Seems to be one mans tribute to his mother. ...
341402
Seems to be one mans tribute to his mother. Hut six isn't even mentioned until the mid point in the book.
670730
I would think someone who has experienced that kind of loss would be sympathetic to my pain as a grieving mother but knowing her personally I would say that her ego is bigger then her grief. I too am a grieving mother and she treated me horribly. Our journey is about love, not the bullying that she participates in.
190452
The book provided a window  into the life of Mary Ann Schwalbe and how she handled her cancer experience.  Mary Ann "governed" family life all the way through to her death, including her funeral and memorial.  She was a remarkable woman.  The best parts of the book showed how the mother / son reltionship grew closer and her son gained intimate knowledge of his mother through their book club.  The writer did take an almost clinical approach to writing the book, it was rarely emotional, which was unexpected given the  subject matter.  The  book is a bit redundant also.
1533129
Epic tribute to an incredible artist. I've been listening to the tracks tonight and just thoroughly enjoying them. About 11 years ago while looking up information on Link, hoping to learn what he was doing at the time..(was he still performing and if so, might I be able to catch a song or two if he were nearby?) I sadly found instead a memorial page and the unexpected realization that he had passed, unbeknownst to me. I was in Cambodia with my husband at the time, staying at the home of a dear friend. After learning of his passing, I left a message on the memorial page and then stepped out onto the veranda overlooking the Mekong River. There was a red sun in the sky, setting fast. I grabbed a glass of ice, some bourbon and poured myself a highball which I then took to the rivers edge where I drank a toast to this remarkable man. A man of enormous talent with an even bigger heart. I remembered meeting him in the summer of 1964 when he lived in Belmont in a house across the street from my Aunt. I fondly remembered the time spent with his kids, Rhonda and Shayne whom I babysat, and how cute they were, and smart, and engaging. I remembered his lovely wife, Sharon and her quiet strength. I remembered the night he took us to his concert at Winterland and let us dance behind him on stage. I remembered the halloween party he attended at my parents house and how he was inevitably the coolest cat in the room...I felt profound gratitude for having had the pleasure and honor of  being in his orbit, even for that brief time long ago, so with sentiment and nostalgia I drank to him and his gracious and welcoming warmth, his generosity of spirit whenever I or anyone else entered his home, his incredible talent. I raised my glass to him then as I will do again in a couple days from now, November 5th, which will mark the 12th anniversary of his passing. This time it will be from the balcony of my home here in Santa Cruz, CA which overlooks the ocean, a perfect place to send love and appreciation out over the waves for a man whose absence is still felt but who continues to live on in the music and lyrics of yesterday and today. We've not forgotten you, Mr. Wray..we will never forget.
4909345
My Mom (69 years old), the once invincible, gets sick more often.

For this reason, I think for the first time in my life of her possible departure from this world, before me.

Years ago I did not believe it, the death of my brother (he died of 23 years) and his unshakeable force made me think that she could not leave me before.

Today, when I read the book The End of Your Life Book Club, I think about the possible final outcome of my Mom.

The book deals with the relationship that flourished between the author and his mother who was in the terminal stage of cancer by forming a club of readers between the two.

It is a process of loving farewell to each other in slow motion: through the opinions of his favorite books combined with his own experiences.

Thus, it is an invitation to celebrate life, when it is still present, our Mother, in particular, and in general with our loved ones.

In my case, my Mom, because she does not have cancer, is an invitation to say goodbye in a comfortable way, on a multi-year basis.
1047857
Nothing all that new, but a fresh reminder of a man's role in his family.
4177003
I ordered this book because my mother passed away on April 9th, 2016.. I received it May 9, 2016 and finished it the same day.

Although my 53yr old mom passed away after a 16 month battle of pancreatic cancer, not lung cancer, I read many similarities to my experience throughout this book, from being skeptical about the afterlife, to asking "why her?", the personalities of our mothers (big music lover) and how we still wanted to help her, take her somewhere, get another opinion.... I felt so connected to Jenna and I know my sister, who is younger than me, and isn't married or a mother yet, will connect with her even more.

