The End of Your Life Book Club

“That's one of the things books do. They help us talk. But they also give us something we all can talk about when we don't want to talk about ourselves.”

This is an amazing story about selflessness, family, friends, and the power of the written word. Mary Anne Schwalbe dedicated her life to help those in the most need. She traveled to third-world countries without a thought for her own well-being just to make at least one person's life a little bit brighter. One would think that after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Schwalbe would slow down and take it easy, not the case. She was more determined than ever to create more happy memories with her family and friends and to fulfill her dream of building a national cultural center and library at Kabul University in Afghanistan.

Will and his mom share a love of reading and find the book discussions as easy segues to other topics on their minds: cancer, death, religion, etc. The pair forms their own personal book club and discuss their reads on trips to and from chemo therapy. Their discussions help create a special bond between them – and the discussions serve a therapeutic role for both of them.  Sharing book discussions with his mom help Will as he tries to cope with his mom's illness and how to approach her illness without seeming suffocating. Mary Anne, a strong and independent woman learns how to subtly communicate her feelings of fear and hope by reading books on the illness and other subject matter which help her to come to the realization of just how blessed and enriched her life is. Because Mary Anne cares more for others than herself, she makes it a point to always check in via email to see how everyone is doing. With the help of Will, she communicates with everyone on a blog and updates them on her health and on her many projects to serve those in need. She ultimately receives, from a friend who also gave her a book that helped her cope with her illness (Daily Strength for Daily Needs) a donation for a million dollars to put towards the Afghan library project! 

This book isn't just for those who have or know someone dealing with cancer. This book is about inspiration and getting (and giving) the most out of life. It's about opening up to those you love and letting them know who you are and what you stand for before it's too late. It's about acts of kindnesses and paying them forward. At the very least, read this book for the amazing discussions and summaries on the many books the mother and son share. Everything from P.G. Wodehouse to Owen Meany to Continental Drift to People of the Book and The Painted Veil (the list goes on and on) are mentioned.