"The Year of Magical Thinking," by Joan Didion

[flamingyouth]

Has anyone here read this book?

I just finished it. It took me a while, because even though it's fairly short, it's not easy to read. The author's husband died very suddenly as they were sitting down to dinner one night. They had just come home from visiting their only daughter in the ICU, where she lay in a medically induced coma after falling ill with pneumonia and later, septic shock.

The book chronicles her year of grieving her loss and trying to put her life together, then dealing with further complications with her daughter's health. It's a very powerful book, to say the least.

What's saddest is that the book doesn't even tell the whole story. After the book was published, her daughter died in August 2005 of an abdominal infection at age 39.

I'm a big fan of Joan Didion's writing, and this book won the National Book Award. I would highly recommend it if you feel you're in a place where you might find it helpful.

[eleny]

1. Thank you, FY

[havocmom]

2. Might have to pick that one up, thanks for bringing it to share here

My sis is on a rocky road and it might help me understand more and be better help to my sis.

Thanks a lot, flamingyouth. You are always so thoughtful and bring good things to discussions. It's appreciated.

[livetohike]

3. Thanks flamingyouth

I'm going to get it for my Mom. She's been having a hard time since my Dad died in Nov. 2004.