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Our Short History
“Lauren Grodstein breaks your heart, then miraculously pieces it back together so it’s bigger—and stronger—than before.” —Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You
How can a woman learn to let go of the people she loves the most?
Karen Neulander, a successful New York political consultant and single mother, has always been fiercely protective of her son, Jacob, now six. She’s had to be: when Jacob’s father, Dave, found out Karen was pregnant and made it clear that fatherhood wasn’t in his plans, Karen walked out of the relationship, never telling Dave her intention was to raise their child alone.
But now Jake is asking to meet his dad, and with good reason: Karen is dying. When she finally calls her ex, she’s shocked to find Dave ecstatic about the son he never knew he had. First, he can’t meet Jake fast enough, and then he can’t seem to leave him alone. Karen quickly grows anxious as she watches Dave insinuate himself into Jake’s life just as her own strength and hold on Jake grow more tenuous.
As she struggles to play out her last days in the “right” way for Jake, Karen wrestles with the knowledge that the only thing she cannot bring herself to do for her son—let his father become a permanent part of his life—is the thing he needs from her the most. With heart-wrenching poignancy, unexpected wit, and mordant humor, Lauren Grodstein has created an unforgettable story about parenthood, sacrifice, and life itself.
How can a woman learn to let go of the people she loves the most?
Karen Neulander, a successful New York political consultant and single mother, has always been fiercely protective of her son, Jacob, now six. She’s had to be: when Jacob’s father, Dave, found out Karen was pregnant and made it clear that fatherhood wasn’t in his plans, Karen walked out of the relationship, never telling Dave her intention was to raise their child alone.
But now Jake is asking to meet his dad, and with good reason: Karen is dying. When she finally calls her ex, she’s shocked to find Dave ecstatic about the son he never knew he had. First, he can’t meet Jake fast enough, and then he can’t seem to leave him alone. Karen quickly grows anxious as she watches Dave insinuate himself into Jake’s life just as her own strength and hold on Jake grow more tenuous.
As she struggles to play out her last days in the “right” way for Jake, Karen wrestles with the knowledge that the only thing she cannot bring herself to do for her son—let his father become a permanent part of his life—is the thing he needs from her the most. With heart-wrenching poignancy, unexpected wit, and mordant humor, Lauren Grodstein has created an unforgettable story about parenthood, sacrifice, and life itself.
340 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2017
150 people are currently reading
5818 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Grodstein
12 books418 followersLauren Grodstein is the author of the upcoming A Dog in Georgia, the Read with Jenna pick We Must Not Think of Ourselves and the New York Times bestselling A Friend of the Family.. She directs the MFA program at Rutgers University-Camden.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
February 12, 2020
Karen Neulander writes a memoir of sorts to leave behind for her son Jake. Karen has cancer and even with treatment death is only a few short years away. Jake is only six and Karen can't tell him all the things she wishes to in the time she has left. She tries to come to terms with the fact that she won't be around to watch Jake grow up and it won't be her who shapes him and supports him in the future. Karen plans to leave Jake with her sister, hoping that this way he'll have a family that will make it easier to move past Karen's death. Things seem to be even shakier though when Jake begins to ask questions about his dad.
Jake's dad, Dave, dated Karen for a while had not wanted children, a thing he had expressed to Karen before hand. Karen had thought he might change his mind when confronted with the news but when he was still adamant about not wanting children and Karen took off, hoping he would still try harder to fight for her while feeling rejected by his lack of enthusiasm for the situation. Dave broke Karen's heart but now that she's dying and Jake keeps insisting she doesn't know whether or not to reach out to Dave about Jake's interest.
I think this one was 3.5 stars for me even though I did enjoy the writing. I just couldn't get into the story line and the memoir style the book was written in. Also Karen was being extremely selfish and I don't care if she was dying that doesn't make it alright to be selfish, especially about this. She doesn't get to control her child's relationship with his other parent and she was totally being unfair about treating Dave like he was the only one at fault. He did try to reach out later and she let her own pride and hurt get in the way. She can pretend she was protecting Jake all she wants but if she was why did she keep focusing on her own feelings of hurt when explaining why he needed protecting. I do appreciate that she eventually came around in the end though and it was kind of sad that she was dying but it felt more of a logical conclusion than an emotional one for me. I just didn't get invested into Karen's story enough to feel her pain empathetically.
Jake's dad, Dave, dated Karen for a while had not wanted children, a thing he had expressed to Karen before hand. Karen had thought he might change his mind when confronted with the news but when he was still adamant about not wanting children and Karen took off, hoping he would still try harder to fight for her while feeling rejected by his lack of enthusiasm for the situation. Dave broke Karen's heart but now that she's dying and Jake keeps insisting she doesn't know whether or not to reach out to Dave about Jake's interest.
I think this one was 3.5 stars for me even though I did enjoy the writing. I just couldn't get into the story line and the memoir style the book was written in. Also Karen was being extremely selfish and I don't care if she was dying that doesn't make it alright to be selfish, especially about this. She doesn't get to control her child's relationship with his other parent and she was totally being unfair about treating Dave like he was the only one at fault. He did try to reach out later and she let her own pride and hurt get in the way. She can pretend she was protecting Jake all she wants but if she was why did she keep focusing on her own feelings of hurt when explaining why he needed protecting. I do appreciate that she eventually came around in the end though and it was kind of sad that she was dying but it felt more of a logical conclusion than an emotional one for me. I just didn't get invested into Karen's story enough to feel her pain empathetically.
February 6, 2017
I'd rate this 3.5 stars.
If it has been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, well then, I'm (more than) a touch insane. Because I keep reading books that are tearjerkers despite the fact that television commercials make me tear up, and yet I'm surprised that these books leave me a sniffling mess nearly Every. Single. Time. And so it is with Lauren Grodstein's newest novel, Our Short History .
Karen Neulander has made a name for herself as one of New York's top political consultants. She's not afraid to leak things to the press about her clients' opponents, or do everything she needs to in order to help them gain advantage and, of course, votes. She's equally protective of her six-year-old son, Jake, whom she has raised alone since before he was born. When she found out she was pregnant, her boyfriend at the time told her he didn't want to have kids, so she left and never spoke to him again.
Now Karen is facing an even tougher opponent. Two years ago she was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer, and given approximately four years to live. While she has fought as hard as she could, with surgery and chemotherapy, she knows there will come a time that she won't be around any longer, no matter how much she hopes a miracle might come her way. But she has everything all planned out—when she feels that she's ready, she and Jake will move to Seattle to live with her younger sister Allie and her family, so Jake will be cared for when it's time.
While Jake understands—as much as a young child can—what is happening to his mother, he has one request: he wants her to get in touch with his father. After dragging her feet for a while in the hopes that he will forget what he asked, Karen relents. She's not too surprised to find out that Dave Kersey is still living in the same expensive condo in New Jersey. But she is thrown for a loop when he's excited to meet Jake.
Despite how happy Dave makes Jake (and vice-versa), Karen is adamant about allowing him to become too large a part of her son's life. She can't reconcile this man who is head over heels for his son when he didn't want her to have the baby in the first place, and as the two grow closer, she becomes frightened that Dave may try to take Jake away from her, or at the very least, upset the plans she has made for his future. And she can't seem to accept that perhaps what Jake needs most of all is his father, at a time when all she wants to do is cling as closely to her son as possible.
Our Short History is written as Karen's "memoir," ostensibly to be read by Jake when he is older. She provides glimpses of her childhood and her relationships with her own parents and grandparents, as well as her time with Dave, and what it has been like raising Jake. It also includes "advice" and her hopes for her son, so he knows how much she has always thought, and feels, about him.
Well, as you can imagine, this packs an emotional punch. But despite its ability to generate tears, this is a book about the fierceness of a mother's love, and the need to hold on to her son as tightly as she can for as long as she can, as if that can make up for the time she won't have with him. It's also a story about how we can be short-sighted and let our own hurts take precedence over doing what is right.
As I remember from her previous books, A Friend of the Family and The Explanation for Everything , Grodstein is a talented writer and knows how to tell a story. I thought this was a little predictable, and while I completely understood the emotions, fears, and anxieties Karen was experiencing given everything happening in her life, I found her to be a little more unlikable for a little longer than I expected.
This book definitely makes you count your blessings as well as wonder how you might act if faced with similar circumstances. It takes you on an emotional journey and gives you a touching picture of everything a mother would do for her child.
