death for beginners
early reactions
the book
death for beginners
is the story of chris's wife joan's
long and difficult battle with cancer
it's a harrowing & tragic love story
here are some things people have said about it:
"chris gerolmo manages to record
his thoughts and feelings with heroic honesty
the result is not only transcendent, but surprisingly funny
you won't forget a single entry, I promise."
- steven soderbergh, director
"chris gerolmo's
death for beginners
is a heart-wrenching, brutally
honest and ultimately cathartic
book about losing his wife to cancer
there are lessons for all of us in his pain
the way he coped, and the desperate love
he showed for his wife and their childrenin the face of
an incurable disease. the book makes you stop and think
--and even occasionally laugh--about the things we take
for granted in our lives and in the lives and departures
of our loved ones. from a to z, it's a soul-searching
chronicle of a death foretold that offers
hope, and sustenance, with a
remarkable absence
of empty platitudes
for all of us."
- bruce feirstein
contributing editor, vanity fair
-"this is a small book with a huge heart
the writing is raw, with a depth, intelligence and wit
that makes the reader forget the brutal sadness of its subject
tt's a beautiful love letter to a dead wife
a cathartic, brutal, honest, infuriating
love story."
- christopher kennedy lawford
author of new york times bestselling memoir
symptoms of withdrawal
"i loved death for beginners. i love it for its
beauty and horror and power and wisdom
there is nothing else quite like this book
in my humble opinion."
- bruce eric kaplan
a/k/a bek
new yorker artist
"brave, beautifully-wrought, and heart-breaking."
- alexandra styron
author of all the finest girls &
the upcoming reading my father: a memoir
“it is a pleasure to recommend
death for beginners
for any family member struggling
to recover from the loss of a loved one
in writing this book, chris gerolmo has combined
wit, wisdom and creativity into an admixture
that makes a very serious subject manageable
palatable , and even enjoyable to read
i view this a rare and unique feat in dealing with death
and the resolution of loss and grief.”
- david wellisch
ph.d. professor-in-residence
chief psychologist, adult division
department of psychiatry
david geffen school of medicine
at ucla