"I vaulted right over denial, anger, bargaining, and depression and landed in the soft sands of acceptance." Geraldine BrooksThe first Geraldine Brooks book that I read was Horse and I loved it! I added all of her other books to my TBR. Next I read Year of Wonders and didn't enjoy it as much as Horse due to all the death and tragedy. I want to read all of Brook's other books.A good friend of mine read Memorial Days: A Memoir and recommended it. I listened to it on audiobook and it is narrated by...

Geraldine Brooks' novels consistently rank among my absolute favorites. I've devoured all six of them. Her writing captivates me, yet I hesitated before diving into this memoir, "Memorial Days: A Memoir," where she bravely shares her grief over the loss of her beloved husband, Tony Horwitz. I wasn't sure I was emotionally prepared to confront such profound sorrow, but then I realized I might never truly feel ready. My admiration for her work is so immense that I couldn't bear to miss the opportu...

In 2019, Geraldine Brooks' husband, Anthony Horwitz, a celebrated author and journalist, tragically died of a heart attack at the age of 60. It happened on a Washington, D.C. sidewalk while he was on a book tour.Two celebrated authors, whose love story spanned decades, faced an abrupt and devastating end.He passed away on Memorial Day. For Geraldine, an Australian native, this marked the beginning of her own "Memorial Days" as she began to reminisce about their life together.Geraldine booked a t...

Memorial Days: A Memoir is a memoir of love and grief—a quick read that packs a powerful punch! Geraldine Brooks' thirty-five-year marriage to Tony Horwitz ended with his sudden, unexpected death in 2019. After three years of pretending to herself and everyone else she was okay, she realized she wasn't. She needed to grieve Tony's death, and she needed to do it alone... Brooks' narrative is open and honest, and what she experiences as the partner who is left behind is both shocking and eye-o...

All the stars... and all the hearts, too. Geraldine Brooks' *Memorial Days: A Memoir* is simply breathtaking. A deeply moving and unforgettable read that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. If you're looking for powerful memoirs, look no further.

UPDATE (June 9th, 2025): Please see the bottom of this reviewIt’s 2019, and Geraldine Brooks, the author of the prize-winning novel *Horse*, finds out her husband, author Tony Horwitz, died suddenly in the middle of a book tour. *Memorial Days: A Memoir* is a touching account of how Brooks deals with her grief. I suppose there’s no ideal way for a loved one to die, but there is something jarring about it coming out of the blue. I mean, her husband was active and fit, although he did take medicat...

“Write the truest thing you know. Dear reader, this is it.” I've been a fan of Geraldine Brooks for years. In fact, years ago, our Library Book Discussion Group had a compelling conversation about "Caleb’s Crossing." I loved her story, “People of the Book,” and was completely captivated by “Horse.” If you're interested in my reviews for any of these books, the links are below. So, when I heard about her memoir, I was immediately drawn in. What happens when your life partner dies unexpectedly?...

This was too beautiful for words, so I won't even try. Reading Geraldine Brooks' *Memorial Days: A Memoir* felt like a privilege, a glimpse into something sacred. I'm not going to attempt to dissect its beauty; just experience it for yourself. This is a must-read for anyone looking for powerful memoirs.

Geraldine Brooks's memoir, "Memorial Days: A Memoir," about her life in the immediate aftermath of her beloved husband Tony Horwitz's sudden death in 2019—and then again, three years later, on a rugged island off the coast of Tasmania—is simply beautiful. Every single page, every single word, resonates. It's not just an unflinching look at grief; it's a precise and often infuriating examination of the nitty-gritty work demanded of those left behind. Instead of just mourning, there are the mundan...

I really didn't want to buy this book. Seriously.It's a memoir, and I've been drowning in memoirs lately for research on my last novel and the one I'm currently working on. Plus, it's about a novelist dealing with grief after her husband suddenly dies—I already had Didion lined up for that kind of read later this year.But it's written by Geraldine Brooks, one of my absolute favorite novelists. She just has a way with words, you know? Her writing is both comforting and exhilarating. So, I caved, ...