Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Book Group Buzz: The Forgetting Tree

Tatjana Soli, author of acclaimed novel The Lotus Eaters, has just released her sophomore effort, The Forgetting Tree. Claire marries into a notable California ranching family and quickly settles into life on a farm, but it’s not long before fate intervenes, followed closely by tragedy. Claire finds herself disconnected from her family, her husband, and the life she’s come to know, and when she’s finally at her most vulnerable, tragedy strikes again. Described in pre pub reviews as "beautiful and magical", The Forgetting Tree is already getting buzz as a popular choice for book clubs.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

Book Group Buzz: The Forgetting Tree

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