Writing the What-If: The Aftermath of a Daughter’s Grief
Rebecca Handler on Exploring Alternate Narrative Paths
Literary Hub, March 11, 2021
Don’t sing “You Are My Sunshine” to your father on his deathbed. Trust me, looking back now, it was a poor choice. I just didn’t consider how ubiquitous it is; in fact, yesterday, a group of preschool children were singing it right outside my office window. On their way to the park in single file, wearing fluorescent orange vests over their t-shirts and overalls, holding onto a rope, they sang, “You make me happy when skies are grey.” I resisted the urge to call out the window, “My dad died to that song. Have fun on the slide!”
San Francisco Chronicle Datebook
Review: ‘Edie’ puts an honest face on dealing with Alzheimer’s
“It may seem counterintuitive to pick up a novel about death and grief when so many people are suffering at this moment in history. (More sadness? No thanks!)
What Handler’s book teaches us is that facing tragedy head-on and accepting death as a constant are the only ways to get through it. Plus, reading about or sharing someone else’s pain teaches us empathy.”