First published 1979
The protagonist faces a terminal diagnosis that forces her to examine the relationships and choices that have shaped her life. She navigates conversations with family members who struggle to accept her condition while she works to find peace with her approaching death. Her husband retreats into denial and anger, while her adult children each respond differently to the news. She reflects on missed opportunities and unspoken truths as she attempts to prepare those she loves for life without her. The story follows her through medical appointments, difficult family dinners, and quiet moments of reckoning. She discovers that learning to die means learning what truly matters in the time that remains. The novel explores how facing death can illuminate the beauty and pain of ordinary human connections.
Genres: literary-fiction, medical, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-dynamics, personal-growth
28 pages · Paperback · Three Rivers Pr
Content warnings: death, terminal-illness