Gail Konop Baker

I was initially interested in this book because my mom was recovering from a biopsy at the time that I saw it on the LT Member Giveaway list and I was looking for something that would help me understand what she was going through and maybe help me get a sense of what I could do to help her.

After the first few chapters, however, I was convinced that I’d made a mistake and was dreading having to read several hundred pages of self pity and angry ranting. Then, something clicked and I found myself unable to put the book down. I finished it in one weekend and immediately looked Konop Baker up online to see how she’s doing now.

The majority of the book deals with the aftermath of the surgery she has to remove cancerous lumps in one of her breasts. In between checkups and second opinions, Konop Baker reflects on various aspects of her life: her family, her marriage, her neighbours, and how they would all exist without her. Always honest and often funny, I couldn’t help but feel for her and be moved by her experience. She does a great job conveying how complicated relationships can be, not to mention life itself.

Overall: a funny, thoughtful, moving read. Not exactly light, but not too heavy either.… (plus d'informations)

I consider myself to be extremely lucky in the fact that breast cancer has not directly affected anyone very close in my life. That said, my interest was piqued in this book as I am a secretive voyeur into the lives of other people and could only imagine what you experience when given a cancer diagnosis. Ms. Baker's personal narrative allows you to explore with her the tremendous gambit of emotions and reactions she has to not only her diagnosis and treatment, but her retrospective look at her life and her contemplations of the future. I appreciated her delving look into herself, although I have to admit that I sometimes found it depressing. Perhaps I would have been more appreciative of the bleak parts if I felt more of a personal connection with her.… (plus d'informations)