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Precious Lives
Precious Lives [Paperback] Forster, Margaret
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
12 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Forster
68 books199 followersMargaret Forster was educated at the Carlisle and County High School for Girls. From here she won an Open Scholarship to Somerville College, Oxford where in 1960 she was awarded an honours degree in History.
From 1963 Margaret Forster worked as a novelist, biographer and freelance literary critic, contributing regularly to book programmes on television, to Radio 4 and various newpapers and magazines.
Forster was married to the writer, journalist and broadcaster Hunter Davies. They lived in London. and in the Lake District. They had three children, Caitlin, Jake and Flora.
From 1963 Margaret Forster worked as a novelist, biographer and freelance literary critic, contributing regularly to book programmes on television, to Radio 4 and various newpapers and magazines.
Forster was married to the writer, journalist and broadcaster Hunter Davies. They lived in London. and in the Lake District. They had three children, Caitlin, Jake and Flora.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 17, 2022
3.5 stars. A very well written, moving, candid, intimate memoir mainly about the end lives of the author’s father, Arthur, and her sister in law, Marion. Arthur lived well into his 90s. Marion was in her 40s when she died from cancer.
The author writes about how each individual got on with their lives as their bodies deteriorated. A book that will probably be appreciated more by readers who have been involved in caring for loved ones whose health has gradually declined to the point of total dependency.
This book was first published in 1998.
The author writes about how each individual got on with their lives as their bodies deteriorated. A book that will probably be appreciated more by readers who have been involved in caring for loved ones whose health has gradually declined to the point of total dependency.
This book was first published in 1998.
September 8, 2014
Precious Lives is a gripping memoir from Margaret Forster as she traces the final years of the life of her ancient father and her middle-aged sister-in-law.
Forster had had a difficult relationship with her father throughout his life and so doing her 'bit' in looking after him in his final years was quite a challenge. She dutifully shared these duties with other members of her own family and despite being a reluctant 'carer' (from afar - she lived in London for half the year and in the Lake District for six months and he in Carlisle), she makes no attempt to claim credit for making some of his final years as comfortable as she and others could. Eventually the stubborn old man moves into a home in his nineties and has nothing at all of a life as the end approaches. Here Forster is scrupulously honest in recognising that he would be better off dead rather than living a half life.
Margaret Forster's sister-in-law died of cancer in her mid-fifties. The two were close and Marion's painful death is heart wrenching to read about. Eventually when there is no hope Marion quietly accepts the inevitable and dies peacefully after enduring great pain.
To say that a book about death is exciting may sound strange but that is precisely what it is and Forster shines through as a reluctant hero (I'm sure she would have hated that description) as she recalls her childhood in Cumbria and the widening of her relationship with her father which, despite all, grows closer (but not really) as the end approaches.
This was my first experience of this very well thought of writer. It won't be the last.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil (thebluepencil.co.uk)
davidlowtherblog.wordpress.com
Forster had had a difficult relationship with her father throughout his life and so doing her 'bit' in looking after him in his final years was quite a challenge. She dutifully shared these duties with other members of her own family and despite being a reluctant 'carer' (from afar - she lived in London for half the year and in the Lake District for six months and he in Carlisle), she makes no attempt to claim credit for making some of his final years as comfortable as she and others could. Eventually the stubborn old man moves into a home in his nineties and has nothing at all of a life as the end approaches. Here Forster is scrupulously honest in recognising that he would be better off dead rather than living a half life.
Margaret Forster's sister-in-law died of cancer in her mid-fifties. The two were close and Marion's painful death is heart wrenching to read about. Eventually when there is no hope Marion quietly accepts the inevitable and dies peacefully after enduring great pain.
To say that a book about death is exciting may sound strange but that is precisely what it is and Forster shines through as a reluctant hero (I'm sure she would have hated that description) as she recalls her childhood in Cumbria and the widening of her relationship with her father which, despite all, grows closer (but not really) as the end approaches.
This was my first experience of this very well thought of writer. It won't be the last.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil (thebluepencil.co.uk)
davidlowtherblog.wordpress.com
October 2, 2015
Hard to say this was an enjoyable read, given the subject matter, but I feel Margaret Forster is one of the most reliable authors. I will usually read anything by her even if the subject doesn't immediately appeal to me, as she is highly perceptive and writes in such a mature, thoughtful manner. Luckily she seems to have been quite prolific so I am fortunate to have many of her books still to anticipate. I have to admit I rather liked Arthur, Margaret's somewhat gruff, prickly and very old Father. She has written a loving portrait of him, so I was somewhat perturbed when, at Arthur's minimalist funeral, she describes herself (and her siblings) as being "regretfully" aware they had not loved their Father. I'm still puzzling over this. In contrast, I found the depiction of Marian (Margaret's sister- in law) less satisfying, maybe as Marian came across as someone I would not have understood. Quite a number of Forster's novels deal with the elderly, and for me, these are her most successful works. I think she writes with great wisdom.
