This book was eloquently written, quite moving at times, and a very compelling read. I read it in two sittings. I give it four stars and not five because I am trying to reserve my 5 star reviews for books that I think will be considered classics. If I had to recommend a single book about grief and loss, it would be The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. This book was lovely, and I especially appreciated the parallels between Artis' loss, and her mother's loss, as my father died when I was 5 and we also did not speak about my father much. A solid four, not quite 5. I read this over spring break with a book on Pat Tillman. Probably two unusual choices for a family vacation. Artis Henderson becomes an Army wife and loses her helicopter pilot husband when he deploys to Iraq all in the space of about a year. She wasn't your typical Army wife (at least not the type I encountered back in the 1980s) but her story is one that unfortunately is too common. That she has been able to make a new life for herself, while remembering the love of life, shows what a strong woman she is. While the book made me cry, it left me with hope for Artis and the rest of us.
What do You think about Unremarried Widow (2014)?
A memoir like this makes me so glad I don't give Goodreads "stars" anymore.
—ajla
This is the best book I have read in a long time. Amazing.
—keedee
