How to Forget by Kate Mulgrew

Kate is doing a one-woman Broadway show when she gets the call from her brother - come now, dad is sick. She drops everything and takes charge of his care and deals with her mother's advancing slip into Alzheimer's. Her journey then takes us from her grandparent's story to her parent's to her own but more importantly, it is a love letter to her parents and a goodbye. She craves the blessing of her gruff father and because she is not one of his sons, has to fight for his respect and approval. Her mother and she share a special relationship but that might make it that much harder to watch it slip away. As the oldest child and a girl, I understood Kate's need for approval and respect from her father and I understand all too well the pain of caring for a dying parent as well as what it is like to be a part of a large Irish Catholic family. Kate and her siblings came from near and far to care for their parents but she had the most difficult task - helping them let go and say goodbye. Gut-wrenching but so full of love and joy and truth that you have to read it. There is a part of the book that everyone will relate to and I can only wish for half of the gift she gave them - love, respect, and grace.