Welcome to Litsy!

A sweet look at the end of life and a woman I would have loved to meet. #HauntedShelf #BlackCatCrew #TBR #Recommend @PuddleJumper @BookwormAHN

A quietly lovely experience. It's clear how much the author loves not just the idea of his mother, but spending time with her, and witnessing with pride her efforts and accomplishments. Wonderful to see two people communicate with and about books, to hear the author reflect on and report his mother's thoughts on books. 1/?

This is a heart warming book that‘s about several things. One woman and how she touched the lives of everyone around her, the difference she made in the world, always striving to be of service to others. The relationship she had with her son, her love of books and how she took what she learned from them and applied it to her being. And finally, how she chose to face death and did the things she loved until her final moments. Recommended.

She never wavered in her conviction that books are the most powerful tool in the human arsenal, that reading all kinds of books, in whatever format you choose—electronic (even though that wasn‘t for her) or printed, or audio—is the grandest entertainment, and also is how you take part in the human conversation.Mom taught me that you can make a difference in the world and that books really do matter: they‘re how we know what we need to do in life⬇️

Will‘s 70+ yo mom is treated for hepatitis, but never quite feels like herself again… the hepatitis masked the stage 4 pancreatic cancer she had. Will decided to begin a book club just for the 2 of them. This is their story ❤️

#RushAThon Day 5 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES

Open to those who signed up for #book2book with @AllDebooks

Comment below if you‘d like to take this one home. If multiple folks are interested I‘ll draw a random number. I‘m in the US.

@CSeydel @Bookish_Gal @LiteraryinLawrence @Chrissyreadit @Clwojick @Cuilin @bcncookbookclub @Tineke @julieclair @Catsandbooks @TheAromaofBooks @BookwormAHN @Lizpixie @KateReadsYA @TheBookHippie @dabbe

Books were an important topic in my relationship with my mom, and I always enjoy learning about other peoples book journeys so this was a good read. I loved the author‘s relationship with his mom and while a lot of the books talked about aren‘t typically high on my want to read list there were a couple I did note down for future reading.

I‘m re-reading this beloved favorite and it is such a beautiful book. A wonderful tribute to his mother and the books they shared.

My March #bookspin was inspirational, and sad. The author and his mother, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, spend the almost two years before her death reading, and talking about books and life. Really a lovely memorial to a life well-lived, family, faith and the many joys of reading. @TheAromaofBooks

Starting this Non Fiction! Sounded so fun uet very heart wrenching.
@kmiller20

I was gifted this book by a good friend. It tells the true story of a man and his mother (who has pancreatic cancer) forming a bookclub between the two of them whilst they wait in Doctors rooms. The author‘s mum Mary Anne Schwalbe is an inspirational lady who did a lot of good in the world. I did chuckle though as she reads the end of every book first, my sister in law does this! 🤦🏼‍♀️

I bought scrapbooking paper from a lady off Facebook marketplace and wound up picking it up as part of an estate sale. My first estate sale..... there were lots of bookcases and I was suddenly so sad.....my family aren‘t readers like I am. I suddenly realized I need to read my back lists and re-home them to not be a burden on my family. Then I was sad because the of the idea of books as burdens. The thoughts we have sometimes.

Mom taught me not to look away from the worst but to believe that we can all do better. She never wavered in her conviction that books are the most powerful tool in the human arsenal, that reading all kinds of books, in whatever format you choose - electronic (even though that wasn't for her) or printed, or audio - is the grandest entertainment, and also is how you take part in human conversation.

Mom had always taught all of us to examine decisions by reversibility--that is, to hedge our bets. When you couldn't decide between two things, she suggested you choose the one that allowed you to change course if necessary. Not the road less traveled but the road with the exit ramp.

Of course you could do more - you can always do more, and you should do more - but still, the important things is to do what you can, whenever you can. You just do your best, and that's all you can do. Too many people use the excuse that they don't think they can do enough, so they decide they don't have to to do anything. There's never a good excuse for not doing anything - even if it's just to sign something, or send a small contribution...

We all owe everyone for everything that happens in our lives. But it's not owing like a debt to one person...Our whole lives can change in an instant--so each person that keeps that from happening, no matter how small a role they play, is also responsible for all of it. Just by giving friendship and love, you keep the people around you from giving up--and each expression of friendship or love may be the one that makes all the difference.

One of the many things I love about bound books is their sheer physicality. Electronic books live out of sight and out of mind. But printed books have body, presence. ... I often seek electronic books, but they never come after me. They may make me feel, but I can't feel them. They are all soul with no flesh, no texture, and no weight.

When Mr. Schwalbe and his beautiful, hardworking mother found out she had a treatable, yet incurable pancreatic cancer, they started a book club. The books they chose to share were old favorites, hopeful books on death, and anything else that struck their fancy.

