Welcome to Litsy!

The author‘s husband dies unexpectedly and too soon. Their young son finds him in his last moments. And his beloved wife, now a widow, processes these events and figures out how to go on alone. Yup, super emotional. And absolutely beautifully written. Alexander is a poet and professor. She knows the craft of writing. And it shows. Loved every word of this!

Full review https://www.TheBibliophage.com #thebibliophage2022 #booked2022 #includesarecipe

• ModernMrsDarcy.com #MMD book club pick for March 2022 #MMDBookClub

I was pretty sure that I didn‘t like poetry. I guess the real problem was that I hadn‘t found the right poet for me. Well, Elizabeth Alexander just touched my heart with her words in unimaginable ways.

In The Light of the World, Elizabeth Alexander finds herself at an existential crossroads after the sudden death of her husband.

This poetic memoir on grief reminded me of From Scratch. Both women lost their husbands at a young age & dealt w/different cultural backgrounds in their relationships. This one was missing the passion for cooking, but includes a celebration of the small joys in life. It‘s heartbreaking these women had such similar stories.

“For those were the years of amorous love & its fulsome expressions which sustain us through the winter months of marriage.”

#3books #thatmademecry

“Each of us is infinite.”

“...languages are epistemologies as well as human bridges.”

It took me a moment to figure out what I consider #comfortreads and it dawned on me that in some strange way #memoirs are my go-to comfort reads. I think reading about other people going through their particular circumstances and persevering comforts me. The tagged book was an exceptional memoir from the poet recalling the time in her life immediately after her husband dies unexpectedly.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

#anditsaugust @RealLifeReading

I hope no one is fooled by my competence. The waters of sorrow continue to wash and wash.

Completely engrossed in this book right now. A beautifully moving and heart-wrenching tribute to the author's late husband. How lucky that she was one of the ones among us to really find her 'other'. We should all be so lucky.....💜

In this deeply moving and lyrical memoir the poet Elizabeth Alexander sifts through the images and sounds, tastes, scents, and touches of the life lost when her beloved husband Ficre suddenly dies from a massive heart attack. It is a powerful representation of their love. I felt privileged to have a seat at Alexander‘s family table, and to view the colors and shapes that form when love comes to stay and life is lived in its perpetual glow.

"Don't ever let anyone guilt-trip you, or tamper with what you know of your sacred love." I consider those words to live by.

This jumped the line--or should I say stack?--of my to-read list. I meant to check out a bit of it but now can't stop. Gripping, poignant already.

Elizabeth Alexander's prose is poetic as she describes her life with her husband and her life after he dies suddenly at age 50. I feel like my words couldn't even begin to do it justice.

It's a race against the clock to get some reading in before my eyes finish dilating.

This was a lovely and bittersweet memoir about the death of the author's husband and her courage to move on with her two children. Her love for him and their life together is apparent in every page.

This book has opened my soul and broken my heart and made me breathe deeply in gratitude. Elizabeth Alexander is a poet, and her lyricism is rich & lavish & deeply, satisfyingly felt. She takes her time; I savored every page.

"I feel certain I can wait forever for him to come back. I leave the light on in the living room. The one that faces the street. If I am patient, he will come back... he would have waited forever for me."

Such a lush heartbreaking memoir of her husband's life and death. The whole book could be quoted but I chose her bookstore memory to highlight. #bookstores #bookstoresofLitsy

The Light of the World is such a moving memoir: bittersweet, wise, magical, delicious, and rich in cultural goodness. After hearing Elizabeth Alexander speak about it today, as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival, I'm going to read it, again. #memorablememoirs #memoir #art #painting #lovestories #elizabethalexander #authorevents

My haul from 2 Northampton bookstores! A lovely day trip to walk, drink coffee, peruse books , & buy cider, apples & cider donuts. 📚🍎☕️#bookstorehappy#readeverydayeverywhere#
#coffeeandbooks

Hoping this distracts me from the kid kicking the seat behind me.

#whitespines #augustofpages #augustphotochallange

When you have been casually walking by a book that has been sitting on your table for a month and then have the realization today that the painting on the cover was done by the author's late husband - the man who the entire book is about - and you have to take a moment and wonder how you missed that until now. #lifeisinthedetails

I had started this book a month ago while on vacation but put it down because it was making me sad. Picked it back up this morning. Just go buy this because Elizabeth Alexander is amazing ❤️ I'm a better person for having read this.

Sad and lovely.

About to start this one. Prepared to cry.

Just realized I don't have any Kleenex on hand for this 😥

Such a touching memoir, remembering her husband who died suddenly, yet lived an incredible life. It's also a beautiful love story.

"When we met those many years ago, I let everything happen to me, and it was beauty."

This may be one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Elizabeth Alexander's love story made me weep at times and, at others, made me completely furious. I couldn't love this book more.

"I never once doubted him, because that is how me made me feel. So I walk forward knowing I was loved, and therefore am loved."

I keep having to read parts of this book out loud because the language is so beautiful and poetic.