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 - 14 of 14  There are a total of 53 valid entries on the list.
Book cover for "The art of dying well"
Star rating for The art of dying well
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"A layperson's guide for positive end of life self care"--
Book cover for "The beauty of what remains"
Star rating for The beauty of what remains
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"As the Senior Rabbi of one of the largest synagogues in the world, Steve Leder has learned over and over again the many ways death teaches us how to live and love more deeply by showing us not only what is gone, but also the beauty of what remains"--
Book cover for "A beginner's guide to the end"
Star rating for A beginner's guide to the end
Average Rating:
4.8 stars
Description:
"The first-ever soup-to-nuts practical guide to preparing for death, from how to talk to your children about your will, to how to hack the hospice system, to how your survivors can pull off a great eulogy. Think of this as What to Expect When You're Expecting to Die"--
Book cover for "Chicken soup for the soul"
Star rating for Chicken soup for the soul
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
Navigating eldercare can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with dementia. You'll find what you need in these pages, with great advice from families who have been there, done that!
Book cover for "Connecting in the land of dementia"
Star rating for Connecting in the land of dementia
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"Finding the connection with a loved one afflicted with dementia is a challenge millions of people face: One in ten Americans has a family member with Alzheimer's, and one in three knows someone with the disease. This book offers care partners practical, hands-on ideas for meaningful, creative activities they can do with their patients, family members, or friends who have dementia. It also includes creative tips for busy care partners, offering quick...
Book cover for "Dancing with elephants"
Star rating for Dancing with elephants
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
Based on the popular blog of the same name, Dancing With Elephants includes insightful interviews with chronic disease experts Toni Bernhard, Lucy Kalanithi, and Patch Adams. Sawatsky's landmark book provides support that only a fellow traveler down this road can offer. If you like touching stories, mindful wisdom, and a touch of irreverent humor, then you'll love Sawatsky's life-changing book.
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 "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 "How to say goodbye"
Star rating for How to say goodbye
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"As artist-in-residence at the Zen Hospice Project Guest House, Wendy MacNaughton experienced firsthand how difficult it is to know what to do when we're sharing final moments with a loved one. In this tenderly illustrated guide to saying goodbye, with a foreword by renowned physician and author BJ Miller, MacNaughton shows how to make sure those moments are meaningful. Using a framework of "the five things" taught to her by a professional caregiver,...
Book cover for "I'll be seeing you"
Star rating for I'll be seeing you
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"When her parents began to age, Elizabeth and her siblings are placed in the difficult position of taking over more and more supportive roles and tasks. They fix their parents' home, negotiate finances, eventually weather the back and forth of will they or won't they move into a nursing facility--finally they do. Berg ... takes readers through navigating the emotional and physical challenger of guiding parents through the final stages of life"--Publisher...
Book cover for "The last ocean"
Star rating for The last ocean
Average Rating:
5 stars
Description:
"Diagnosed with dementia, Nicci Gerrard's father John continued to live life on his own terms, alongside the disease. But when an isolating hospital stay precipitated a dramatic turn for the worse, Gerrard ... recognized that it was not just the disease, but misguided protocol and harmful practice that cause pain at the end of life. Inspired by his memory to seek a better course for all who suffer with the disease and those who love them, Gerrard...
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 "My parent's keeper"
Star rating for My parent's keeper
Average Rating:
5 stars