NetGalley and Algonquin Books provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo..., and see my list of the best books I read in 2016 at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2016.html.
If it has been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, well then, I'm (more than) a touch insane. Because I keep reading books that are tearjerkers despite the fact that television commercials make me tear up, and yet I'm surprised that these books leave me a sniffling mess nearly Every. Single. Time. And so it is with Lauren Grodstein's newest novel, Our Short History .
Karen Neulander has made a name for herself as one of New York's top political consultants. She's not afraid to leak things to the press about her clients' opponents, or do everything she needs to in order to help them gain advantage and, of course, votes. She's equally protective of her six-year-old son, Jake, whom she has raised alone since before he was born. When she found out she was pregnant, her boyfriend at the time told her he didn't want to have kids, so she left and never spoke to him again.
Now Karen is facing an even tougher opponent. Two years ago she was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer, and given approximately four years to live. While she has fought as hard as she could, with surgery and chemotherapy, she knows there will come a time that she won't be around any longer, no matter how much she hopes a miracle might come her way. But she has everything all planned out—when she feels that she's ready, she and Jake will move to Seattle to live with her younger sister Allie and her family, so Jake will be cared for when it's time.
While Jake understands—as much as a young child can—what is happening to his mother, he has one request: he wants her to get in touch with his father. After dragging her feet for a while in the hopes that he will forget what he asked, Karen relents. She's not too surprised to find out that Dave Kersey is still living in the same expensive condo in New Jersey. But she is thrown for a loop when he's excited to meet Jake.
Despite how happy Dave makes Jake (and vice-versa), Karen is adamant about allowing him to become too large a part of her son's life. She can't reconcile this man who is head over heels for his son when he didn't want her to have the baby in the first place, and as the two grow closer, she becomes frightened that Dave may try to take Jake away from her, or at the very least, upset the plans she has made for his future. And she can't seem to accept that perhaps what Jake needs most of all is his father, at a time when all she wants to do is cling as closely to her son as possible.
Our Short History is written as Karen's "memoir," ostensibly to be read by Jake when he is older. She provides glimpses of her childhood and her relationships with her own parents and grandparents, as well as her time with Dave, and what it has been like raising Jake. It also includes "advice" and her hopes for her son, so he knows how much she has always thought, and feels, about him.
Well, as you can imagine, this packs an emotional punch. But despite its ability to generate tears, this is a book about the fierceness of a mother's love, and the need to hold on to her son as tightly as she can for as long as she can, as if that can make up for the time she won't have with him. It's also a story about how we can be short-sighted and let our own hurts take precedence over doing what is right.
As I remember from her previous books, A Friend of the Family and The Explanation for Everything , Grodstein is a talented writer and knows how to tell a story. I thought this was a little predictable, and while I completely understood the emotions, fears, and anxieties Karen was experiencing given everything happening in her life, I found her to be a little more unlikable for a little longer than I expected.
This book definitely makes you count your blessings as well as wonder how you might act if faced with similar circumstances. It takes you on an emotional journey and gives you a touching picture of everything a mother would do for her child.
NetGalley and Algonquin Books provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo..., and see my list of the best books I read in 2016 at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2016.html.
March 18, 2018
Karen Neulander is a successful political consultant in New York City. She is a single parent raising her six year old son, Jacob. Karen was diagnosed two years ago with stage IV ovarian cancer and is in remission after chemotherapy. Knowing her life span will be short, Karen starts to journal the history of her time shared with her son.
Jacob becomes curious about his father and wants to meet him after Karen shares some stories about their courtship. Karen became pregnant during her short relationship with David and she left without telling him that she had the baby. With her future in doubt, Karen reluctantly brings David and Jacob together. After all the years as a single mother, Karen is resistant and angry with the idea of sharing Jacob’s life.
This story is not about dying or cancer but about a mother living and coping with a difficult situation. It is about the joys of motherhood and the unconditional love shared with your children. Lauren Grodstein has crafted a beautiful story about a woman struggling to create the best choices for her son knowing her lifetime is limited.
Goodreads giveaway https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Jacob becomes curious about his father and wants to meet him after Karen shares some stories about their courtship. Karen became pregnant during her short relationship with David and she left without telling him that she had the baby. With her future in doubt, Karen reluctantly brings David and Jacob together. After all the years as a single mother, Karen is resistant and angry with the idea of sharing Jacob’s life.
This story is not about dying or cancer but about a mother living and coping with a difficult situation. It is about the joys of motherhood and the unconditional love shared with your children. Lauren Grodstein has crafted a beautiful story about a woman struggling to create the best choices for her son knowing her lifetime is limited.
Goodreads giveaway https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
February 6, 2017
Karen Neulander is a forty three year old single parent to six year old Jake. She is a political consultant and campaign manager. At age forty one, her life and that of Jake drastically change when she is diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer. Karen wants Jake's life to be stable and predictable. To that end, Karen and Jake are spending the summer on Mercer Island, near Seattle, Washington. By staying in the guesthouse owned by sister Allison and her husband Bruce, a Starbucks executive, Karen hopes Jake will become acclimated to life with his aunt, uncle and cousins when the time comes.
Karen embarks upon a soul searching book odyssey. She is writing a short history of her life with Jake to be given to him at age eighteen. She wants him to know that she existed, loved him, and that he was her "happy ending". Karen muses about what decisions Jake will make in life and openly discusses mistakes she has made with suggestions for a full life that include how to choose the right life partner. Dave Kersey, her boyfriend, never wanted children and walked away when Karen revealed her pregnancy. Karen never told Dave that he had a son. Unexpectedly, Jake wants to meet his dad. Dreading the father-son encounter, Karen is floored by Dave's exuberant response to meeting his son. He brings gifts and sets up a bedroom in his apartment for Jake. Karen is frantic. She makes her sister Allison promise that Dave will never take Jake.
Karen is determined to present a facade of normalcy to the world. Once in remission, her health is now declining and she feels unable to control her life. How can she leave Jake in the care of others? "Our Short History" by Lauren Grodstein is an explanation of Karen's life choices and a celebration of her life with Jake. Keep a tissue box nearby.
Thank you Algonquin Books and BookBrowse for the opportunity to read and review "Our Short History".
Karen embarks upon a soul searching book odyssey. She is writing a short history of her life with Jake to be given to him at age eighteen. She wants him to know that she existed, loved him, and that he was her "happy ending". Karen muses about what decisions Jake will make in life and openly discusses mistakes she has made with suggestions for a full life that include how to choose the right life partner. Dave Kersey, her boyfriend, never wanted children and walked away when Karen revealed her pregnancy. Karen never told Dave that he had a son. Unexpectedly, Jake wants to meet his dad. Dreading the father-son encounter, Karen is floored by Dave's exuberant response to meeting his son. He brings gifts and sets up a bedroom in his apartment for Jake. Karen is frantic. She makes her sister Allison promise that Dave will never take Jake.
Karen is determined to present a facade of normalcy to the world. Once in remission, her health is now declining and she feels unable to control her life. How can she leave Jake in the care of others? "Our Short History" by Lauren Grodstein is an explanation of Karen's life choices and a celebration of her life with Jake. Keep a tissue box nearby.
Thank you Algonquin Books and BookBrowse for the opportunity to read and review "Our Short History".
April 13, 2017
I love Lauren Grodstein. "A Friend of the Family", and "The Explanation of Everything", were both terrific......each as different from each other as night and day : both very creative. I don't consider "Our Short Story", Lauren's most creative book ... but it's well written -- thought provoking regarding choices made at every major turn --we care about the characters -- and it will pull on your heartstrings.
I definitely got choked towards the end. It's definitely a very tender story, but I felt like I've read similar stories before, and or seen movies with similar themes. This book reminded me of the movie "Stepmom" with Susan Sarandon.
In the movie, Susan's character as a mother has cancer. She needs to come to terms with dying and leaving her children. She is struggling to help them with their new lifestyle. She is especially struggling with the idea of somebody 'else' raising them and loving them.
In "Our Short Story", Karen Neulander has stage IV ovarian cancer. She too, is struggling with her own emotions about her son loving his father who he recently met.
Karen is struggling with the idea of Dave Kersey- ( the boy's father), loving her son and being in his life after she dies.
I didn't agree with all the choices Karen made - every step of the way in this novel - but I understood them. I adored Karen's extended family. It was comforting knowing that her sister and brother-in-law had a solid marriage - and were as giving as they were. It was also comforting to me that Jacob's father wasn't a jackass as 'all"....and his wife was warm and welcoming to the situation they were in.
