not curable. From the beginning, the family knew that Mary Anne would die. However, although the ending of this book is known from the beginning (which is ironic since Mary Anne always read the endings of books first), the journey is often hopeful. Will shows us what a gift each day with his mother is. She is truly a remarkable woman, and we learn about her life as Will uses the books that they are reading to spark conversations. The books they have read are woven into the story of their day-to-day lives, and their reactions to the books are often influenced by what's going on when they read them. This is a beautiful book that shows the power of reading together, of listening closely, and of cherishing every moment.

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I initially rated this book a little lower because there were moments of slowness, but this book ultimately brought me and a few dear friends close together as we read this book for our own sort of book club. One particular friend read this shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer for the second

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time, and we were often able to refer to parts of this book to connect with our own lives and with one another. Any book that can change the way you talk about life and connect with another individual is worth all the praise.

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As a reader of course I devoured this book for all of the book titles that were mentioned in its pages, but I also couldn't put this down because of the story it told. The author's mother has terminal cancer and decides to go through treatment for as long as it makes sense to. Together mother and

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son go to appointment after appointment and visit with each other, sharing their favorite books. They make a book club for two out of it, swapping titles back and forth and sharing how they feel about each one.

There were some wonderful works mentioned here, which I have put on my own reading list, but it was the story of family and togetherness that touched me when reading this. This is yet another of those books that I have on my list of those I recommend to everyone.

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I truly loved this book from the first page all the way to the last. To me this was a book of discovery. The discovery of many untold stories shared between a mother and son hidden inside the bindings of a book. The thread of a common love of reading that enabled them to have many hours of

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memorable discussions that stay etched in his heart long after his mom's death. I also felt I discovered the strength of a beautiful person and the wonderful positive way she lived her life so fully and complete the way I think life is meant to be lived. Embracing everyday with head held high and with strength and perseverance. I also discovered that sometimes a smile is worth more than words. This is just a beautiful story and a wonderful legacy to leave for the precious family and friends she shared her days on earth with. I thank Will Schwalbe for sharing the last days of his mother's life with us.

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