A Three Dog Life

A Three Dog LifebyAbigail Thomas5/5 Stars

From the Publisher: When Abigail Thomas’s husband, Rich, was hit by a car, his skull was shattered, his brain severely damaged. Subject to rages, terrors, and hallucinations, he was sent to live in a nursing facility that specializes in treating traumatic brain injuries. He had no memory of what he did the hour, the day, the year before. This tragedy is the ground on which Abigail had to build a new life. How she built that life is a story of great courage and change, of moving to a small country town, of a new family composed of three dogs, knitting, and friendship, of facing down guilt and discovering gratitude.

Life is not perfect. Tragedy can strike at any minute. How do you handle it when it happens to you? Thomas faces her tragedy with grace and poise. After her husband is injured in a horrific accident, Thomas begins the seemingly unending cycle of hospitals, doctors, and emergency calls. Eventually, Thomas realizes that, while Rich’s life may remain in a state of limbo, her life must go on. She manages to find a balance between the wife she continues to be, and the woman who must now find meaning in her life -- on her own terms. She finds comfort with friends, family, and above all else her dogs. This is truly a story of love, loss, and ultimately – healing.

I applaud Thomas for her ability to stand by her husband under such devastating circumstances. Her memoir is honest and thought provoking -- sharing her feelings of fear, self-reproach, and even happiness. Her love for Rich is evident in her writing. A Three Dog Life is a true love story and a joy to read.


These bloggers have also reviewed A Three Dog Life:

What's Sarah Reading
Across Time and Space
Reading Notes

Autobiography of a Face

Autobiography of a FacebyLucy Grealy4/5 Stars
From the Publisher: It took Lucy twenty years of living with a distorted self-image and more than thirty reconstructive procedures before she could come to terms with her appearance after childhood surgery left her jaw disfigured. As a young girl she absorbed the searing pain of peer rejection and the guilty pleasures of wanting to be special. Later she internalized the paralyzing fear of never being loved. Heroically and poignantly, she learned to define herself from the inside out.

Grealy was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma at the age of nine. From then on, her life was divided into two parts before and after cancer. After the surgery to remove half her jaw, Grealy spent over two years enduring weekly chemotherapy treatments. When she was finally declared 'healthy', Grealy returned to the sixth grade -- only to be met with scorn and cruelty from her classmates.

Her story is written clearly and concisely. She is unerringly honest about how her disease affected her family, her developing personality, and those around her. As the reader follows her through years of skin and bone grafts, she witnesses her need for acceptance from others and her gradual acceptance of herself.

I was particularly struck by Grealy's need to be 'strong.' She is constantly reminded not to cry and to never show fear. This begins Grealy's quest to be the model patient. I am amazed that this small child was able to internalize and minimize her emotions, suffering, and considerable pain. To me, she seemed like an adult soul in a child's body.

I recommend Autobiography of a Face -- it is a moving and meaningful read.

The Mistress's Daughter

The Mistress’s Daughter
by
A. M. Homes
3.5/5 Stars

A. M. Homes always knew she was adopted. She spent her life trying to discover where she ‘fit in’. When Homes was 31, her biological mother contacted her. This is the story of Homes’ struggle with her identity, as well as her attempts to connect with her birth parents.

While reading this book, I was struck by just how honest Homes is about her thoughts and feelings. The basic story of her adoption is what captures your attention, but it is her powerful story telling that keeps the tale interesting. From her account of meeting her father for the first time, to conversations with her mother, and finally her search for a genealogical identity – Homes pulls you along with her on this important journey.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
by
Jean-Dominique Bauby
5/5 Stars

Jean-Dominique Bauby is a victim of 'Locked-In Syndrome." At the age of 43, he suffered a massive stroke that left him unable to move or speak. His only means of communication -- his left eyelid. Bauby spent weeks painstakingly dictating this memoir -- letter by letter.

I read this book in one sitting, it was that captivating. Through short vignettes, Bauby manages to describe the minute intimacies of his life in astonishing detail. From his first experience in a wheelchair, to bath-time, and finally through the development of his communication 'code' - Bauby's emotions touch on both anger and sadness without becomings desperate or hopeless.

There are also times of hope and, ultimately, love -- when he describes the visits of his children or memories of this father. Throughout the book, I was struck by Bauby's ability to be thankful for small things -- the ability to move his limbs a fraction of an inch, sitting in the Cinecitta, and the the ability of his mind to fly away like a butterfly.

It is not until the end of the book that Bauby describes his last day as a 'perfectly functioning earthling.' This most important day in his life is detailed with very little emotion. This makes the catastrophic details all the more haunting.

This is one the most poignant memoirs that I have ever read, and one of my favorite books of 2008.

Desert Flower

Desert Flower by
Waris Dirie
4.5/5 Stars

Desert Flower is as an excellent introduction to the nomadic culture of the Somali desert. Somalia, as described by Dirie, is a beautiful and dangerous place. The people who inhabit the desert must use all their strength to create a life using only sand and the little water that can be found. It is this strength that enabled Dirie to survive female genital mutilation, her flight across the desert to avoid an arranged marriage, living as a servant in England, and finally achieving success as a model.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, finding it to be easy to read and well-written. Dirie manages to describe the more intimate events in her life with just enough detail to get her point across. She is factual, but not over the top. I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Desert Dawn.

The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle by
Jeanette Walls
5/5 Stars

The Glass Castle is the moving portrait of a broken family. The Walls family is constantly on the move, from the deserts of Arizona to the hills of West Virginia, with no apparent rhyme or reason.

Both parents seem more focused on themselves than their family. The cabinets are always empty, the house cold, and the children left to fend for themselves. Walls eventually manages to escape the confines of her family and find a home in New York.

I have to say that, although I enjoyed reading The Glass Castle, I found it to be very disturbing. As a mother myself, I found it difficult view a dysfunctional family, from a child’s point of view. I have to tell you that there were times when I found myself yelling (out loud) at that mother, kind of like my husband when he's watching a football game.

In the end, Walls and her siblings begin their own lives and learn to accept the living conditions their parents have chosen. While no one’s childhood is perfect, this book is a dramatic glimpse into circumstances that few of us will ever have to experience.