As sad as this story is --- as sad as "Stepmom", the movie was....
Its very sad when a child loses their parent, but both the movie, and this book has 'somewhat' a fairytale happy ending 'for the child'.... WHICH I'M GRATEFUL....
I just wish it were that way in real life more often!!! I wish my older sister and I could have had the support Jake had. A very sad loss for Jacob in this story when one really thinks about it.....,..and at the same time he is a blessed child: both!!!
3.5-3.7.....I'm only taking points off - because I feel the story is predictable......
Yet... still page turning emotionally felt.
I definitely got choked towards the end. It's definitely a very tender story, but I felt like I've read similar stories before, and or seen movies with similar themes. This book reminded me of the movie "Stepmom" with Susan Sarandon.
In the movie, Susan's character as a mother has cancer. She needs to come to terms with dying and leaving her children. She is struggling to help them with their new lifestyle. She is especially struggling with the idea of somebody 'else' raising them and loving them.
In "Our Short Story", Karen Neulander has stage IV ovarian cancer. She too, is struggling with her own emotions about her son loving his father who he recently met.
Karen is struggling with the idea of Dave Kersey- ( the boy's father), loving her son and being in his life after she dies.
I didn't agree with all the choices Karen made - every step of the way in this novel - but I understood them. I adored Karen's extended family. It was comforting knowing that her sister and brother-in-law had a solid marriage - and were as giving as they were. It was also comforting to me that Jacob's father wasn't a jackass as 'all"....and his wife was warm and welcoming to the situation they were in.
As sad as this story is --- as sad as "Stepmom", the movie was....
Its very sad when a child loses their parent, but both the movie, and this book has 'somewhat' a fairytale happy ending 'for the child'.... WHICH I'M GRATEFUL....
I just wish it were that way in real life more often!!! I wish my older sister and I could have had the support Jake had. A very sad loss for Jacob in this story when one really thinks about it.....,..and at the same time he is a blessed child: both!!!
3.5-3.7.....I'm only taking points off - because I feel the story is predictable......
Yet... still page turning emotionally felt.
November 13, 2025
What happens when single-parent Karen learns she has Stage IV breast cancer? It is no surprise that she wonders who will love and take care of the most precious part of her when she is gone. Jacob, her 6-year-old son.
Especially when Jacob now wants to meet and know his father, who when Karen first announced she was pregnant, and instead of sticking around, left her.
How will Karen handle this with her son, as she faces the cancer, too?
This book is Karen’s love letter to her son.
Other than the abrupt ending, this story was…Engaging. Honest. Raw. Emotional. Thought-provoking.
Bring Kleenex.
Especially when Jacob now wants to meet and know his father, who when Karen first announced she was pregnant, and instead of sticking around, left her.
How will Karen handle this with her son, as she faces the cancer, too?
This book is Karen’s love letter to her son.
Other than the abrupt ending, this story was…Engaging. Honest. Raw. Emotional. Thought-provoking.
Bring Kleenex.
December 1, 2017
A single mother of a 6-year old, likely dying soon with stage-4 ovarian cancer, reflects on her life in the form of a memoir-style book written to give to her son after she has gone. Her gradual process of letting go as her health deteriorates was honest and believable. I empathized as she struggles with her fear of losing her son to his newly discovered birth father; and, also as her high-powered career as a political campaign manager gradually diminishes with her declining health. Coming to terms with all of her losses reminded me of the 5 stages of grief defined by author, Elisabeth Kubler Ross.
This was an audio that I finished on a drive home from Denver late yesterday. I was glad to be alone in the car because I shed some tears in the end. Good story…
This was an audio that I finished on a drive home from Denver late yesterday. I was glad to be alone in the car because I shed some tears in the end. Good story…
February 6, 2017
★★★★✮ 4.5 stars
Question. Can books about single-motherhood, cancer and even mortality be funny? Enjoyable?
Answer. Dang, YES.
So with that said, you might have a better idea already about how I felt about this book.
This review is featured on my blog, check it out for more reviews.
Let’s start with what it’s about. Our Short History is about Karen, a single mother, who is (unfortunately) dying of cancer, but despite that, trying to build the best possible future for her kid, Jakey, as well as trying not to lose hope during this last span of time she still has with him. But, although she seems to be handling everything quite well, even the terrible physical ordeal she has to endure constantly, there’s just this one thing that won’t leave her alone. It’s the fact that Jake wants to know his father. Because Jake’s father was a stupid ass, pardon me, who said he didn’t want the baby and then never contacted Karen again. And Jake thinks he loves him. You can’t blame the boy – he’s only 6. Every little boy wants a father.
So Karen is faced with the decision to either let it happen, or not. The whole book is about this decision, although it’s also about Karen’s battle with her health problems, her own ego, as well as her job and how important working can be to a sick individual. It’s about all those things, but still, mostly – it’s about giving her son up. Knowing she will leave him. Knowing his growing up will be out of her control. And also letting go and forgiving that damn ass for being an ass in the first place (sorry again, I might be biased here). And no – this is no romantic story. There will be no happy reunion or sappy love stuff (thank goodness). This is about human relationships, parents and children, about realizing what’s best for your child.
And – despite the sad topic – this is not a sad book. It’s not a depressing one either. You will find everything in this book – from joy to laughter, to plain humor, as well as heartbreak, pain and anger. It’s so all over the scale, it ends up making you feel like you’re seeing it live, or at least a movie. Such a lifelike book! Which is possibly why I enjoyed it so much.
Reasons why I recommend this book:
✮ The reality of suffering cancer in a non-scary, approachable, humane way;
✮ Issue of broken families, written about without taking sides – very objectively;
✮ Showing how people with terminal illness can be and are still a valid, working part of society;
✮ It’s quite emotional, but not in a sappy way at all;
✮ I absolutely loved the narrator! (Karen herself). She’s an extremely reliable narrator, honest, never hides anything from the reader;
✮ Point one was about the reality of a cancer sufferer, but I can not stress this enough how we should read more books about people like this and learn more about their lives.
So that’s my opinion. I truly do recommend it. It’s really worth your time – I know it was worth mine. And for a GIF sum-up:
Question. Can books about single-motherhood, cancer and even mortality be funny? Enjoyable?
Answer. Dang, YES.
So with that said, you might have a better idea already about how I felt about this book.
This review is featured on my blog, check it out for more reviews.
Let’s start with what it’s about. Our Short History is about Karen, a single mother, who is (unfortunately) dying of cancer, but despite that, trying to build the best possible future for her kid, Jakey, as well as trying not to lose hope during this last span of time she still has with him. But, although she seems to be handling everything quite well, even the terrible physical ordeal she has to endure constantly, there’s just this one thing that won’t leave her alone. It’s the fact that Jake wants to know his father. Because Jake’s father was a stupid ass, pardon me, who said he didn’t want the baby and then never contacted Karen again. And Jake thinks he loves him. You can’t blame the boy – he’s only 6. Every little boy wants a father.
So Karen is faced with the decision to either let it happen, or not. The whole book is about this decision, although it’s also about Karen’s battle with her health problems, her own ego, as well as her job and how important working can be to a sick individual. It’s about all those things, but still, mostly – it’s about giving her son up. Knowing she will leave him. Knowing his growing up will be out of her control. And also letting go and forgiving that damn ass for being an ass in the first place (sorry again, I might be biased here). And no – this is no romantic story. There will be no happy reunion or sappy love stuff (thank goodness). This is about human relationships, parents and children, about realizing what’s best for your child.
And – despite the sad topic – this is not a sad book. It’s not a depressing one either. You will find everything in this book – from joy to laughter, to plain humor, as well as heartbreak, pain and anger. It’s so all over the scale, it ends up making you feel like you’re seeing it live, or at least a movie. Such a lifelike book! Which is possibly why I enjoyed it so much.
Reasons why I recommend this book:
✮ The reality of suffering cancer in a non-scary, approachable, humane way;
✮ Issue of broken families, written about without taking sides – very objectively;
✮ Showing how people with terminal illness can be and are still a valid, working part of society;
✮ It’s quite emotional, but not in a sappy way at all;
✮ I absolutely loved the narrator! (Karen herself). She’s an extremely reliable narrator, honest, never hides anything from the reader;
✮ Point one was about the reality of a cancer sufferer, but I can not stress this enough how we should read more books about people like this and learn more about their lives.
