Book Description....
"Karen Neulander, a successful New York political consultant, has always been fiercely protective of her son, Jacob, now six. She’s had to be: when Jacob’s father, Dave, found out Karen was pregnant and made it clear that fatherhood wasn’t in his plans, Karen walked out of the relationship, never telling Dave her intention was to raise their child alone.
But now Jake is asking to meet his dad, and with good reason: Karen is dying. When she finally calls her ex, she’s shocked to find Dave ecstatic about the son he never knew he had. First, he can’t meet Jake fast enough, and then, he can’t seem to leave him alone.
With just a few more months to live, Karen resists allowing Dave to insinuate himself into Jake’s life. As she tries to play out her last days in the “right” way, Karen wrestles with the truth that the only thing she cannot bring herself to do for her son--let his father become a permanent part of his life--is the thing he needs from her the most. With heart-wrenching poignancy, unexpected wit, and mordant humor, Lauren Grodstein has created an unforgettable story about parenthood, sacrifice, and life itself."
Title: Our Short History
Author: Lauren Grodstein
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Our Short History" by Lauren Grodstein
My Thoughts....
"Our Short History" really deals with a subject that is somewhat hard to talk about...dying. This author does a very good job in presenting this mesmerizing, hear wrenching told story. What will a mother do when she finds out that she doesn't have long to live [fighting stage IV ovarian cancer] and she has a son who was just six year old. Karen writes a book for her son who was just six year old to be read by his older self. This was definitely one of those 'tearjerker' reads.
What will happen when Jake ask hims mother to find his dad? Now Jake wants to meet his father which presents problems for the mother, Karen. What will she do because there is a history that did not turn out well between Karen and Jake's father? Will her sister still be able to take care of Jake as it had been planned now that the father has come into the picture. This is a very emotional read that will give the reader quite one complicated relationships with all of these characters: from Karen, Jake, Jake's father [Dave] and Karen's sister. Now, I did say that this is sad story however, do be ready for a little humor at times, very absorbing and so memorable and even thought provoking in this mother-son relationship.
This author really gives the reader one beautifully well written story that is so very raw as her son 'resonates and Karen's bravery in facing her illness is so very admirable. With that all I can say is that this story "Our Short History" was one story that I will not forget anytime soon. I will say after all that had gone with between Karen and her ex boyfriend [Dave], her illness and her life she had not chosen for herself I could definitely understand why she felt the way she did about this whole situation. In the end we see that this wasn't about the 'life Karen had given her son but the live he had given her.'
"Our Short History" really deals with a subject that is somewhat hard to talk about...dying. This author does a very good job in presenting this mesmerizing, hear wrenching told story. What will a mother do when she finds out that she doesn't have long to live [fighting stage IV ovarian cancer] and she has a son who was just six year old. Karen writes a book for her son who was just six year old to be read by his older self. This was definitely one of those 'tearjerker' reads.
What will happen when Jake ask hims mother to find his dad? Now Jake wants to meet his father which presents problems for the mother, Karen. What will she do because there is a history that did not turn out well between Karen and Jake's father? Will her sister still be able to take care of Jake as it had been planned now that the father has come into the picture. This is a very emotional read that will give the reader quite one complicated relationships with all of these characters: from Karen, Jake, Jake's father [Dave] and Karen's sister. Now, I did say that this is sad story however, do be ready for a little humor at times, very absorbing and so memorable and even thought provoking in this mother-son relationship.
This author really gives the reader one beautifully well written story that is so very raw as her son 'resonates and Karen's bravery in facing her illness is so very admirable. With that all I can say is that this story "Our Short History" was one story that I will not forget anytime soon. I will say after all that had gone with between Karen and her ex boyfriend [Dave], her illness and her life she had not chosen for herself I could definitely understand why she felt the way she did about this whole situation. In the end we see that this wasn't about the 'life Karen had given her son but the live he had given her.'
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