Elizabeth Berg has become one of my favorite authors. I have read two of her books lately - one originally published in 1994, and her newest, released in April. Both books deal with a tender subject - the death of a best friend.
My closest friend was a lady named Wanda. When we met in 1990, she had already been battling cancer for several years. Our friendship grew as I drove her to weekly chemo treatments. She passed away in 2004. These books hit close to home for me - so close that I'm amazed I actually finished them. But I"m so glad I did. Ms. Berg has a way of encapsulating exactly what I'm thinking and feeling into a few, beautiful words.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMweKC1F1ZnxHaNS42RqxuRl1s40DMj8gfw_pPqhkAqUkjV1-IbT7wJmV8A6Wfz63vOh3q20IyFiTvxi4vVHzEtmXHaW3XJojt89PXKUUsW0Jp9Zy8yfkEs-t6FQFRqIUxwks69pHQctS/s200/berg1.jpg)
A wise and funny novel about two women who share the closest bonds of friendship. When one is diagnosed with cancer, their conversations begin to go deeper into the truths of women's lives.
My favorite quote:
My favorite quote:
How is it that we dare to honk at others in traffic when we know nothing about where they have just come from or where they are on their way to?
Tapestry of Fortunes
Favorite quotes:
I like friendly people like this who immediately make you feel welcome and quite pleased to be yourself.
There's a flat-screen TV, a fireplace with a blue stone surround that looks like lapis lazuli, and an overcrowded bookcase, my favorite kind.Two books by the same author, dealing with the same theme, yet very different stories and perspectives - Talk Before Sleep takes the friendship through diagnosis and the process of loss. Tapestry of Fortunes focuses on recovering after the loss of a friend. For me, it was a coincidence to pick them up so close together. I am curious if Ms. Berg made a deliberate choice to return to the subject nearly twenty years later. And if so, why?
Both books get my biggest thumbs up - plus a 2-hankie warning.
any book that advocates chocolate cake for breakfast was meant for me. When my adult niece stayed with us, I told her to go ahead and eat cake for breakfast and not worry, her mother was on the other side of the world. Well, turns out her mother has no issues with cake for breakfast. I guess that's why we are such good friends.
ReplyDeleteI love Berg and find that her books often deal with similar issues. What a great coincidence that you read both of these together. One day I will read all of her books, but I haven't read either of these.
ReplyDelete