This is a Heartbreaking and inspirational memoir. Written by the actress Kate Mulgrew it is part autobiography and a tribute to her parents. When her father is diagnosed with cancer and her mother with Alzheimer's she returns home to spend time with them. The book is beautifully written.

***I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

I have mixed feelings about this book, purely from the sense of how you feel about a certain "character" in the book you're reading. Growing up in a large family in the Midwest myself (although neither Irish American nor Roman Catholic), I very much recognized characteristics of Mulgrew's family, but I'm not sure I'd like all of them. There were some stories glossed over (in the sense of reflection, not emotion in the moment) or even things Kate seemed to admire in her parents that really bothered me. That being said, this was very well written and honest. Grief and death are so little discussed in our society, and then often with fear, I always appreciate an open observation of them. Not to mention the mirror this turned on me as I approach some of these discussions in my own family.

Heartbreaking, painful and lovely, this memoir has a much different feel than Born with Teeth, which I also enjoyed.

I love Kate’s writing style. She was brave to expose her grief and pain in such a public way and I feel as if I know her a bit better after this second book.

I look forward to reading more from her.

I didn't read Kate Mulgrew's earlier memoir (Born with Teeth) but this is really much more about her parents, particularly the ends of their lives and how she and her siblings were present for those long and painful periods of deterioration and change.

Mulgrew is perceptive but really only talks about herself in relation to everyone else.. maybe that's life in a giant family. It's a nice comparison of stoic Midwesterners and their New York City actress daughter.

This book was amazing. It tugged at heartstrings without being saccharine. It was often bleak, without being nihilistic. Mulgrew has always been a favorite of mine, in her many forays into all sorts of media, and she did not disappoint with this book. Her coping with grief and dealing with contentious issues in her family was relatable and blunt. Definitely would recommend this book to anyone who has dealt with loss, especially the death of a parent, and for anyone who has ever been enchanted with Kate Mulgrew's matter of fact sassiness towards the world.

With a writer’s deft hand, Kate Mulgrew leads her readers further down the road of her life story. Now as an adult she has come home because her mother has atypical Alzheimer’s disease and her father is in denial. In this memoir she flashes back at times to examine her emotionally turbulent family life, her childhood memories, and also her present day relationships with her brothers and sisters. Her descriptions are vivid and indelible filled with laughter, sadness, triumph, and tragedy. Her Mother, Joan was a painter and her Father, Thomas, was a contractor. Their love was intense; they had a large family but their interests in life were quite diverse. It was a classic beauty and the beast relationship. But Ms. Mulgrew skillfully weaves the tale of their life and love together so readers understand what drew them together and what kept them together all those years regardless of life’s twists and turns. It is a compelling story readers will enjoy and remember for weeks.

I started this book on the recommendation of Virgina Stanley, who never steers me wrong. Kate Mulgrew writes more than a memoir; this is a family story akin to the depth of Angela's Ashes; a fully immersive experience for the reader. In gorgeous language, Mulgrew explores the family dynamics of losing both parents in rapid succession. Her father's cancer hit him like the man he was; hard and explosive and barely contained, while her mother's dementia progressed steadily like a bulldozer, destroying everything that had made the vibrant woman the marvel she had been. The relationship between the siblings morphed. This excellent book deserves enormous readership.

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. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

At some point in my early thirties, I had a revelation, I realized that my parents are people too. People that, in the process of growing older, experienced fears, joys, and doubts. Possibly, very similar to those I was experiencing. That revelation changed the way i viewed my parents, and helped me to see them in a more realistic way- not judge them so harshly. This book was a powerful reminder of that lesson. Beautifully written, honest, and poignant. You will laugh and cry, and celebrate and mourn. Kate Mulgrew has written an amazing tribute to wonderfully human parents.