So that’s my opinion. I truly do recommend it. It’s really worth your time – I know it was worth mine. And for a GIF sum-up:
November 26, 2020
This is going to sound callous, because Our Short History is about a dying mother, but I was impatient to get to the end. The build-up was just too bland and predictable. Karen's fierce maternal love was well portrayed but not enough for me.
January 10, 2017
Karen Neulander has raised her beloved son, Jacob, on her own. Jacob’s father, Dave, made it very clear to her that he had no interest in having children and responded negatively when he found out she was pregnant. Jacob is now 6 years old and wants to meet his father. Karen gives in to his request because she has cancer and a limited time left with Jacob. She wants to end her life and motherhood in the best way that she can. But can she give Jacob what he wants the most – the father who hadn’t wanted him to come into the world? She attempts to write a book for Jacob to read when he turns 18 to help him understand and remember their history together as she prepares for his future without her.
The entire book is a mother’s letter to her son. I haven’t cried this much over a book in quite a long time. This story just wrapped itself around my heart. The book is very readable and engrossing, witty and compelling. The author has fully brought the character of Karen Neulander to life. I rejoiced with her, I suffered with her and I mourned for her upcoming loss with her. It’s very true to life and painfully honest and not sappy in the least. Within the main story is also an insightful look into Karen’s job as a political consultant and the moral crisis she goes through with her last client.
Highly recommended. This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
The entire book is a mother’s letter to her son. I haven’t cried this much over a book in quite a long time. This story just wrapped itself around my heart. The book is very readable and engrossing, witty and compelling. The author has fully brought the character of Karen Neulander to life. I rejoiced with her, I suffered with her and I mourned for her upcoming loss with her. It’s very true to life and painfully honest and not sappy in the least. Within the main story is also an insightful look into Karen’s job as a political consultant and the moral crisis she goes through with her last client.
Highly recommended. This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
June 1, 2022
4.5 stars
Our Short History is a beautifully written book that will repeatedly reduce you to tears while at other times making you laugh out loud. Karen Neulander is a single mother raising her 6-year-old son, Jake, completely on her own. Two years previously, she was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer and has recently realized that she is most likely nearing the end of her life. She decides to write a “short history” of their life together for her son to read when he is older (she is worried that he will forget her and their time together). Our Short History covers Karen’s family history, her fears, her frustration with dying so young, her relationship with Jake’s father, and her thoughts on what Jake will be like as he grows up. As her illness progresses, Jake becomes focused on meeting his father which adds another layer to the already sad story. Karen only remembers Dave as the person who abandoned her and must come to terms with letting Dave into Jake’s life.
Our Short History is truly heartbreaking but also beautifully crafted. As a mother myself, I related to her struggle to cede control over what would happen to her child once she is gone and her fear that Jake would not remember her as he got older. Karen tries to leave Jake with the best set-up possible but comes to realize that a lot will be outside of her control when she is gone.
My favorite part of the book was learning more about Karen and Jake’s relationship and the life she created for them together. It was harder to read the sections about her cancer and numerous treatments and setbacks. I was so glad I read Our Short History - it is good to be reminded how much there is to grateful for in life. Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful novel in exchange for an honest review.
Our Short History is a beautifully written book that will repeatedly reduce you to tears while at other times making you laugh out loud. Karen Neulander is a single mother raising her 6-year-old son, Jake, completely on her own. Two years previously, she was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer and has recently realized that she is most likely nearing the end of her life. She decides to write a “short history” of their life together for her son to read when he is older (she is worried that he will forget her and their time together). Our Short History covers Karen’s family history, her fears, her frustration with dying so young, her relationship with Jake’s father, and her thoughts on what Jake will be like as he grows up. As her illness progresses, Jake becomes focused on meeting his father which adds another layer to the already sad story. Karen only remembers Dave as the person who abandoned her and must come to terms with letting Dave into Jake’s life.
Our Short History is truly heartbreaking but also beautifully crafted. As a mother myself, I related to her struggle to cede control over what would happen to her child once she is gone and her fear that Jake would not remember her as he got older. Karen tries to leave Jake with the best set-up possible but comes to realize that a lot will be outside of her control when she is gone.
My favorite part of the book was learning more about Karen and Jake’s relationship and the life she created for them together. It was harder to read the sections about her cancer and numerous treatments and setbacks. I was so glad I read Our Short History - it is good to be reminded how much there is to grateful for in life. Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2017
Karen Neulander is a 41 year old political consultant who loves her work. But not as much as she adores her six year old son, Jacob. She lives in New York City, on the Upper West Side and is spending the summer with her sister and her sister's family in Washington. Everything would be perfect except for one thing.
Karen has stage IV ovarian cancer. She is writing this book as a legacy for Jacob, a way for him to have access to her after she is gone.
She thought she had a couple of more years but lately things are not looking good. She's in pain and there are some rogue cancer cells appearing.
Also, suddenly appearing (at Jacob's request) is Jacob's father, the man who left her upon learning she was pregnant. And Karen is scared that he'll want to take Jacob away from her.
This book is so well-written, I didn't even have time to cry (well...once or twice). I loved Karen and her relationship with Jacob. I loved her toughness and her smartness. I fell in love with her whole extended family.
Grodstein does a wonderful job creating this life, these lives, and making us care, deeply. Not just to find out what happens but simply to be with these people, this woman, and live her life with her, for as long as she can.
Cancer books always scare me, and this was no exception, but I appreciated the realness of Karen's passion for life as well as her exhaustion from the process of dying. But most of all, I loved her relationship with Jacob.
I want to thank NetGalley, Algonquin Books, and Lauren Grodstein for the opportunity to read this book.
Karen has stage IV ovarian cancer. She is writing this book as a legacy for Jacob, a way for him to have access to her after she is gone.
She thought she had a couple of more years but lately things are not looking good. She's in pain and there are some rogue cancer cells appearing.
Also, suddenly appearing (at Jacob's request) is Jacob's father, the man who left her upon learning she was pregnant. And Karen is scared that he'll want to take Jacob away from her.
This book is so well-written, I didn't even have time to cry (well...once or twice). I loved Karen and her relationship with Jacob. I loved her toughness and her smartness. I fell in love with her whole extended family.
Grodstein does a wonderful job creating this life, these lives, and making us care, deeply. Not just to find out what happens but simply to be with these people, this woman, and live her life with her, for as long as she can.
Cancer books always scare me, and this was no exception, but I appreciated the realness of Karen's passion for life as well as her exhaustion from the process of dying. But most of all, I loved her relationship with Jacob.
I want to thank NetGalley, Algonquin Books, and Lauren Grodstein for the opportunity to read this book.
February 7, 2017
I received a free copy of Our Short History by Lauren Grodstein in exchange for an honest review. This book is about a single mother, Karen Neulander, and her six year old son. The reader joins Karen, who has been diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer and is dying, as she writes to her son Jake. Karen worked as a political consultant in New York. When Karen discovered she was pregnant with Jake all those many years ago she was in a relationship with a man named Dave. However, Karen learned very quickly that Dave wanted nothing to do with a baby. She was crushed but went forward with the pregnancy and had been raising Jake herself. Dave had no further contact with Karen nor did he know that she went forward with the pregnancy and that he had a son. When Jake starts asking about his dad and wants to meet him. Karen struggles with this. Does she want to open old doors and the pain she felt so many years ago again. She struggles to determine what the right thing is to do for Jake. In the end, Jake does get to meet his dad.
If you choose to read Our Short History by Lauren Grodstein you will experience sadness, joy and even some frustration. It is a beautiful, heart wrenching story. Any mother can appreciate the anguish Karen felt as she was forced to make difficult decisions and looked for just the right words to leave for Jake. I cried at times and smiled at others. I highly recommend this book.
If you choose to read Our Short History by Lauren Grodstein you will experience sadness, joy and even some frustration. It is a beautiful, heart wrenching story. Any mother can appreciate the anguish Karen felt as she was forced to make difficult decisions and looked for just the right words to leave for Jake. I cried at times and smiled at others. I highly recommend this book.
March 26, 2017
This book was a definite tearjerker that failed to bring tears. I am not sure why it didn't work, it just didn't. There was too much railing against relationships she initiated and too much politics that did little to further the story. I never connected with the character.
