This book is a chronicle of the author’s life in the year after her husband unexpectedly passes away while their daughter is in a coma. I also happened to read this at a time in my life when I had recently:
a.) gotten married
b.) learned a friend was dying
Seems like a bummer from the summary above, and the content is definitely heavy, but this book really spoke to me at a time in my life when I was feeling a little lost amidst some big life changes. I recommend it to a lot of my friends after they get married - there’s some really great reflections on how amazing it is to share your life with someone, and the ways that you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
I’d always enjoyed reading, but this was the first time that I experienced one of those magical moments when a piece of literature, a movie, etc. can line up perfectly with your life and help you work through some of the things that are happening to and around you.
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The ending of this book is something I think about a lot. I read it after my grandmother passed and it really helped me process my own grief and think about how death is only going to move closer to us as we get older, taking people we love in our closer circles, and how the only way through that grief is by diving into it
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My first Joan Didion, really heartwrenching and beautiful piece about dealing with the unreality of loss, if you're into nonfiction
Sep 12, 2024
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i've never finished a book so fast in my life. she writes about life and grief in such an intimate way and i could honestly reread it forever.
the opening lines are "Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends." which, even on its own, is just wow
Apr 19, 2024
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In the latter half of 2019, Sloane Crosley’s New York apartment was broken into. Luckily she wasn’t home, but the burglar(s) had ransacked her bedroom and made off with several pieces of jewelry, much of it handed down from her maternal grandmother. That neither she nor her mother were particularly fond of said grandmother was neither here nor there, they were still Sloane’s things and now they were gone. Dealing with such an intrusion and the material loss that went along with it would be hard enough, but only one month later her best friend and one-time boss Russell Perreault hanged himself.
This sudden shock sets her adrift as she struggles to come to terms with the reality of it. He had been a constant in her life for so many years and the mere act of accepting that he was gone was challenge enough, let alone learning to live with it. In a way, having the robbery to focus on proves to be a blessing, as investigating it provides at least some brief moments of distraction. When COVID-19 sends the city into lockdown a few months later, she is left with little but time to reflect on the loss and finally try to make peace with it.
Much of this book was written essentially as it was happening to her, though of course edited and rewritten later, which gives it a confessional tone. Crosley’s writing is eloquent and often funny, but still down-to-earth and easily relatable. The affection she has towards Russell is obvious as she takes us through several fond memories, but this isn’t a hagiography, and she delves into some of his faults in an effort to try and understand what could have led him to take his own life. Despite the weighty subject matter this brief book is a joy to read. As someone who has experienced the loss of a best friend and also the suicides of others who were close by, the emotions and thoughts documented within ring true, and reading about someone else going through them is a surprisingly cathartic experience. ★★★★★
Mar 6, 2024
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Feb 27, 2025
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I realized last month that I had basically developed the habit of ALWAYS looking at my phone. Walking around the house, brushing my teeth, eating, etc. I always had my phone out. I’ve removed a lot of social media apps from my phone, which helped, but the biggest game changer for me is just abandoning my phone upstairs or in another room.
Reading a lot more, staying more focused, playing more fetch with my dog, life is good 😎
Feb 25, 2025