Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Grand Central Publishing (2010), Edition: Reprint, 336 pages
Description
Family & Relationships. Nonfiction. HTML: The Gift of an Ordinary Day is an intimate memoir of a family in transition-boys becoming teenagers, careers ending and new ones opening up, an attempt to find a deeper sense of place, and a slower pace, in a small New England town. It is a story of mid-life longings and discoveries, of lessons learned in the search for home and a new sense of purpose, and the bittersweet intensity of life with teenagers--holding on, letting go. Poised on the threshold between family life as she's always known it and her older son's departure for college, Kenison is surprised to find that the times she treasures most are the ordinary, unremarkable moments of everyday life, the very moments that she once took for granted, or rushed right through without noticing at all. The relationships, hopes, and dreams that Kenison illuminates will touch women's hearts, and her words will inspire mothers everywhere as they try to make peace with the inevitable changes in store..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Sararush
The ordinary of the title is apt as this book relishes the bittersweet moments we all experience: new home, new career, growing older, giving way to our children’s growing independence. The most triumphant parts of the book is where Kenison focuses on the aspects of motherhood that all mothers
Her chapters are more like mini essays then a typical memoir, and Kenison does have a tendency to repeat the same ideas. But her ability to create a moment with only a few words add a vividly poetic feel to her sentiments. At times syrupy sweet, Kenison creates the pancake of memoirs reminding us that it is the little things that construct life.
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face. Her grapples to redefine her relationships with her kids as they grow and their needs change are moving for any mother. Her chapters are more like mini essays then a typical memoir, and Kenison does have a tendency to repeat the same ideas. But her ability to create a moment with only a few words add a vividly poetic feel to her sentiments. At times syrupy sweet, Kenison creates the pancake of memoirs reminding us that it is the little things that construct life.
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LibraryThing member VickiLN
This is a memoir from a mother who is getting close to having an empty nest. Her son Henry is 17 and thinking about colleges. Jack is going into high school. To top off those already stressful situations, they are moving to a new town and building a new house. Together they go through many
I envisioned myself as a sort of house heroine, not a house wrecker. So coming to terms with the idea of knocking down the house had been hard enough. To me, it seemed almost akin to adopting a child, only to give up and send the child back-
(page 73, paragraph 2)
What????? How could anyone compare tearing down a house with the loss of a child? Under any circumstance?
I did finish this book, and I do agree that we need to recognize even the small stuff in our lives for the blessings they are, but the rest of it was not a good fit for my mind.
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emotional ups and downs. But you know that through it all, love is very much present. There is some very good advice in this book, mainly that you should cherish every day. I felt that this book had a poor poor pitiful me aspect to it. When her son gets a low score on his SSAT, she is upset almost to the point of devastation. I have a daughter who has made honor roll all the way through school who is now in college, just a few months from getting her degree. She has made the deans list many times. If she were to get a low score, it would without a doubt be very upsetting to her and that would be what would bother me, not the score. Another thing that I didn't like was the wordage. The book would have affected me more if it was not so repetitive. And all the hoity toity-ness about did me in. I'm just a simple girl trying to read a book that is full of fancy talk and butterfly kisses. Don't get me wrong, I love books that are descriptive, but this was a little over the top for me. The one paragraph that almost made me cover my eyes and scream "no more" was:I envisioned myself as a sort of house heroine, not a house wrecker. So coming to terms with the idea of knocking down the house had been hard enough. To me, it seemed almost akin to adopting a child, only to give up and send the child back-
(page 73, paragraph 2)
What????? How could anyone compare tearing down a house with the loss of a child? Under any circumstance?
I did finish this book, and I do agree that we need to recognize even the small stuff in our lives for the blessings they are, but the rest of it was not a good fit for my mind.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ImBookingIt
This book was a beautiful reflection of the author's life, on the value of slowing down, on the necessity of letting go, and of how much can be gained by doing so.
LibraryThing member bbutzlaffvoss
Discussed February 2011. Fantastic book by mother of two boys -- one choosing a college, and their life through job loss, home building and more.
LibraryThing member njmom3
I am not really sure how to rate or review this book. The book seems to ramble. At times, it is also a bit preachy. Yet, parts of it and the idea of it really touched my heart. It seems to flow as a "stream of consciousness" from one thing to another. Yet the central ideas of longing and growing
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are constant. The ideas for me win out and make it a memorable book. Show Less
LibraryThing member CheryleFisher
Could not get into this book, thus I gave it a good try-out for about 50 pages and put it away.
LibraryThing member jothebookgirl
Quite a different read for me. I am very thankful that someone gave me this book as a gift or otherwise I would not have picked it up. I think it changed my outlook on some things.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2009
Physical description
336 p.; 5.25 inches
ISBN
9780446409490