First published 2015
Abigail Thomas faces the aftermath of her husband's devastating death. She must navigate the slow process of grief while confronting new challenges that pile up around her. Her daughter receives a serious medical diagnosis. Her beloved dog dies. She questions whether life has meaning without her old rituals, like three cocktails before dinner. Through it all, Thomas relies on a platonic friendship that began thirty five years ago. This bond with one man has survived marriages, child rearing, and countless tragedies. When Thomas tries to paint an ocean on glass and fails, she discovers something unexpected. She paints a forest instead, turns it over, scrapes the surface, and finds the ocean she was looking for. The memoir follows Thomas as she builds a new existence. She lives mostly alone now but stays connected to her children, grandchildren, dogs, and occasional suitors. Her longtime best friend remains her anchor. Thomas examines how to accept what comes next and find ways to appreciate it.
Genres: grief, autobiography, memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
240 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: death