Earlier in the book the author speaks of his ability to stop reading a book 15 pages before the end and then throw it across the living room to never pick it up again. I should have taken the author's advice. I thoroughly enjoyed the discussions about telling stories to children and the mini-bios of his grandparents. But it seems like the author felt satisfied to illustrate "death by living" without ever defining it or telling what it means. The author is intentionally provocative, trying more often to shock the reader than to say something of substance. The author jumps back and forth between so many subjects that there is no development of his supposed thesis at all. What's the hype all about? His father's Joy at The End of the Tether was infinitely more helpful treatment of similar themes. Nothing to see here. Move along. He is an entertaining author, but I didn't read this to be entertained. Biggest disappointment of the year for me. Commence lynching now.... With only his second non-fiction book, Wilson has quickly become one of my favorite living authors. A poet at heart, Wilson challenges us to reconsider life and death. Weaving lovely tales of ordinary life with his wife and children with heart-wrenching remembrances of his grandparents alongside philosophical reflections in a book that will cause you to chuckle on one page and tear up on the next. Read this book because it will call you to the carpet for your lack of courage. Read it because it will turn your eyes to the gifts that surround you daily. Read it because it will challenge the way you think about death. And about life.
"Notes From the Tilt-a-Whirl" was good but this one far surpassed it.
—Kimmie
Meh... I'm more curious to read his children's book to my kids...
—britt
Great follow up to tilt-a-whirl. Lots of quotables!
—Rox
Part memoir, part philosophy, excellent read.
—themo
