Scan barcode
amandae129's review against another edition
5.0
A brilliant look at a book club and dealing with loss, getting older, and change. One of my favorite books that came out in 2017.
hatrireads's review against another edition
3.0
I loved this book. A New Orleans memoir framed with a monthly existential reading group gatherings. The esoteric reading selections lead to exploration of her large New Orleans family. Gisleson finds a path for facing her own losses and grief.
karijohnson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
zellm's review against another edition
2.0
Heavy on philosophy. I admit I felt a little lost, but I may not be the target audience. I enjoyed the memoir sections spurred by the readings more than I enjoyed the discussions of the readings themselves. Heavier that what I usually read, and a little bit of a struggle to get through at times, although other parts were wonderful and compelling. The discussions of suicide, the twins, death row inmates, were all highlights for me in searching for meaning in this book.
shmagenls88's review against another edition
2.0
I will keep this book on my shelf for a second go round, but only after I do more study in existentialism. Gisleson's story of repeated heartbreaking loss is very personal and she tells her family history beautifully, but I was lost on the weighty pieces of literature cited, although often quoted. it was also often difficult to emotional relate to her healing process and the way she expressed herself as the child of a prominent lawyer and member of an affluent family. She often overindulged in her own story, making others perception of people and events around her much more than they actually were. She came off as pretentious.
This is a pretty deep and heavy book, much more so than I typically read. I wanted to give it there stars, but for the average reader I feel like that would be a misrepresentation. Although, two stars could be a misrepresentation on my part due to the complexity of her subject matter.
This is a pretty deep and heavy book, much more so than I typically read. I wanted to give it there stars, but for the average reader I feel like that would be a misrepresentation. Although, two stars could be a misrepresentation on my part due to the complexity of her subject matter.
kgraham10's review against another edition
1.0
Boring, repetitive.
Performative virtuosity. Lots of big words to describe her fancy reading club. To show off what intellectual stuff they were reading. But I felt none of the depth of emotion that Sherman Alexie's recent memoir or Hunger by Roxane Gay were able to evoke.
Performative virtuosity. Lots of big words to describe her fancy reading club. To show off what intellectual stuff they were reading. But I felt none of the depth of emotion that Sherman Alexie's recent memoir or Hunger by Roxane Gay were able to evoke.
clovemorris's review against another edition
5.0
It's interesting reading peoples' reviews of this book as a memoir or philosophical treatise on Existentialism... I picked up this book at the library after a keyword search of "Grief" after losing my father and it has been a truly wonderful companion and a beautiful reckoning with grief.
As she honors all kinds of loss and trauma, the book examines the paradigm of endings giving way to beginnings, death to life. She artfully avoids offering answers while still providing poignant insights, ending with the value of "the search" of the individual, pursued as part of a community.
I will say that the marketing on the book is confusing though--there seems to be an unclear expectation of exactly what genre this is intended to for, and even the title is a misnomer as it's HER journey, not the group's.
Regardless, I've recommended this to many people in my life experiencing loss and anticipate making a project of rereading it in correlation with the listed ECRG readings. If Gisleson comes out with any more books, I'd pick them up.
Mostly though, I just want to meet her mom.
Reread January 2022. It's still just as good.
As she honors all kinds of loss and trauma, the book examines the paradigm of endings giving way to beginnings, death to life. She artfully avoids offering answers while still providing poignant insights, ending with the value of "the search" of the individual, pursued as part of a community.
I will say that the marketing on the book is confusing though--there seems to be an unclear expectation of exactly what genre this is intended to for, and even the title is a misnomer as it's HER journey, not the group's.
Regardless, I've recommended this to many people in my life experiencing loss and anticipate making a project of rereading it in correlation with the listed ECRG readings. If Gisleson comes out with any more books, I'd pick them up.
Mostly though, I just want to meet her mom.
Reread January 2022. It's still just as good.
hollymay35's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Suicide
an_enthusiastic_reader's review against another edition
5.0
I'm giving this memoir five stars, not because it is perfectly written, but because it is so well-considered by the author and because for me it's the right book for our perilous and uncertain time. If ever there's a need for community and doubt and an exploration of the Tragic vs. Trivial planes of existence, it's now.
The memoir covers a single year, 2012, of monthly meetings for contemplating works of art that question our purpose. Woven into analysis of the works that were chosen is the story of Gisleon's family history: her challenging and larger than life father and all his contradictions, the elision of her mother from hard truths about family secrets, and her tragic sisters' early and self-chosen deaths. It seems at the beginning like this might be superficial, but it's anything but. I felt a connection to the stories and the primal need for community that comes through deliberative acts of wanting to learn more. New Orleans and the catastrophic Katrina also play a major role in this memoir, brought more to light and to bear by the hurricane in Houston.
I would like more people to read this book.
The memoir covers a single year, 2012, of monthly meetings for contemplating works of art that question our purpose. Woven into analysis of the works that were chosen is the story of Gisleon's family history: her challenging and larger than life father and all his contradictions, the elision of her mother from hard truths about family secrets, and her tragic sisters' early and self-chosen deaths. It seems at the beginning like this might be superficial, but it's anything but. I felt a connection to the stories and the primal need for community that comes through deliberative acts of wanting to learn more. New Orleans and the catastrophic Katrina also play a major role in this memoir, brought more to light and to bear by the hurricane in Houston.
I would like more people to read this book.