First published 2008
Kelly Corrigan begins her memoir by declaring herself George Corrigan's daughter, his only daughter. Her father looms large as a cheerful, spirited man who once played all-American lacrosse and now works in advertising while coaching on the side. Kelly basks in his reflected light, drawing strength from his can-do attitude. When doctors diagnose her with breast cancer as a young mother, she leans on her father's pluck and determination. The treatment will cure her but end her ability to have more children, crushing her dreams of a large family. Though she writes about her husband, daughters, mother, and brothers, her father's love anchors her world. Then George receives his own cancer diagnosis. Kelly must confront not only her mortality but his as well. At this lowest point, she begins emerging as her own person, a survivor who stands as wife and mother in her own right. Still, she remains forever her father's daughter.
Genres: memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, personal-growth
272 pages · Hardcover · Voice
Content warnings: infertility, terminal-illness