Bestselling author Anne Roiphe offers a poignant memoir of a journey that no one is prepared for: widowhood. Weaving between heartbreaking memories of her marriage and the pressing needs of her new day-to-day routine, Roiphe constructs an elegant literary pastiche, not of grief but of renewal. She begins her memoir just as the shock of her husband’s death has begun to wear off and writes her way into the then unknown world of life after love. In beautifully wrought vignettes, Roiphe captures the infinite number of “firsts” that lie ahead, from hailing a cab to locking and unlocking the door, to answering responses to a singles ad placed by her daughter.
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"depressing to be sure, yet the author is good at staring down the hard parts of this experience and describing them as she experiences them, in all their contradictions. Makes you grateful for what you have, and realize, once again, that the loss of a spouse or partner is practically unbearable."
— Anna (4 out of 5 stars)
“In poignant flashes of everyday moments and memories, Roiphe tells an unflinching and unsentimental story of widowhood’s stupefying disquiet, of surviving love and living on.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Lorna Raver captures the tone of one who is bewildered by all that has happened but who is trying to persevere against irreconcilable feelings of loss. Raver preserves the sense of vulnerability and bravado in Roiphe’s attempts to convince herself that she should undertake a new relationship to dull her loneliness. Raver contrasts Roiphe’s sense of fragility at being left alone with her fortitude in moving forward, in hopes of feeling less haunted by her husband’s memory.”
— AudioFile“Radiates with raw emotion and is both painful to read and terrifying to consider...No one can really prepare a woman for this passage in life, but Roiphe’s luminous memoir is a beacon of help and, ultimately, hope.”
— Booklist“[A] moving memoir.”
— BookPage" This is a very interesting, sensitive, well-written memoir of a woman trying to move on after losing her husband of many years. Very eloquent, sometimes bleak, but if you've ever wondered about the experience of widowhood this is your book... "
— Carol, 2/20/2014" I found it a bit hard to believe that the author doesn't know how to turn the doorkey in the lock of the front door of the apartment she has owned for years. I understand that her husband did many things for her, but she never unlocked the door? There were many such moments of disbelief for me as I read this book. I wanted to like it, but felt that the author was making a concerted effort to make her readers feel sorry for her. But I didn't. The whole "I had to advertise on match.com and all I got were weirdos," was so false. I felt so sorry for the men she interviewed like they were at a job interview rather than on a first date. "
— Katharine, 2/10/2014" The writing style took some getting used to...snippets, which sometimes felt disjointed, but (no doubt) that was the point, showing how the newly widowed character felt. (Her husband "H." had died.) Characters in the story were initials, no names. Interesting to read and see how she progresses through the year. "
— Linda, 2/10/2014" A very sad topic but a very lovely book. "
— Megan, 2/6/2014" Although somewhat repetitive, the writing in this book makes it worth reading. Honesty, from the heart, comes forth as author goes through her first year of widowhood. "
— Sonja, 2/4/2014" A painfully honest chronicle of the period after the death of the author's husband. She tries to find a new pattern and meaning in her life. A glimpse into the world of over seventy online matchups. Should one take a chance on starting a relationship with an 89 year old man? "
— Florence, 1/31/2014" I only have one thing in common w/ the NYC, Jewish feminist, but I identified w/ her strongly. This was also the only book I really have read regarding the grief from the lose of your spouse. I kind of zoned out on some of the introspection, but enjoyed when she talked about the day to day living. And I love her honesty about what she hopes she can bring herself to do when it all gets to be too much. The first dating experience w/ the pawing 70 yr old was hilarious, but after awhile she spends too much time on her experiences in online contacts and possible dating. "
— Steve, 12/20/2013" Anne is not quite 70 when her husband of 40 yrs dies. This is a memoir about the next 18 months or so. I really enjoyed her writing skill. Descriptions of emotions and sense of places were beautiful. "
— Kate, 12/18/2013" A poignant memoir by a writer whose husband of forty year dies suddenly. Very moving. "
