First published 2015
Elizabeth Alexander's husband dies without warning, leaving her to navigate sudden widowhood while raising two teenage sons. She draws on her background as a poet to process the shock and grief that follow this devastating loss. Alexander examines her marriage, recalling moments of joy and connection that now feel both precious and painful. She struggles to find meaning in her new reality while caring for her boys, who are also mourning their father. The memoir follows her journey from the initial trauma through the slow work of rebuilding her sense of purpose. Alexander discovers that love, family, art, and community provide anchors during this period of upheaval. She transforms her very personal experience of loss into reflections that speak to universal questions about mortality and resilience. The book becomes both a tribute to her late husband and an exploration of how people survive devastating change.
Genres: literary-fiction, family-life, grief, contemporary, memoir, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, grief, personal-journey
209 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing