Being Brett: Chronicle of a Daughter's Death

by Douglas Hobbie

A father shares the story of his daughter, Brett, who was diagnosed as terminally ill at the age of twenty-three, and explains how in her final months she learned to live each day fully and with dignity

Genres: Death, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Chloe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm reading this book for my class on Dying and Death, coincidentally at the same college that Brett herself attended. It's a sobering read if nothing else. I'm excited to go over the book with my classmates, but I don't think I can say that I enjoyed the book, or got anything out of it (other than cancer is horrible and will slowly leech a person and there's only so much you can do in the face of that much uncertainty). I don't think this book has much to offer the average reader. It is, as the subtitle itself says, a chronicle of one woman's slow death by someone eager to chart every memory, every outfit, every good evening out, every visit, and every ounce of hope before her life came to an end. It is the author's (obsessive? but rightly so?) goal to write all these memories down before they fade, but page after page after page of medical details of one woman's recurring cancer doesn't make for rewarding reading.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely devastating. The author shared extensive detail of his daughter's four year losing battle with cancer to an extent that felt masochistic, although I'm no place to judge how one copes with the loss of their child. I felt simultaneously like a voyeur and like I was being repeatedly punched in the face as I read. Not recommended for anyone who has young adult children, family members with cancer, or a desire to sleep peacefully that night.

[Lisa]

Heartbreaking account of a daughter's discovery on cancer to her death. Takes place, partly, in this neck of the woods (Pioneer Valley, MA), so interesting to hear about the local hospitals and hospice.

[Filthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad, depressing, but realistic. Makes me appriciate being in good health!

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depressing but true story of cancer and how it impacts our lives. loved it...but depressing