— Stacy, 11/25/2013" Seemed like a pretty good memoir of loss and trying to find love later in life, but I just wasn't in the mood, so the library due date came up before I got interested. Might pick up again some other time. "
— Jenny, 11/1/2013" Reading this memoir made me remember to appreciate each moment with my loving partner even as age and impatience chips away at us. "
— Elizabeth, 10/29/2013" Excellent, sad, and funny. I read it in a day. It made me want to hug my husband and learn how to fix my computer without help. "
— Lindsey, 10/9/2013" Anne Roiphe could copy down the phone book and I'd love it but this is another phenomenal memoir. "
— Maureen, 1/10/2013" love her writing, her train of thought. a jewish widow deals with life after her husband's death. "
— Geralyn, 11/17/2012" I guess this is where I am..... "
— Lavanita, 6/14/2012" Life after death - or really, the only two themes that matter. "
— Kyla, 5/3/2012" Must get more of this woman's books. Smart writing. I especially want to read Up the Sandbox. Another dollar tree success! "
— Mama, 3/19/2012" Riophe's husband died recently but she hasn't. This book is a beautiful and honest look at her sadness and grief and hopes for her future as a 60 something year old woman who finds herself alone. "
— Linda, 3/15/2012" This memoir was about the year following her husband's death, navigating through life in old age. Considering dating, and being on her own when she hasn't been for so long (she is in her 70's). It was very well-written and touching. "
— Crystal, 1/11/2012" Very well-written account of emergence from grief. "
— Tina, 9/27/2011" A memoir well written, sad, and at times funny.. aging and death... "
— Deb, 8/9/2011" I felt that the author portrayed her cup as half full. It was depressing for me to hear her story. "
— Solkon, 7/23/2011" Even though I share very few life experiences with Anne Roiphe, I identified with her in this memoir in so many ways. "
— Jen, 7/14/2011" Good book - beautifully written. A bit slow at points, but I thought it was great. "
— Kate, 6/2/2011" Author writes nonfiction about the two years after her husband's death. Deals realistically with her widowhood.<br/> "
— Coralie, 5/11/2011" love her writing, her train of thought. a jewish widow deals with life after her husband's death. "
— Geralyn, 3/13/2011" Anne Roiphe could copy down the phone book and I'd love it but this is another phenomenal memoir. "
— Maureen, 2/21/2011" Good book - beautifully written. A bit slow at points, but I thought it was great. "
— Kate, 1/27/2011" Hey, I thought a memoir about widowhood after your soul mate of 40 years dies would be uplifting! <br/>Bleak and unvarnished. Also, very good. "
— Michelle, 1/9/2011" Reading this memoir made me remember to appreciate each moment with my loving partner even as age and impatience chips away at us. "
— Elizabeth, 8/1/2010" Diary-like in that the author expresses her thoughts after the death of her husband of 39 years. "
— SusanM, 6/9/2010" This is a very interesting, sensitive, well-written memoir of a woman trying to move on after losing her husband of many years. Very eloquent, sometimes bleak, but if you've ever wondered about the experience of widowhood this is your book... "
— Carol, 5/7/2010" I guess this is where I am..... "
— Lavanita, 10/26/2009" Touching memoir of author's loneliness and attempts to re-engage with life after the death of her husband. Authentically written. Lesson: treasure each moment while you have them! "
— Signora, 6/4/2009" A poignant memoir by a writer whose husband of forty year dies suddenly. Very moving. "
— Stacy, 5/5/2009" I truly enjoyed this book, sad though it was. She really captures the sadness one feels at another's death and gives voice to those feelings that can sometimes not be expressed. "
— Marjorie, 5/4/2009Anne Roiphe is the bestselling author of fifteen books, including Fruitful, which was a finalist for the 1996 National Book Award. She has written for the New York Times, New York Observer, Vogue, Elle, Redbook, Parents, and the Guardian. Her work has been anthologized in more than ten collections of essays and is represented in more than fifteen college textbooks. She lives in New York City.
Lorna Raver, named one of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voices of the Year, has received numerous Audie Award nominations and many AudioFile Earphones Awards. She has appeared on stage in New York, Los Angeles, and regional theaters around the country. Among her many television credits are NYPD Blue, Judging Amy, Boston Legal, ER, and Star Trek. She starred in director Sam Raimi’s film Drag Me to Hell.