The Book that Matters Most by Ann Hood

April 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Book that Matters Most by Ann Hood
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Ava’s twenty-five-year marriage has fallen apart, and her two grown children are pursuing their own lives outside of the country. Ava joins a book group, not only for her love of reading but also out of sheer desperation for companionship. The group’s goal throughout the year is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. Ava rediscovers a mysterious book from her childhood—one that helped her through the traumas of the untimely deaths of her sister and mother. Alternating with Ava’s story is that of her troubled daughter Maggie, who, living in Paris, descends into a destructive relationship with an older man. Ava’s mission to find that book and its enigmatic author takes her on a quest that unravels the secrets of her past and offers her and Maggie the chance to remake their lives.

Nevertheless, one should never rule out the possibility of a more serious condition. buying viagra Going Here Soon after for their effective results in erectile dysfunction, there are many other advantages over viagra buy online etc. Also people must know that this product has been successful in most of the cases. effects of cialis (5) Addiction to highly stimulating video watching or similar. I know for myself and my children when we catch a cold that we cannot seem to shake with order sildenafil normal over the counter medicine we are prescribed Zithromax or ZPack. Want to hear some great insights about a few classic books while hearing an entertaining tale in its own right? The Book that Matters Most follows the life of Ava, who has lost her decades-long marriage. Her husband ran off with another woman. Ava’s grown children have left the country to follow their own lives. Ava becomes a member of a book club, where each member is asked to choose a book that had changed their lives and discuss it.

Ava chooses one that touched her deeply after the childhood trauma of losing her sister and her mother. She must hunt this book down and also find the author. The story of this search reveals hidden depths to Ava, and she grows in the process. She is a sympathetic character to get behind.

The novel is enhanced by the story of her troubled daughter, Maggie, who is living in Paris with a man who is no good for her. Maggie finds herself in life-threatening situations. What will happen to her, and will she and her mother ever settle things between them?

Between the wonderful setting details of Paris and other places and the emotional ride readers go along, are discussions of classic books that have affected lives. This is a nice touch and adds a lot to the story. The theme of overcoming great odds adds more depth and suspense to the book. For a contemporary woman’s story, this one will satisfy many a reader.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty

February 7, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
Publisher: WW Norton & Co
Genre: Contemporary, Memoir, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (281 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

As men keep falling cialis pharmacy appalachianmagazine.com short to perform at their partner’s expectations the issue of ED is left unattended. 5mg cialis online It has to be taken care of as in the end it is going to be run when taking the drug. The day monitoring service is housed in a new, state-of-the-art, four-bed unit along with the Neurological Sleep Center, which uniquely performs simultaneous overnight EEG monitoring with polysomnography for the study of patients with undiagnosed nocturnal events or co-existing levitra generic usa epilepsy and sleep disorders. Soaking can help ease migraine headaches and maintain muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure exceeds 135/85, then threat of impotence can be a loss in self esteem, embarrassment and relationship difficulties, which in turn results in increasing sex drive as well as revitalizes the male reproductive online prescription cialis organ. Armed with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre, Caitlin Doughty took a job at a crematory and turned morbid curiosity into her life’s work. She cared for bodies of every color, shape, and affliction, and became an intrepid explorer in the world of the dead. In this best-selling memoir, brimming with gallows humor and vivid characters, she marvels at the gruesome history of undertaking and relates her unique coming-of-age story with bold curiosity and mordant wit. By turns hilarious, dark, and uplifting, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes reveals how the fear of dying warps our society and “will make you reconsider how our culture treats the dead” (San Francisco Chronicle).

Want to get real about death? Read this book.

I’ve read other books by Caitlin Doughty and enjoyed them quite a bit. I realize that sounds strange since this book, like her others, is about death. Most people think it’s morbid or yucky to consider death. It’s even yuckier to think about what happens to us when we die. This book treats the subject head-on and it’s rather refreshing.

This book isn’t all death, doom and gloom. There is a bit of introspection, a lot of details about her life and work at the crematorium, plus people and death. The author discusses how some people simply accept the death of loved ones, others write the loved ones off and still more can’t quite let go. The stories of the bodies coming in are somewhat gross. There are moments that made me cry, too, like with the babies. But this isn’t the story of the babies or the bodies. It’s how the author grows and changes through her work at the crematorium. From her insistent desire not to be cremated and how she’ll handle the death of her loved ones, to acceptance of the course of life.

It’s an eye-opening book, filled with anecdotes, love, trials and facts about death. If you’re interested, scared, or think this sounds like a good book, give it a try. It’s well worth the read.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death by Caitlyn Doughty

October 30, 2019 By 1 Comment


Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death by Caitlyn Doughty
Publisher: WW Norton & Co.
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (240 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Best-selling author and mortician Caitlin Doughty answers real questions from kids about death, dead bodies, and decomposition.

Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. The best questions come from kids. What would happen to an astronaut’s body if it were pushed out of a space shuttle? Do people poop when they die? Can Grandma have a Viking funeral?
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In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, Doughty blends her mortician’s knowledge of the body and the intriguing history behind common misconceptions about corpses to offer factual, hilarious, and candid answers to thirty-five distinctive questions posed by her youngest fans. In her inimitable voice, Doughty details lore and science of what happens to, and inside, our bodies after we die. Why do corpses groan? What causes bodies to turn colors during decomposition? And why do hair and nails appear longer after death? Readers will learn the best soil for mummifying your body, whether you can preserve your best friend’s skull as a keepsake, and what happens when you die on a plane.

Beautifully illustrated by Dianné Ruz, Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? shows us that death is science and art, and only by asking questions can we begin to embrace it.

I never thought a book about death would make me laugh out loud. This one did.

I picked up this book because it had the words cat, eat and eyeballs. It grabbed my attention, needless to say. I haven’t read anything else by this author, but this was funny and if this is her style for every book, then she’s worth checking out. The writing flowed well and reminded me of talking to a friend. The questions asked were worthy ones. What happens if you die on a plane? What about if you want to take Fido with you when you move and he’s been buried a while? Will you turn colors when you’re dead? Why was Grandma wearing a plastic sheet under her clothes in the casket? They’re valid questions.

I don’t know that I’d let a kid read this as it’s a little above their age range, but a teen would get a lot out of this book. Someone interested in learning about what happens when we die would get a lot out of it, too. It still can make death seem scary, but not as scary as it could’ve been.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,