About So Far Away: A Daughter’s Memoir of Life, Loss, and Love
- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: Vanderbilt University Press (November 15, 2011)
Christine Hartmann’s mother valued control above all else, yet one event appeared beyond her command: the timing of her own death. Not to be denied there either, two decades in advance Irmgard Hartmann chose the date on which to end her life. And her next step was to tell her daughter all about it. For twenty years, Irmgard maintained an unwavering goal, to commit suicide at age seventy. She managed her chronic hypertension, stayed healthy and active, and lived life to the fullest. Meanwhile, Christine fought desperately against the decision. When Irmgard wouldn’t listen, the only way to remain part of her life was for Christine to swallow her mother’s plans–hook, line, and sinker.
Christine’s father, as it turned out, prepared too slowly for old age. Before he had made any decision, fate disabled him through a series of strokes. Confined to a nursing home, severely impaired by dementia and frustrated by his circumstances, his life epitomized the predicament her mother wanted to avoid.
So Far Away gives us an intimate view of a person interacting with and reacting to her parents at the end of their lives. In a richly detailed, poignant story of family members’ separate yet interwoven journeys, it underscores the complexities and opportunities that life presents each one of us.
“Grief is an individual process and dependent on situations, personalities, and relationships, but Hartmann offers personal discoveries that feel universal. Many readers will find familiar themes and emotions. Her book is a gift.”– ForeWord Book Reviews (read the full review HERE)
About Christine W. Hartmann
Christine W. Hartmann is a researcher in the Veterans Health Administration and an assistant professor at Boston University. She received her PhD at the Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She has published numerous articles on healthcare quality improvement, focusing particularly on long-term care. To learn more about Ms. Hartmann and her work, please visit her website at www.chartmannbooks.com.
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Christine W. Hartmann’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, November 21st: Peeking Between the Pages
Wednesday, November 23rd: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer – author Q&A
Thursday, November 24th: Life in Review
Monday, November 28th: Boarding in My Forties
Tuesday, November 29th: Book Hounds
Thursday, December 1st: Acting Balanced
Monday, December 5th: The Lost Entwife
Tuesday, December 6th: Colloquium
Wednesday, December 7th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Monday, December 12th: Book Dilettante
Tuesday, December 13th: Luxury Reading
Wednesday, December 14th: She Treads Softly