In this time, reading a sad book was not something I planned on doing. This is the story of an Irish family, from the immigration of the patriarch through the maturity of his grandson. It tells of their struggles and heartbreaks from the 1940s when the main character, Eileen grows up caring for her parents until the late 2000's when her son realizes her dreams for him.
At its core, its the story of Eileen and and her husband's life striving for the American dream. He's a practical, unassuming college professor, completely satisfied with teaching his students while Eileen urges him to reach farther and higher. When he begins to act strange, spending hours on the couch listening to music, she initially thinks he's having a mid-life crisis. Half way through the book, the real cause is revealed to be early onset Alzheimer's. The rest of the story describes in cringe-worthy accuracy, what it is like to live with and care for someone with the disease. It was a moving and wonderfully loving picture of family.
Published: 2014 Read: December 2020 Genre: fiction
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