Monday, July 20, 2009

Book Review: The Leisure Seeker

Well, as usual- let's start this post off by me saying that I usually don't like books about getting old and dying seeing how I'm only 27 and I'd like to be optimistic and say that won't happen to me for awhile. But let's be real- I could be killed on my lunch break. But I reserved this book from the library after seeing the super snazzy cover with a racing RV on it because again, I'm shallow like that and judge books by covers. Freal, folks. OK- on with the review....




This book is a MUST READ. If you read nothing else in your life, you must read this book. I'm so not kidding. It will give you a totally different outlook on your marriage, your parents, and getting old. This book is a really fast read and I did it in under 6 hours and that's probably because I just could not put it down. It is basically the story of John and Ella Rubina who are elderly with a multitude of health probems with the most significang being John with Alzheimer's and Ella with cancer. John doesn't really get what's happening to him and Ella is running the show despite being in advanced stages of her cancer. She's opted to stop treatments and live out the rest of the life she has with her husband. In their RV. On the way to California, DisneyLand, via Route 66 to be exact. Their kids obviously thinks this is ridiculous and are adament that they come home and seek medical help "to get better". What the kids don't realize and what Ella very clearly does is that she doesn't have much time left and she doesn't want to be without her husband. And she knows that John would be lost without Ella because she's the only one he can really remember and recognize, mostly because they've been married 60+ years. It is a really great story and as much as I would grieve over the loss of either of my parents, I will not be the child that insists they go to the doctor, or seek additional treatment, etc. When people are ready to go the most humane thing we can do as family or friends is to just let them go. You must read this- definitely add it to your lists!

2 comments:

The Treadler said...

SOLD! Thank you for the review. I have to read this book.

Jen Mc said...

I'll have to check this out. Thanks!