Review: The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of the author and his mother Mary who is diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. While visiting the hospital for various rounds of treatment, he asks her what she is reading at the time and thus starts this book club where they discuss books read before , exchange more books and after a while even read same books to discuss as and when they talk. So this book is also a collection of all the books, their discussions, and their life stories. It is a wonderful book and though I did not keep track of the books they talked about, I learned so much about life lessons, human bonds and how stories help make things happen.

My favorite lesson from the book was that one must never stop asking about other's stories and also share the word about a good cause you believe in. You never know when you might find help or be able to provide help to someone. Then there is a point where the author asks his mother how to help and how to know you are doing enough to which his mother says, when you want to know more about the world and how to help - You Read.  At every other turn, Mary shows how books are the ultimate safe haven for everyone and also the only way we can know how to be better.

This book inspired me to work harder, read better and help more and more people in every little way and most importantly, to be kind and to always show my love and respect when I have time. I liked the book so much that I gifted it to friends and have bought my own copy so I can mark my favorite passages in the book.

Some quotes from the book -

“This, I finally realized, was how Mom was able to focus when I was not. It was how she was able to be present with me, present with the people at a benefit or the hospital. She felt whatever emotions she felt, but feeling was never a useful substitute for doing, and she never let the former get in the way of the latter. If anything, she used her emotions to motivate her and help her concentrate. The emphasis for her was always on doing what needed to be done."

“How can you be lonely, Mom said, when there are always people who want to share their stories with you, to tell you about their lives and families and dreams and plans?”

Mom talked to everyone and had no hesitation approaching people who were crying, in pain, or in distress. (“If they don’t want to talk, they’ll tell you so, but how can you ignore them?”)”


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