The Woman Said Yes: Encounters with Life and Death

by Jessamyn West

In a memoir filled with compassion and deep resolve, West celebrates the lives of three women-her strong Quaker mother, her beloved and courageous sister, and herself-and gives personal insight into her own battle to survive tuberculosis.

Genres: Biography, Memoir, Spirituality, Literature, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 1986

About the author

Mary Jessamyn West was an American Quaker (originally from Indiana) who wrote numerous stories and novels, notably The Friendly Persuasion (1945).

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am often moved to tears at the end of a Jessamyn West book, and this was no exception. This was a moving story of the lives and courage of the women in this author's family

[Sharon Zink · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the author's account of her bout with tuberculosis when her mother nursed her back to health. After her mother's death, the author's younger sister is stricken with a fatal disease and asks her sister to help her end her life. Very well written and compelling.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was read as a companion book to the fiction story by the same author. Ten years apart. It tells the story of her very serious hospitalization for TB with accompanying hemorrhaging. Her mother refuses to accept that she cannot get well, the hospital sends her home to die at home amongst her loved ones. Not on my watch is the mom’s view. And slowly she recovers and resumes a normal life.
Then yeas later, her younger sister asks her to come home and help her die. She does come home and movs in with her sister very ill from inoperable colon cancer. She is determined to end her life at the time of her own choosing. The author stays and helps her to accomplish her chosen path. Mostly by keeping ppl away so that her meds have time to finish their job. She has such a drive to do this that she was able to stand by and let it happen.
These two books, novel and memoir will be our book clubs spring read. I think it’s ripe for a lot of opinions.

[Amy Beth McPherson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story and insights about Jessamyn through her telling about her mother and sister.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessamyn writes about her life in the sanitorium when she had TB, her mother and assisting her sister's death. Not as grim as it sound

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an alumna of Whittier College and a guest instructor in the early 70's, Ms. West taught a writing class that I was happy to take as an underclassman.

[Jean Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an original memoir. Woman helps sister in pain commit suicide: now does that sound grim? Actually, it's a warm and wise and often funny book. I found myself dogearing page after page--so many wonderful quotes. It's the kind of book that springs hot from a writer's brain--a real page-turner. But it could have used an editor--maybe because I read it in 48 hours, I was so aware of a few places where comments were repeated. Jessamyn West is all one for "plain talk," and she's both frank and forthcoming. You won't regret picking up this book--a golden oldie--at your library or second hand bookstore.

[Gypsy Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially liked Part I.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

read at ave 168

[Janet]

Interesting contemplation of life and death based on personal history.