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jooniperd's review against another edition
5.0
sometimes you read a book and it becomes something you connect with so personally and deeply that it becomes nearly impossible to detach from it to assess or review it constructively. that happened with this amazing book by iain reid. but, i have thought about it overnight and i think - my personal attachment aside - the strength of reid's writing, the flow of the story and his ability to make us care about what he and his grandma are up to make this book totally worth its 5-star rating. his grandma and my grandma are very similar women. both were born in scotland (mine in 1917). both lived through two wars and the depression and both worked most of their lives. as well, both women are very smart people. so, in reading reid's book, it was like having my grandma here with me again. there were moments in the book that had me laughing so hard, tears streamed down my face and my stomach hurt. there were other, quieter moments, that were beautiful and heartfelt. i am glad reid - encouraged by his brother jimmy - went with the idea of giving his grandmother his time as a birthday gift. they spent five days together talking, eating and learning things they hadn't previously known.
i have been on this trend lately of reading books with older people featuring as main characters - here, reid's grandma is 92; earlier this week i read a novel, [b:Up and Down|13530979|Up and Down|Terry Fallis|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1336588099s/13530979.jpg|19092647] that has a 71yo protagonist. [b:The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared|16036214|The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared|Jonas Jonasson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348106212s/16036214.jpg|10365993], which i read a few months ago, was a hoot. [b:The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry|13531083|The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry|Rachel Joyce|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335366150s/13531083.jpg|18156927] and [b:Major Pettigrew's Last Stand|6643090|Major Pettigrew's Last Stand|Helen Simonson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320539020s/6643090.jpg|6837577] also feature characters of retirement age. given our trend towards an aging population, perhaps this is the new thing in publishing? if it is -- i am a big fan. we have a lot to learn and we take a lot for granted. hearing about the experiences of older generations should smarten us up and help us realize that older doesn't mean already dead. i remember talking with my own grandma about how when people get old, they often get forgotten. she used to tell me how lucky she felt to have her family around her and i used to feel really sad thinking about those who either have no one or have people who choose to stay away. my grandmother, in her 80s, had more energy and more of a social life than i have ever had and i really hope to live as excellent a life as she did.
so, i thank reid for his wonderful book but also for the fact that his book allowed me time to remember my own grandmother and the shenanigans we got up to together. that is a great gift indeed!
i have been on this trend lately of reading books with older people featuring as main characters - here, reid's grandma is 92; earlier this week i read a novel, [b:Up and Down|13530979|Up and Down|Terry Fallis|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1336588099s/13530979.jpg|19092647] that has a 71yo protagonist. [b:The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared|16036214|The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared|Jonas Jonasson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348106212s/16036214.jpg|10365993], which i read a few months ago, was a hoot. [b:The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry|13531083|The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry|Rachel Joyce|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335366150s/13531083.jpg|18156927] and [b:Major Pettigrew's Last Stand|6643090|Major Pettigrew's Last Stand|Helen Simonson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320539020s/6643090.jpg|6837577] also feature characters of retirement age. given our trend towards an aging population, perhaps this is the new thing in publishing? if it is -- i am a big fan. we have a lot to learn and we take a lot for granted. hearing about the experiences of older generations should smarten us up and help us realize that older doesn't mean already dead. i remember talking with my own grandma about how when people get old, they often get forgotten. she used to tell me how lucky she felt to have her family around her and i used to feel really sad thinking about those who either have no one or have people who choose to stay away. my grandmother, in her 80s, had more energy and more of a social life than i have ever had and i really hope to live as excellent a life as she did.
so, i thank reid for his wonderful book but also for the fact that his book allowed me time to remember my own grandmother and the shenanigans we got up to together. that is a great gift indeed!
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