March 21, 2017
Our Short History
Lauren Grodstein
Received from Netgalley
Karen Neulander is a political consultant and she is very successful at it. She is a single mom, with a six year old son named Jake. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer and knows her time on Earth is short. She decides to keep a journal for her son for when he is older and wants to know who his mom was. OUR SHORT HISTORY is their story.
OUR SHORT HISTORY shredded my heart over and over again. Jake becomes curious about his Dad and wants to meet him. Karen is torn by doing the right thing and protecting Jake. Karen and Jake's father, Dave, had a short relationship but it was enough time for Karen to have her heart broken. At first, she thought Dave loved her and when she became pregnant she expected Dave to stand by her and with her. Instead he told her he wasn't interested in being a family or a Dad and Karen walked away never telling him she had the baby. Once she contacts Dave to let him know about their son, he instantly wants to become Jake's Dad.
I finished OUR SHORT HISTORY with a huge lump in my throat and tears streaming down my face! Lauren Grodstein broke my heart over and over again and she did it perfectly. When Karen finds out that her cancer has returned and she is no longer in remission I almost threw my Kindle across the room. I found myself so angry and I just wanted to reach out and hug Karen.
OUR SHORT HISTORY is a heart breaking story that will keep you up late into the night, reading and praying for Karen and Dave to get past their bitterness and fear to do right by Jake. I hated Dave at first and didn't want him anywhere near Jake. I was so afraid he would break Jake's heart just like he did Karen's. But after a few chapters, I found myself feeling sorry for Dave. I get that Karen just wanted the best for Jake, any mother would. But Dave is his father and nothing she says can take that away from him.
OUR SHORT HISTORY is the first book I've read by Lauren Grodstein. Now that I've read this wonderful story, I'm going to go back and read her previous books and I'm excited about that. Do yourself a favor and read this beautiful and heart tugging story about a mother's love and her journey to do right by her son whom she loves with all that she is and all she has left. Keep the tissues close by.
Lauren Grodstein
Received from Netgalley
Karen Neulander is a political consultant and she is very successful at it. She is a single mom, with a six year old son named Jake. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer and knows her time on Earth is short. She decides to keep a journal for her son for when he is older and wants to know who his mom was. OUR SHORT HISTORY is their story.
OUR SHORT HISTORY shredded my heart over and over again. Jake becomes curious about his Dad and wants to meet him. Karen is torn by doing the right thing and protecting Jake. Karen and Jake's father, Dave, had a short relationship but it was enough time for Karen to have her heart broken. At first, she thought Dave loved her and when she became pregnant she expected Dave to stand by her and with her. Instead he told her he wasn't interested in being a family or a Dad and Karen walked away never telling him she had the baby. Once she contacts Dave to let him know about their son, he instantly wants to become Jake's Dad.
I finished OUR SHORT HISTORY with a huge lump in my throat and tears streaming down my face! Lauren Grodstein broke my heart over and over again and she did it perfectly. When Karen finds out that her cancer has returned and she is no longer in remission I almost threw my Kindle across the room. I found myself so angry and I just wanted to reach out and hug Karen.
OUR SHORT HISTORY is a heart breaking story that will keep you up late into the night, reading and praying for Karen and Dave to get past their bitterness and fear to do right by Jake. I hated Dave at first and didn't want him anywhere near Jake. I was so afraid he would break Jake's heart just like he did Karen's. But after a few chapters, I found myself feeling sorry for Dave. I get that Karen just wanted the best for Jake, any mother would. But Dave is his father and nothing she says can take that away from him.
OUR SHORT HISTORY is the first book I've read by Lauren Grodstein. Now that I've read this wonderful story, I'm going to go back and read her previous books and I'm excited about that. Do yourself a favor and read this beautiful and heart tugging story about a mother's love and her journey to do right by her son whom she loves with all that she is and all she has left. Keep the tissues close by.
March 4, 2017
4 stars out of 5
Our Short History, written by Lauren Grodstein, is a sensitively-written fictional memoir. The book had me at page one and never let go till the end. It’s funny, it’s sad and it’s a well-told tale.
Karen Neulander is writing her life story for her six-year-old son, Jake, as she is suffering from Stage IV ovarian cancer and is not expected to live much longer. Karen is a single parent, having raised Jake from the start. She plans for Jake to live with her sister’s family when she dies, but then the boy’s biological father steps, unexpectedly, back into the picture. Who will gain custody?
Our Short History is a beautifully written book and I would very much recommend it.
Publication Date: 21 Mar 2017
Thanks to Algonquin Books and Netgalley for this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
Our Short History, written by Lauren Grodstein, is a sensitively-written fictional memoir. The book had me at page one and never let go till the end. It’s funny, it’s sad and it’s a well-told tale.
Karen Neulander is writing her life story for her six-year-old son, Jake, as she is suffering from Stage IV ovarian cancer and is not expected to live much longer. Karen is a single parent, having raised Jake from the start. She plans for Jake to live with her sister’s family when she dies, but then the boy’s biological father steps, unexpectedly, back into the picture. Who will gain custody?
Our Short History is a beautifully written book and I would very much recommend it.
Publication Date: 21 Mar 2017
Thanks to Algonquin Books and Netgalley for this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
April 6, 2017
Karen Neulander is a successful, New York political consultant; she is also a single parent to son Jake. When she is diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, discovering that her remaining life is now limited to months, she begins writing a memoir to her son while unraveling the emotions she's kept hidden about her son's father.
Grodstein masterfully crafted this story; I enjoyed the writing very much. By virtue of the fact that Our Short History reads, at times, like a memoir from mother to son, Grodstein handily takes on the role of her protagonist and I often had to remind myself that this is a work of fiction.
Karen's struggles provide a valuable perspective that allows the reader to relate easily; she is forced to confront her past, informing readers of the other, not-so-put-together, side, as she attempts to reframe her life in light of new circumstances.
At times, I found myself feeling frustrated with Karen's overbearing (and somewhat whiny) parental qualities in Our Short History; I recognize that she is facing her own mortality, without much support, but she shares certain qualities with other parents I know that drive me bananas.
Even though Our Short History has received some excellent reviews, and there were times when I really enjoyed the reading, it wasn't the show-stopper I'd expected; due to the quality of Grodstein's writing, I will surely recommend this one to many other readers who enjoy similar works of fiction.
Find all of my book-related thoughts and discussions at Running 'n' Reading.
Selfish people jump into the life raft first. Cowards sneak out the back door. Liars say whatever it takes to get out of trouble. Craven people walk away from what they’ve wrought. But good, morally sound people take responsibility for their actions and stand up for the people they care about, even if they put themselves at risk. Even if they put their own desires second.
Grodstein masterfully crafted this story; I enjoyed the writing very much. By virtue of the fact that Our Short History reads, at times, like a memoir from mother to son, Grodstein handily takes on the role of her protagonist and I often had to remind myself that this is a work of fiction.
Karen's struggles provide a valuable perspective that allows the reader to relate easily; she is forced to confront her past, informing readers of the other, not-so-put-together, side, as she attempts to reframe her life in light of new circumstances.
At times, I found myself feeling frustrated with Karen's overbearing (and somewhat whiny) parental qualities in Our Short History; I recognize that she is facing her own mortality, without much support, but she shares certain qualities with other parents I know that drive me bananas.
Even though Our Short History has received some excellent reviews, and there were times when I really enjoyed the reading, it wasn't the show-stopper I'd expected; due to the quality of Grodstein's writing, I will surely recommend this one to many other readers who enjoy similar works of fiction.
Find all of my book-related thoughts and discussions at Running 'n' Reading.
April 9, 2017
The last few pages of this book I read with tears in my eyes. It was a stuggle to see the words. I'm not a particularly emotional reader. The only books I recall crying while reading were The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe and Fine Things by Danielle Steele. I believe this is because these books really hit home. I lost my Mom to cancer when I was thirteen and even though I'm on the verge of 60 the loss is still fresh and always will be. Getting the prespective from the dying made me think back to my Mom and wonder what thoughts were going through her mind as she knew she was leaving three young children without a mother. Lauren Grodstein has written an incredible book! I guarantee this book will make you cry. This book is perfect for book clubs, lots to discuss. I look forward to meeting this author in May.
March 27, 2017
I loved this book! The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because as I've gotten older, I reserve 5 stars for books I think will be read years, even decades from now. But this book will grab you by your shirt and not let go until it has wrenched every last shred of emotion from you. Some people don't like their emotions manipulated in this way but I consider it an art form. I stayed up late to finish it last night, then had a good cry and this morning my eyes are swollen and puffy. It was totally worth it.
