NEA Big Read (Garner 2023) - SER

These books have been selected to accompany Roz Chast's graphic memoir "Cant's We Talk About Something More Pleasant?" They support topics related to the emotions, memories, and practical challenges of planning and preparing for aging parents’ final years.

Showing 1 - 9 of 9  There are a total of 53 valid entries on the list.
Book cover for "Bettyville"
Star rating for Bettyville
Average Rating:
3.5 stars
Description:
"When George Hodgman leaves Manhattan for his hometown of Paris, Missouri, he finds himself--an unlikely caretaker and near-lethal cook--in a head-on collision with his aging mother Betty, a woman of wit and will. Will George lure her into assisted living? When hell freezes over. He can't bring himself to force her from the home both treasure--the place where his father's voice lingers, the scene of shared jokes, skirmishes, and, behind the dusty...
Book cover for "Downsizing the family home"
Star rating for Downsizing the family home
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"It's a rite of passage almost no one will escape: the difficult, emotional journey of downsizing your or your aging parents' home. Here, nationally syndicated home columnist Marni Jameson sensitively guides readers through the process, from opening that first closet, to sorting through a lifetime's worth of possessions, to selling the homestead itself. Using her own personal journey as a basis, she helps you figure out a strategy and create a mindset...
Book cover for "The end of your life book club"
Star rating for The end of your life book club
Average Rating:
4 stars
Description:
A profoundly moving memoir of caregiving, mourning, and love between a mother and her son—and about the joy of reading, and the ways that joy is multiplied when we share it with others.
“A graceful, affecting testament to a mother and a life well lived.” —Entertainment Weekly, Grade A

During her treatment for cancer, Mary Anne Schwalbe and her son Will spent many hours sitting in waiting rooms together....
Book cover for "Estate Planning Basics"
Star rating for Estate Planning Basics
Book cover for "Get it together"
Star rating for Get it together
Average Rating:
2.7 stars
Description:
"Everything you need to get organized...Do your loved ones know where to find your insurance policies, passwords, title to your car, real estate deeds, health care directive, or even your will? If you're like a lot of people, you keep important information--from automated bill-pay details to passwords to the location of important documents--in your head or stashed in the odd desk drawer. Unfortunately, this disorganization will cause hassles for those...
Book cover for "Going into town"
Star rating for Going into town
Author:
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"For native Brooklynite Roz Chast, adjusting to life in the suburbs (where people own trees!?) was surreal. But she recognized that for her kids, the reverse was true. On trips into town, they would marvel at the strange world of Manhattan: its gum-wad-dotted sidewalks, honey-combed streets, and 'those West Side Story-things' (fire escapes). Their wonder inspired 'Going into Town,' part playful guide, part New York stories, and part love letter to...
Book cover for "Late migrations"
Star rating for Late migrations
Average Rating:
4.3 stars
Description:
"Beautifully written, masterfully structured, and brimming with insight into the natural world . . . It has the makings of an American classic." --ANN PATCHETT
Book cover for "Mothercare"
Star rating for Mothercare
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"When a mother's unusual health condition renders her entirely dependent upon you, your sisters, caretakers, and companions, the unimaginable will become daily life. In Mothercare, Lynne Tillman writes an honest and straightforward account of doing the impossible: handling her mother as if she were a child; navigating the unnavigable medical world, and confronting her own emotions regarding a suddenly, forever changed relationship to mother and care....
Book cover for "Right place, right time"
Star rating for Right place, right time
Average Rating:
3 stars
Description:
"The author shares his insider knowledge of housing options to help older adults make the best decision about their place of residence by evaluating factors such as financial budget, health, and family considerations. He provides a step-by-step approach to evaluating one's current living situation and then reviews the different options to consider, including aging in place, downsizing, community living, and more"--