And yes, in response to another review, some of the grammar was slightly off but it didn't change how I felt about the book.  It is a personal story, one that is true and close to the heart... That's what I got out of it more than judging the writing style and sentence structure.
949215
For awhile I was having a hard time getting through all the detailed conversations but the main theme of a mother losing both of her children struck me in the heart.  I have lost both of my children and could relate to her many feelings in trying to get through life.  I had just come from visiting their graves this week and wondering if I should keep doing this.  It is very difficult to keep up the journey after your children have died even if you have a lot of goodness come into your life.
2468029
Wonderful tribute from a son to his Father!  There is much to admire about Pres. 41, from his young life, through service in the Navy to CIA Director, Vice-President and finally President. All of these professional accomplishments aside, this personal portrait from a son to Father teaches all of us the most important gift we can give our children is unconditional love.
1530881
Good book it guess I expected a bit more. It is an okay read, but do not highly recommend it. He does give a moving tribute to the story of his life with his wife.
2918602
Humorous and sad at the same time.  Having cared for my mother, I could totally relate.  Interesting coming from a son's view.
2875644
This was a gift to my Son as he lost his wife of 23 years to an horrific and totally avoidable accident. Unknown to me he has begun a sort of memorial to her along with the vase containing her ashes. Hope this doesn't make you sad as it warmed his Heart.
1128804
This small book is a beautiful look at one woman's life and how her guts and glitz and charm rubbed off not only on her children, but the community around her.  The book did not feature the "caretaking of Mom" as a sacrifice, but only as a matter of fact part of the life of a caring family.  This is what families do, this is how families love one another.  I recommend it if you want to start a conversation about end of life in your family - and a reminder about how your life is going to touch others - whether you mean it or not.
4913573
One down, one to go... although his mother has never been a mother to him. She is saving the rest of the world's poor children but has never been able to save herself or her son. Interesting observations fill this novel depicting the pain and self destruction of Patrick Melrose. But, did I feel some empathy for his dilemma? No, I wanted him to smarten up. The detailed descriptions of upper and lower New York and the low life inhabiting those areas kept me glued to the pages. There is a time to put the childhood disappointments away even if his were of the most gross nature.
2822073
Nobody's wife, Nobody's mother.
Such a kind declaration remind me of the author's identity.
Anyone who want to read this book, please make have a chance
"Open Eye" .. of course this recommendation for the male like
me.
Even though the form, and style of this book seems to be childlish, but what the author concentrates in this book
is really sad, mournful story,, but the author does not fall into depression, she is just, vivid and respectful survivor and declarer of our times.
2593991
In his memoir, Three Flies Up, Kelley Dupuis has written a beautiful piece that pays homage to as he says "one of the most complex men I have ever known, my father."  As this review is printed I am likely to be washing the dirt from my hands where I have just buried an equally as complex individual who happens to be my father.  DuPuis had something though that I didn't have with my father...a connection.  He and his father had baseball.  I guess the only connection I had with my father was our love of Tanqueray Gin.  I just wish it were something more tangible, like baseball.  However, I digress.
In Field of Dreams James Earl Jones (as Terrence Mann) said, "The one constant through all the years, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers.  It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again.  But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past.  It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again."
Kelley and his father had baseball.  They had baseball from the beginning.  They had baseball in the end.  What did Mann (i.e. Jones) say; "baseball has marked time ..."It marked the time for Kelley and his father.  From the days of Kelley's playing baseball for the Chula Vista South Bay Little League Shamrocks in 1966 to the 1984 World Series rooting for the hometown San Diego Padres; to 1985 sitting up on Uncle Pete's hill baying at the mere mention of Whitey Herzog; to the Padres most recent trip to the fall classic in 1999, baseball had always drawn these men together.  Yes, there were fights (sometimes physical, sometimes emotional), but the one thing that brought this father and son back together was baseball ... and a healthy belt of scotch.  Read this book then buy one for your dad.  You'll be glad you did.
1456897
I hope they have theez In hevin becuz the man at the fyooneral sed my mommy wuz the mostest productiv person at there offise. I want my mommy to be productiv in hevin too cuz the peeple at the fyooneral frum her offise sed beeing productiv wuz importunt even tho i don't kno whut that meens.

I miss my mommy...