December 12, 2016
Lauren Grodstein has written a novel detailing the harrowing experience of Stage IV ovarian cancer. Her character, Karen Neulander, is a powerful dynamo working on various local political campaigns. She is the single mother of six year old Jacob. Karen and Jacob live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. This story has been told many times and in many different ways. The outstanding aspect of this novel is that Karen did not, for a number of believable reasons, tell Jacob's father that she had the child she told him she was pregnant with during their relationship. They fought, she said she would never have a child with him, left and never saw him again. Now, Karen decides to write Jacob a book about all the things she wants him to know about her and him when he is older. The book is written within the novel. She tells Jake about his father and why he isn't in his life. She doesn't want the father, David, anywhere near Jacob's life.
Karen is angry and that is what I came away with, a huge ball of anger at everything in Karen's world. She is angry at cancer, at herself for not handling it better, and even at Jacob sometimes because he begins to feel out some independence, normal for a young boy going into first grade. The beginning of normal separateness hits Karen at the worst possible time, when she knows he is losing her.
Karen has a younger sister living in Washington, on Mercer Island, who is prepared to take care of Jacob when Karen dies. The set up is perfect since Allie married a wealthy Starbucks guy and they have children of their own and a huge house with all the trimmings of a perfect life for little Jacob. Karen's anger reaches a shrill and desperate peak when she gives the slightest opening to Jacob's father and he grabs it and runs with it. The guy who never wanted a child is instantly in love with this mini version of himself. It just makes Karen's situation fall beyond pathos but I felt for her in every tear and every painful chapter. When life sucks, it often does it in ways that are so mean and ravaging that it takes much courage to write about it. LG has done an excellent job of it with this new novel.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Algonquin Books (publish date: March 21st 2017)
Karen is angry and that is what I came away with, a huge ball of anger at everything in Karen's world. She is angry at cancer, at herself for not handling it better, and even at Jacob sometimes because he begins to feel out some independence, normal for a young boy going into first grade. The beginning of normal separateness hits Karen at the worst possible time, when she knows he is losing her.
Karen has a younger sister living in Washington, on Mercer Island, who is prepared to take care of Jacob when Karen dies. The set up is perfect since Allie married a wealthy Starbucks guy and they have children of their own and a huge house with all the trimmings of a perfect life for little Jacob. Karen's anger reaches a shrill and desperate peak when she gives the slightest opening to Jacob's father and he grabs it and runs with it. The guy who never wanted a child is instantly in love with this mini version of himself. It just makes Karen's situation fall beyond pathos but I felt for her in every tear and every painful chapter. When life sucks, it often does it in ways that are so mean and ravaging that it takes much courage to write about it. LG has done an excellent job of it with this new novel.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Algonquin Books (publish date: March 21st 2017)
February 5, 2017
It may sound strange to say that a book about a single mother dying of cancer is a fantastic book, but let me tell you that it really is. Our Short History is the first book that I've read by this author and I plan to go back and read her previous books after reading this one. Many thanks to BookBrowse for a copy of this book for a review. (All opinions are my own.)
Karen is a successful political consultant in NYC with a young son when she finds out that she has stage IV ovarian cancer. When she got pregnant with her son, the father broke up with her and she never told him about the baby. When her son is six, he asks to meet his father. Up until this time, they had been a family of two and Karen is very apprehensive about bringing his father into her son's life. However father and son bond very quickly and despite Karen's anger over including the dad into her son's life, she realizes that time is running out for her. Will she be able to learn to share her son with his father or will she continue to try to keep them apart?
The novel is written as a book that Karen is writing for her son to read when he is grown to explain the life that they had together. I thought she was an extremely fantastic character and the anger that she held against her ex boyfriend, her cancer and life in general is definitely justified. This is a fantastic book -- warning - keep Kleenex close at hand!
Karen is a successful political consultant in NYC with a young son when she finds out that she has stage IV ovarian cancer. When she got pregnant with her son, the father broke up with her and she never told him about the baby. When her son is six, he asks to meet his father. Up until this time, they had been a family of two and Karen is very apprehensive about bringing his father into her son's life. However father and son bond very quickly and despite Karen's anger over including the dad into her son's life, she realizes that time is running out for her. Will she be able to learn to share her son with his father or will she continue to try to keep them apart?
The novel is written as a book that Karen is writing for her son to read when he is grown to explain the life that they had together. I thought she was an extremely fantastic character and the anger that she held against her ex boyfriend, her cancer and life in general is definitely justified. This is a fantastic book -- warning - keep Kleenex close at hand!
February 5, 2017
***Received via Goodreads Giveaway***
Not a fan of the "letter/journal" to a loved one style of writing. There's always parts of the story that don't ring true, that a normal person wouldn't tell their loved one, but the author feels it needs to be part of the story. In this one, I can't see any good reason why Karen would need to tell her son about her candidates extramarital affairs. The kid isn't going to remember the guy by the time he reads the book, if he does, he's not going to give a shit. Made me downgrade the book a bit.
But what really made me dislike the book was Karen. I get that we're supposed to feel sympathy for her, and I did - for the fact she had cancer. Otherwise, she was a bitch. Her son wants to meet his birth father and all she can think of is how his father didn't want to be a father when she found out she was pregnant so he shouldn't be permitted to be part of his life, despite how much her son wants it. I found her selfish and I really couldn't get behind anything she did.
The one thing Grodstein did great was Jake. He wasn't the perfect kid, speaking like he was 18 instead of 12 years younger. He threw the occasional temper tantrum and he talked like a child. Grodstein can write younger characters.
Not a fan of the "letter/journal" to a loved one style of writing. There's always parts of the story that don't ring true, that a normal person wouldn't tell their loved one, but the author feels it needs to be part of the story. In this one, I can't see any good reason why Karen would need to tell her son about her candidates extramarital affairs. The kid isn't going to remember the guy by the time he reads the book, if he does, he's not going to give a shit. Made me downgrade the book a bit.
But what really made me dislike the book was Karen. I get that we're supposed to feel sympathy for her, and I did - for the fact she had cancer. Otherwise, she was a bitch. Her son wants to meet his birth father and all she can think of is how his father didn't want to be a father when she found out she was pregnant so he shouldn't be permitted to be part of his life, despite how much her son wants it. I found her selfish and I really couldn't get behind anything she did.
The one thing Grodstein did great was Jake. He wasn't the perfect kid, speaking like he was 18 instead of 12 years younger. He threw the occasional temper tantrum and he talked like a child. Grodstein can write younger characters.
March 28, 2017
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book!! I'm having a hard time finding the right words. It was raw and honest and ugly and gritty and real. A mother, dying from cancer, is writing a book for her 6 year old son to be read by his older self. She wants to give him life lessons and words of wisdom. And all her 6 year old son wants is to know his real dad. And she is torn. His dad doesn't know he exists - sure she told the father she was pregnant, but he said he didn't want children, and they went their separate ways. He thought she aborted the child, and never knew any different. She went on to have this child and raise him on her own. She raised a beautiful little man. He knows she is sick, but can only understand in the way a 6 year old can. She makes plans for his life - who will care for him and how he will be raised. Then, the little guy asks her to find his dad. She can't in good conscience deny him that. So, she reaches out to the father, but is adamant that he will not become a part of this boy's life. Her son is hers and hers alone. However, the little guy is enamored with the father, and the father is just as enamored with his newfound son. Cue the waterworks. Mom does not want to be replaced, she doesn't want to share HER son, but she knows she is soon to be gone. What's the right thing to do? The struggle is real!
This book!! I'm having a hard time finding the right words. It was raw and honest and ugly and gritty and real. A mother, dying from cancer, is writing a book for her 6 year old son to be read by his older self. She wants to give him life lessons and words of wisdom. And all her 6 year old son wants is to know his real dad. And she is torn. His dad doesn't know he exists - sure she told the father she was pregnant, but he said he didn't want children, and they went their separate ways. He thought she aborted the child, and never knew any different. She went on to have this child and raise him on her own. She raised a beautiful little man. He knows she is sick, but can only understand in the way a 6 year old can. She makes plans for his life - who will care for him and how he will be raised. Then, the little guy asks her to find his dad. She can't in good conscience deny him that. So, she reaches out to the father, but is adamant that he will not become a part of this boy's life. Her son is hers and hers alone. However, the little guy is enamored with the father, and the father is just as enamored with his newfound son. Cue the waterworks. Mom does not want to be replaced, she doesn't want to share HER son, but she knows she is soon to be gone. What's the right thing to do? The struggle is real!
