BOOK REVIEWS: Crossing the River: Seven Stories That Saved My Life and Later

This month I have selected two books from my stack to review — “Crossing the River: Seven Stories That Saved My Life” by Carol Smith and “Later” by Stephen King.

Crossing the River: Seven Stories That Saved My Life

There is no template for grieving. Everyone grieves in their own way. On Tuesday, my mother would have been 64 years old, but she died of breast cancer in September 2010. I am still grieving after 10 years.

It was one of the reasons I was interested in this book. Since the day her son Christopher was born, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist Carol Smith did everything to make his life easier.

He was born with a congenital developmental defect that blocked his urinary tract and damaged his kidneys. With lots of medical help and a kidney transplant, he survived. Smith gave up her newspaper job and moved to California from Seattle to get remedial therapy and support for him. Things were going well. Then suddenly Christopher was dead at seven. And Smith was left alone to cross the river of sorrow. She did in the only way she knew how—her work.

In "Crossing the River", Smith faced that loss by throwing herself into the medical beat at her newspaper by writing a series of profiles about people coping with their own momentous challenges from life-changing injuries to a medical diagnosis. 

The story that resonated with me was the one about Seth, a young boy with Progeria. This is an extremely rare, progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly. 

By writing and sharing his story, Smith was able to see how life was not measured in time but in the little moments such as helping a child learn to ride a bike or to express love. 

It took me a while to finish this book because it was not an easy read. I would read a story and take a few days to digest. Smith’s writing was gut-wrenching and raw. I cannot imagine what I would do if something happened to my son. "Crossing the River" was gifted to me by Abrams Books and will be published on May 4.

Later

It is not a new year without a new book from Stephen King.  "Later" was a fast read at 256 pages.

Jamie Conklin sees dead people. But not like the kid in the movie "The Sixth Sense". 

As the son of a struggling single mother, Jamie just wanted an ordinary childhood. Born with an unnatural ability, his mom urged him to keep it a secret. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine as he discovers when a police detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave.

This is King's third published work with Hard Case Crime, following the release of "The Colorado Kid" and "Joyland". 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could have read it in one sitting but spread it out over three days.

"Later" is many things. It is a thriller, a ghost story, and a supernatural-coming-of-age tale. It was the perfect book to curl up within a recliner with some hot chocolate and some Girl Scout cookies.

"Later" is available at bookstores. I strongly suggest you read it now instead of later.