I fell in love with Mary Ann. She worked tirelessly on a mobile library in Afghanistan and her refugee work while she was slowly losing her energy. She became one of my heroes.

Read for #booked2020 for #parentchildmemoir
This is Will‘s story of the 2-person bookclub that came about, as he sat in doctor‘s waiting rooms, and accompanied his mum on her chemo sessions, as she fights stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Mary Anne is an inspiration, both in what she did with her life, how kind and warm she is, and the way she deals with her fight with such grace. (continued below ⬇️).....

#weeklyforecast

In progress....
- The Line of beauty is my pick for #readwithmrbook , recommended by a friend at work, and so far it‘s great! Not sure I‘ll finish it this week though, as it‘s dense and long!
- Halfway through this audio parent/child memoir for #booked2020 and its sad but also uplifting.

Next Up...
- Everything is Illuminated for #booked2020
- The Queen of Bloody Everything for #bookspin .... I just love this title! 💕😊

Usually, I don't like books about books, but this one is different. It shows us how books can help us overcoming hard and difficult times. It also deals with serious illness in the family. Therefore it's a deep and meaningful book.

Even though February meant a lot of stress and trauma to me, I still managed to finish all my planned books. That still makes 36 books, 3 of those were audio books (not including an abdriged children's audio book). TBR got reduced by 8 📖

I'm enjoying this one, and it's been on my list forever.
#Overdrive #audiobook

Can‘t believe it‘s #TheEnd of October 🎃Thanks to my fabulous cohost @CrowCAH for providing us with a month of #SoaringScores 🎼 I read the tagged book years ago and it really left an indelible impression on me. A simple question, “what are you currently reading?” leads to an unforgettable experience for both a dying mom and her adult son. #InfiniteTissueRead

Please join me tomorrow for #MOVember ~ a musical tribute to Madonna ❤️🎤

An inspiring read, with great book recs.
Plus a pic of my feline friends, I have two extroverts and two introverts.

Super excited for this #Scarathlon. I have a stack of books waiting. #TeamSlaughter @Clwojick @TheReadingMermaid

❤

YES!!

#becauseofLitsy I have had this book on a to read list for a while. Last week it went on sale, so I picked it up. .

#kindledeal #kindledeals #ebooksale

Disclaimer - I listened to the audiobook. A beautiful memoir of a son and his mother as they read their way through the trials and hardship of cancer treatments. I will be buying this book to read again, and to highlight and note the vast list of books discussed.

We got home today to find a wonderful and unexpected gift from @Crazeedi Thank you, dear friend, for this beautiful surprise. I don‘t have either of these. Excited to read both. And I need to write a long letter-so much to talk about. Thanks again 😘

This was a book lover‘s book - good discussion about great books. It‘s also a book for anyone who loves their parents - the author‘s mother has cancer and her time is limited. Reflections on books and life. Charming.

Currently reading this for my f2f bookclub. It's a reread for me. I liked it better the first time. He does have a follow-up book which I might read.

Reading with breakfast at LAX this morning. Very happy to be on my way to Hawaii to visit my daughter!

What should I read next?
Just downloaded these four books on my kindle after deciding to bail on my last book. Any recommendations?

So my husband gave this to me last year for my birthday and I was turned off by the title (I know, don‘t judge a book by its cover) but I have finally read it - and I love it! What a treasure trove of new books to read with a lovely story about an amazing woman/mother at the end of her life as told by her son. A lasting memoir of a life well lived.

A memoir of the author and his mother, who started a “book club” at first to wile away the time during her chemotherapy treatments for pancreatic cancer. Over the two years until her death, the "club" brings them closer together as they carry on conversations both wide-ranging and deeply personal, prompted by an eclectic array of books and their shared passion for reading.

#NoFemmeber #NonFictionNovember A beautiful story of #UnconditionalLove between a remarkable woman whose life is coming to a close, and a young man becoming closer to his mom than ever before. And their shared connection for a love of literature that binds them.

A lovely book not only of the relationship between a mother and son, but also of why books are so important and why they matter so much to so many.
#nonfiction2018

We all have a lot more to read than we can read and a lot more to do than we can do.
Photo by Florencia Viadana on Unsplash

My October #TBR, plus 2 books on my #kindle, Practical Magic and Pride and Prometheus.

Very nice. A strong example about how books can bring people together under difficult circumstances while also exploring the parent child relationship.

"Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death."

My book journal wrap-up for June!

This was a pretty good month for reading, in addition to the 6 I finished, there are several more I started and am still working on. I also participated in the #Riotgrams and #HeyJune photo challenges (the chart on the side tracks my posts - X means I did posted that day). I didn‘t do a good job of posting reviews, though, but you can see my GR star ratings next to the titles.

I have not completed a reading challenge in a long time due to a demanding job and a reading slump so I am happy I finished the #8intwo!

We visited the art gallery and of course I had to pop into the bookstore.