May 25, 2017
And this book KILLED me … in the best of ways! What a wonderful and devastating book! This is a novel about motherhood like none other I’ve read. The basic premise is that there is a woman who has a six year old son and she’s recently found out she is going to die. The father was not part of their lives but her son wants to meet him. As she’s facing putting all of her affairs in order and making sure her son is well taken care of in light of her impending death, she’s also trying to manage her own feelings about her illness and how to manage allowing her son’s father become a part of her son’s life. It sounds morose and sad … and it is and yet it isn’t. It’s a wonderfully balanced story that is funny and sad and poignant and heart breaking.
The mother in the story is a political consultant so I really loved hearing about her work and getting a lens into a political campaign and its ups and downs throughout the novel. Between that and learning about how she’s balanced being a working single mother, it’s amazing how well she has done on her own. Having ovarian cancer has made the balance of her home and work lives start to fall apart a bit.
This story is about dying and cancer and yet it’s really about so much more – being a parent, trying to say goodbye, how wonderful and horrible motherhood can be, and how to help your child be OK despite the sorrow that is coming their way. The story is told via a letter from the mother to her son which I think was a really effective way to frame the story.
This is one of those stories that made me laugh and cry. By the end, I was sobbing … for her, for her son, for her friends and family and for this little boy’s father. The circumstances weren’t’ easy for anyone in the book but I definitely understood why they did some of the things they did (even if I didn’t necessarily agree with them). I don’t think it was the most groundbreaking or unpredictable story I’ve read BUT it was well written and beautifully expressed. It made me think and feel and think some more. It reminded me to be appreciative of every moment I have with my own kids and to do my best to help them become who they are. It reminded me to not be so stubborn about taking help when it is offered. It reminded me that you can find the humorous in the sadness.
I felt like the characters were well drawn in this one – they were flawed and often made decisions that were difficult to watch as a reader. I enjoyed the fact that the characters were ‘allowed’ to feel pain and anger and sorrow. The good and the bad of life … without qualms or qualifiers. I couldn’t stop reading this one. It grabbed me and didn’t let go until the last word. I highly recommend it … especially if you’re a mother or want to better understand being a mother (the good, the bad and the ugly). This is a beautiful and heartbreaking book that just wow’d me!
The mother in the story is a political consultant so I really loved hearing about her work and getting a lens into a political campaign and its ups and downs throughout the novel. Between that and learning about how she’s balanced being a working single mother, it’s amazing how well she has done on her own. Having ovarian cancer has made the balance of her home and work lives start to fall apart a bit.
This story is about dying and cancer and yet it’s really about so much more – being a parent, trying to say goodbye, how wonderful and horrible motherhood can be, and how to help your child be OK despite the sorrow that is coming their way. The story is told via a letter from the mother to her son which I think was a really effective way to frame the story.
This is one of those stories that made me laugh and cry. By the end, I was sobbing … for her, for her son, for her friends and family and for this little boy’s father. The circumstances weren’t’ easy for anyone in the book but I definitely understood why they did some of the things they did (even if I didn’t necessarily agree with them). I don’t think it was the most groundbreaking or unpredictable story I’ve read BUT it was well written and beautifully expressed. It made me think and feel and think some more. It reminded me to be appreciative of every moment I have with my own kids and to do my best to help them become who they are. It reminded me to not be so stubborn about taking help when it is offered. It reminded me that you can find the humorous in the sadness.
I felt like the characters were well drawn in this one – they were flawed and often made decisions that were difficult to watch as a reader. I enjoyed the fact that the characters were ‘allowed’ to feel pain and anger and sorrow. The good and the bad of life … without qualms or qualifiers. I couldn’t stop reading this one. It grabbed me and didn’t let go until the last word. I highly recommend it … especially if you’re a mother or want to better understand being a mother (the good, the bad and the ugly). This is a beautiful and heartbreaking book that just wow’d me!
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May 15, 2017Our Short History's characters were all convincingly written, and the plot/s of the book generally worked for me. The book gives us Karen, a terminally ill, single mother writing to her young son a kind of "so long, I love you" book to him. Karen may be ill, but she's a fighter -- by day, she's a hired campaign strategist for Democrat candidates operating in New York, and she is attempting to continue this work even as she battles her cancer. On top of this, her son, Jake, has asked her to reach out to the father that he has never met, causing great stress and anxiety to this already fragile woman.
Sadly, I had great trouble with this book's narrative format, specifically the countless, lengthy paeans of love she writes for her son and the "Forever Young" (the Bob Dylan song)-inspired sort of advice she scatters here and there amidst the book's plot to him. At first it was sweet, but after a while, I found that it kept killing any narrative momentum the book would go and build up for itself. After a while it also became irritating. At one point, Karen writes some such thing about how she can already tell that Jake, her son, will be a champion for the downtrodden and the powerless (don't quote me here, but it's something like this) because of how he carries himself as a 6-year-old. It's just a little too much.
Also, someone named Patty on Goodreads has pointed out that this particular format has plausibility problems for readers:
"Not a fan of the letter/journal to a loved one style of writing because it always [yields] parts of the story that don't ring true, that a normal person wouldn't tell their loved one, but the author feels it needs to be part of the story. In this one, I can't see any good reason why Karen would need to tell her son about her candidates extramarital affairs."
I agree with this. And I think Grodstein would have been more successful if she scrapped the idea altogether and told the story in a more conventional way.
For all of these reasons, I put this one aside about halfway through.
Sadly, I had great trouble with this book's narrative format, specifically the countless, lengthy paeans of love she writes for her son and the "Forever Young" (the Bob Dylan song)-inspired sort of advice she scatters here and there amidst the book's plot to him. At first it was sweet, but after a while, I found that it kept killing any narrative momentum the book would go and build up for itself. After a while it also became irritating. At one point, Karen writes some such thing about how she can already tell that Jake, her son, will be a champion for the downtrodden and the powerless (don't quote me here, but it's something like this) because of how he carries himself as a 6-year-old. It's just a little too much.
Also, someone named Patty on Goodreads has pointed out that this particular format has plausibility problems for readers:
"Not a fan of the letter/journal to a loved one style of writing because it always [yields] parts of the story that don't ring true, that a normal person wouldn't tell their loved one, but the author feels it needs to be part of the story. In this one, I can't see any good reason why Karen would need to tell her son about her candidates extramarital affairs."
I agree with this. And I think Grodstein would have been more successful if she scrapped the idea altogether and told the story in a more conventional way.
For all of these reasons, I put this one aside about halfway through.
April 22, 2017
I need to let this one bounce around my brain a bit. One of my very good friends died of cancer last week and I may be too close to that wrenching to properly digest this book.
I was drawn in to most of the book. It did elicit intense emotions. My gut feeling was that the book ending was too abrupt, but then, again, so was my friend's death - right after he'd gotten news of improvement.
I was drawn in to most of the book. It did elicit intense emotions. My gut feeling was that the book ending was too abrupt, but then, again, so was my friend's death - right after he'd gotten news of improvement.
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May 11, 2017Despite the premise, this is an uplifting, life-affirming book. Karen is a 43-year old mother of a 6 year old boy, Jacob, and is dealing with Stage IV ovarian cancer. Jacob’s father broke up with Karen when she became pregnant, and now that Jacob wants to know his dad, she contacts him – and finds out that he’s more than happy to get to know his son. This gave me all the feels. I didn’t want it to end.
— Jaime Herndon
from The Best Books We Read In February 2017: http://bookriot.com/2017/02/28/riot-r...
— Jaime Herndon
from The Best Books We Read In February 2017: http://bookriot.com/2017/02/28/riot-r...
April 13, 2017
This book is presented as a memoir being written by a successful professional woman who has raised her six year old son as a single mother – with the biological father of her son not even knowing that the boy exists. She is now terminally ill with cancer and wants what she is writing to be a record so that when her son is old enough he can know how much she loved him. Her son presents her with a dilemma when he begs her to let him meet his father and she complies. The rest of her memoir is about what happens next.
I am puzzled about how I want to rate this book – I have very mixed feelings. So let me just list those feelings and then see what I liked and what I did not like:
1 – I liked Lauren Grodstein’s style of writing – it seemed very informal. I felt like she and I were having a conversation instead of it being the case of me reading a book she wrote. I may seek out of her other books to see if they are similar in style.