October 25, 2024
As per her other book on her family Hidden Lives’, I constantly reread this.
I’m not so taken with her sister-in-law’s story, because a) she shouldn’t have smoked and b) she should have gone into a hospice towards the end due to how difficult it was for the family to care for her at home, but I love the parts about her father; such a grumpy, cantankerous old man, no wonder his children didn’t love him but only respected him.
I’m not so taken with her sister-in-law’s story, because a) she shouldn’t have smoked and b) she should have gone into a hospice towards the end due to how difficult it was for the family to care for her at home, but I love the parts about her father; such a grumpy, cantankerous old man, no wonder his children didn’t love him but only respected him.
December 15, 2008
An account of the deaths of her 96 year old father and of her 50-something sister in law. She's an interesting, observant writer and muses on how precious life was to each of these dear ones, even as it became more and more difficult.
August 6, 2022
A doubling down on the borderline sociopathic musings of the author in Hidden Lives.
September 3, 2019
Picked up in a charity shop for 50p; as another reviewer says, Margaret Forster is a reliable writer, especially when writing of her own family and other "ordinary people". I can't say this is an enjoyable read as it's about facing the long painful deaths of her father and sister in law, but as always she's scrupulously honest and perceptive about herself and others. She dearly loves her sister in law who dies agonisingly of cancer in her mid-fifties, but she'd had a difficult relationship with her father, often finds the time she spends with him excruciating, and admits she doesn't love him. Yet she still takes on her fair share of caring for him, through duty, compassion, and pity. As people live longer into frail old age, a lot of people will relate to this difficult experience of figuring out how best to provide care.
November 2, 2021
I have read several Margaret Forster books but for some reason I have not included them on here …. Maybe I read them before joining Goodreads.I will rectify this!
A couple of her books were slow and rather tedious but this one I read over a couple of days and I think is a good read. It tells the story of how her elderly Dad and her sister in law Marion who is only in her 50s approach death.
I didn’t like the overlong chapters but Forster writes well without it being slushy and over sentimental but then she is not that sort of person. Still not sure why she never really loved her Dad because he obviously did care for her in his own way and took her out to enjoy the countryside.
A couple of her books were slow and rather tedious but this one I read over a couple of days and I think is a good read. It tells the story of how her elderly Dad and her sister in law Marion who is only in her 50s approach death.
I didn’t like the overlong chapters but Forster writes well without it being slushy and over sentimental but then she is not that sort of person. Still not sure why she never really loved her Dad because he obviously did care for her in his own way and took her out to enjoy the countryside.
July 15, 2020
A very honest and detailed account of the author's relationship with her sister-in -law and friend and with her own father; and an account of dealing with their deaths in light of how they lived their lives.
This is a reckoning with the reality of death which we all face. Will we have a 'good one' , will it be too soon, or will we have to suffer and is it possible for our lives to go on too long? 'Precious' is how we value not only our lives as a whole, which probably only comes to us late, but how we should value the moments as we live them.
This is a reckoning with the reality of death which we all face. Will we have a 'good one' , will it be too soon, or will we have to suffer and is it possible for our lives to go on too long? 'Precious' is how we value not only our lives as a whole, which probably only comes to us late, but how we should value the moments as we live them.
January 25, 2021
Writes powerfully about the death of her Father and Sister in Law.
Beautifully and eloquently written and described. Not really recommended for reading in lockdown, with so much experience of bereavement around. Has motivated to read more of her writing though
Beautifully and eloquently written and described. Not really recommended for reading in lockdown, with so much experience of bereavement around. Has motivated to read more of her writing though
May 25, 2024
Margaret Forster, wife of Hunter Davies, and a celebrated author herself, has pulled up amazingly detailed memories of her father and sister-in-law. Their stories are both hilarious (at times) and heart rending.
March 30, 2017
An interesting perception
Tells the story of the lives of two loved ones as they approach their respective deaths. This sounds a bit morbid but it's an honest account of Margaret Forsters relationship with her father in his final years and her feelings regarding his death at the age of 96. The other death dealt with was that of sister in law Marion at the age of 56. Margaret Forsters claims she didn't love her father but I rather suspect she did but not in a soppy, slushy way. A man of few words but nonetheless it was apparent he had been a good husband and father . Well recommend.
Tells the story of the lives of two loved ones as they approach their respective deaths. This sounds a bit morbid but it's an honest account of Margaret Forsters relationship with her father in his final years and her feelings regarding his death at the age of 96. The other death dealt with was that of sister in law Marion at the age of 56. Margaret Forsters claims she didn't love her father but I rather suspect she did but not in a soppy, slushy way. A man of few words but nonetheless it was apparent he had been a good husband and father . Well recommend.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews