HELL ON WHEELS!

I bought VIP tickets again this year for the Texas Rollergirls. You may recall that Rachel Muir went with me last year and we had a blast. If you’re interested and available on one of the below dates, let me know ASAP first come first served!

Sunday, May 15
Saturday, June 11
Saturday, Aug. 6

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

I will never know my mom’s last thoughts because she couldn’t organize or articulate them. I didn’t think she had last thoughts. After reading Still Alice I’m not so sure. I wish I’d read Still Alice before my mom died.

Still Alice by first-time author Lisa Genova is a novel about a Harvard professor at the height of her career, who at the age of 50 develops early-onset Alzheimer’s. The fact that my book club argued about whether this was a true story or not (it is not) is a clear indication to me of just how real the story felt. My mom didn’t die of Alzheimer’s, but she did struggle with dementia and eventually lapsed into total disconnect being unable to recognize family, lacking the ability to articulate, etc.

Although Still Alice is a work of fiction, I tend to believe Lisa Genova’s portrayal of Alice and her illness, and how her illness affects her family for the following reasons:
1. Lisa Genova graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology and has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. She has done research on the molecular etiology of depression, Parkinson's disease, drug addiction, and memory loss following stroke.
2. Still Alice felt like a close friend, updating me on her life over a cup of coffee, intimate and palpable.
3. The fact that the story is told from the perspective of Alice, as she descends into Alzheimer’s, made it raw with tension.

I won’t disclose more about how the story unfolds because that is part of the “intrigue” that makes this a great read. I’ll just end with this: If I could go back in time to when my mom became mute and disconnected, I would say to her, “I understand that you have thoughts that you cannot express, so I want you to know that I realize this and am sorry that you cannot express those thoughts. I also know that you love me as much as I love you.”

You Know When The Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon

Occasionally I receive free uncorrected proofs of books from publishers. Assumedly they’re hoping I’ll read the book and publish a positive review on my blog. 

When I received You Know When The Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon and saw that it was about military families stationed at Fort Hood, Texas my first thought was, “Oh great, more glorification of war.” However, I couldn’t not read it because Fort Hood is practically in my “hood.”

So You Know When The Men Are Gone is eight loosely connected short stories that portray the domestic side of war; a glimpse into what life is like for military families when the spouses are deployed to dangerous war zones. One of the most interesting things about this book was that the issues, challenges and problems the families encountered had less to do with their military circumstance than just plain ole’ life. They struggled with the same stuff everyone struggles with (but in the context of military life and middle-eastern deathtraps): money, children, marriage, class distinction, etc.

It took me about 10 pages to get into Siobhan Fallon’s writing rhythm, but after I did it became comfortable, enjoyable, and sprinkled with ‘aha’ and ‘wow’ moments. And I should add that although I was a little surprised at the commonality of the issues that created tension in the book, I was also fascinated by the context (military life), so that aspect of the book wasn’t lost on me.

My sister’s husband was career military and several of my summers were spent with them on military bases, so I was somewhat familiar with that lifestyle (very self-contained, separate, like a community).  But I didn’t get much insight into the strain created by spouses being exposed to combat, injury, and death. I guess we all worry about our loved ones’ safety, but I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the concept of my hubby, son or daughter in daily extreme danger. Siobhan Fallon’s book didn’t enhance my imagination in that direction, but then I don’t think that was her intent. I think she really just wanted to show how everyday life looks like in military families, and she did that very well.