2. I did not like Karen Neulander, the single mother in the book. I realize that I have never been in her position – facing pain, death, and the knowledge that she would never be able to watch her son grow up and become a man. However, until the very end of the book she concentrates entirely on satisfying herself. Even her purpose in writing this memoir for her son is self- centered – it is not her purpose to give him morals to live by or guides for a good life. Instead it is her purpose to tell him about herself – supposedly so he would know how much she loved him. I think her angst about her son becoming close to his father was due to her jealousy over that relationship extending into the future while her life with her son was near over. I got rather tired of her pity parties.
3 -I also did not like the cover – to me, it was a complete turn off. It surely did not draw me in and I don’t think I would have been inclined to pick it up to see what it was about. I guess the blue blobs are supposed to be clouds but I am not sure. I don’t’ think it is attractive nor is it inviting. (This review is a copy of what I sent to the publisher before publication - I know it really doesn't add to the review in Good Reads.)
4 - I know I am going to sound like a prude, and I guess I am, but her constant profanity throughout the book bothered me. Especially – the “f” word and using the name of God and Jesus as expletives. She is writing the book for her son, for goodness sakes. What a horrible example to set for your son. Then I came to Page 234 – and she explains there that she is a Jew who does not believe in God. That explained a lot of things to me – about her love of self and her priorities in life; but it did not make me dislike her any less.
Even with all those dislikes, I think this would be a good book for a book club. There are a whole lot of issues to discuss: e.g. should a political candidate’s personal life be important in election decisions or should those decisions be based upon who will do the best job in office. Also, is claiming to be a “Jew and an atheist” an oxymoron? I did some surfing after I finished the book and I found this quotation: “60 percent of American Jews believe that Judaism is mainly a matter of ancestry, culture, and values, rather than of religious observance. Hmmm? If there is eventually a Discussion Guide for Book Clubs published, I think this aspect might be included as a discussion issue in the guide.
I am puzzled about how I want to rate this book – I have very mixed feelings. So let me just list those feelings and then see what I liked and what I did not like:
1 – I liked Lauren Grodstein’s style of writing – it seemed very informal. I felt like she and I were having a conversation instead of it being the case of me reading a book she wrote. I may seek out of her other books to see if they are similar in style.
2. I did not like Karen Neulander, the single mother in the book. I realize that I have never been in her position – facing pain, death, and the knowledge that she would never be able to watch her son grow up and become a man. However, until the very end of the book she concentrates entirely on satisfying herself. Even her purpose in writing this memoir for her son is self- centered – it is not her purpose to give him morals to live by or guides for a good life. Instead it is her purpose to tell him about herself – supposedly so he would know how much she loved him. I think her angst about her son becoming close to his father was due to her jealousy over that relationship extending into the future while her life with her son was near over. I got rather tired of her pity parties.
3 -I also did not like the cover – to me, it was a complete turn off. It surely did not draw me in and I don’t think I would have been inclined to pick it up to see what it was about. I guess the blue blobs are supposed to be clouds but I am not sure. I don’t’ think it is attractive nor is it inviting. (This review is a copy of what I sent to the publisher before publication - I know it really doesn't add to the review in Good Reads.)
4 - I know I am going to sound like a prude, and I guess I am, but her constant profanity throughout the book bothered me. Especially – the “f” word and using the name of God and Jesus as expletives. She is writing the book for her son, for goodness sakes. What a horrible example to set for your son. Then I came to Page 234 – and she explains there that she is a Jew who does not believe in God. That explained a lot of things to me – about her love of self and her priorities in life; but it did not make me dislike her any less.
Even with all those dislikes, I think this would be a good book for a book club. There are a whole lot of issues to discuss: e.g. should a political candidate’s personal life be important in election decisions or should those decisions be based upon who will do the best job in office. Also, is claiming to be a “Jew and an atheist” an oxymoron? I did some surfing after I finished the book and I found this quotation: “60 percent of American Jews believe that Judaism is mainly a matter of ancestry, culture, and values, rather than of religious observance. Hmmm? If there is eventually a Discussion Guide for Book Clubs published, I think this aspect might be included as a discussion issue in the guide.
March 25, 2017
An emotional punch of a book.
February 12, 2017
Our Short History by Lauren Grodstein is a heart-breaking, insightful, emotional, compelling novel about a dying mother and her love for her son.
Karen Neulander is a successful New York political consultant who was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. She's doing everything she can to live as long as she possibly can, but she is dying. How can she leave her six-year-old son, Jake (Jacob), behind? While Karen makes plans for Jake to live with Allie, her sister, she is writing this book, the book we are reading, for Jake to read when he turns 18. She is trying to be as honest as she can about her feelings, what they are both experiencing, and how much, how fiercely she loves him.
When Jake asks to meet his father, Karen is unsure. Dave didn't want children and made that clear years ago when Karen told him she was pregnant. He even question if he was the father. Karen has had no contact with him since then and he has no idea he has a son. When she finally contacts him, she is shocked and annoyed to have him respond so positively. He is excited to meet Jake and wants them to meet as soon as possible. Karen is experiencing a plethora of emotions. Dave was the love of her life and he broke her heart. Now he wants to bond with her son, the son she has loved and raised without him. Dave's a smart lawyer too. Will he now try to take her son?
There is no question that this is a heart-breaking tear-jerker of a novel that will have you crying your eyes out more than once. Karen is brutally honest in the book she is writing for her son, although she is really writing it for herself. Grodstein perfectly captures a mother's fierce and protective love for her children and the sacrifices she is willing to make. She is trying to prepare for her death while knowing she will have to give Jake up. She's going to leave him behind - and how can that happen? She is fighting to live for Jake and then Dave waltzes in and effortlessly wants to be a part of Jake's life now. There are no good answers, only raw emotion, pain, and trying to make the best plans/choices.
The writing is excellent and captures Karen's struggles and pain with a startling amount of wit and humor. She is depicted as a real woman. We see her love and devotion for Jake along with her flaws and determination. Her death is not coming easy, and you can see Jake's struggles to understand and her sister's pain as she prepares to let her go. The only real drawback to the book is the framework that it is a letter to be read by her son in the future. Perhaps a diary format would have made more sense, but then perhaps we would have lost some of the emotional impact. In any event, I sobbed my way through this novel and enjoyed every moment of pain. 4.5 rounded up
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
Karen Neulander is a successful New York political consultant who was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. She's doing everything she can to live as long as she possibly can, but she is dying. How can she leave her six-year-old son, Jake (Jacob), behind? While Karen makes plans for Jake to live with Allie, her sister, she is writing this book, the book we are reading, for Jake to read when he turns 18. She is trying to be as honest as she can about her feelings, what they are both experiencing, and how much, how fiercely she loves him.
When Jake asks to meet his father, Karen is unsure. Dave didn't want children and made that clear years ago when Karen told him she was pregnant. He even question if he was the father. Karen has had no contact with him since then and he has no idea he has a son. When she finally contacts him, she is shocked and annoyed to have him respond so positively. He is excited to meet Jake and wants them to meet as soon as possible. Karen is experiencing a plethora of emotions. Dave was the love of her life and he broke her heart. Now he wants to bond with her son, the son she has loved and raised without him. Dave's a smart lawyer too. Will he now try to take her son?
There is no question that this is a heart-breaking tear-jerker of a novel that will have you crying your eyes out more than once. Karen is brutally honest in the book she is writing for her son, although she is really writing it for herself. Grodstein perfectly captures a mother's fierce and protective love for her children and the sacrifices she is willing to make. She is trying to prepare for her death while knowing she will have to give Jake up. She's going to leave him behind - and how can that happen? She is fighting to live for Jake and then Dave waltzes in and effortlessly wants to be a part of Jake's life now. There are no good answers, only raw emotion, pain, and trying to make the best plans/choices.
The writing is excellent and captures Karen's struggles and pain with a startling amount of wit and humor. She is depicted as a real woman. We see her love and devotion for Jake along with her flaws and determination. Her death is not coming easy, and you can see Jake's struggles to understand and her sister's pain as she prepares to let her go. The only real drawback to the book is the framework that it is a letter to be read by her son in the future. Perhaps a diary format would have made more sense, but then perhaps we would have lost some of the emotional impact. In any event, I sobbed my way through this novel and enjoyed every moment of pain. 4.5 rounded up
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
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