In 2001, she was awarded the pulitzer prize for criticism. Bands, businesses, restaurants, brands and celebrities can create pages in order to connect with their fans and customers on facebook. At the age of 36, caroline knapp, author of the acclaimed bestseller drinking. This new book covers some of the same terrain her family, repression, desire but focuses on her struggles with anorexia and their larger cultural significance. Ellen jarrett, porter square books, cambridge, ma august 2010 indie next list this is the heartwarming and heartwrenching story of the authors deep friendship with writer caroline knapp. Knapp, who was a researcher of psychosomatic medicine. What can i say, i am loving these memoirs by middleaged women from cambridge.
She is also the author of alice ks guide to life and pack of two. Highly recommended for dog lovers and people interested in the bonds people develop with animals. Lets take the long way home, a memorable memoir by gail caldwell about her friendship with the late caroline knapp pack of two. She was the daughter of noted psychiatrist peter h. Caroline knapp describes how the distorted world of her welltodo parents pushed her toward anorexia and alcoholism. Gail caldwell wasnt looking to make friends when she met caroline knapp. Then she met caroline knapp, another writer living in boston, and. Fifteen million americans a year are plagued with alcoholism.
But the way she taught me was the hardest lesson of all. In lets take the long way home, pulitzer prize winning author gail caldwell offers a powerful and moving memoir about her comingofage in midlife and her extraordinary friendship with caroline knapp, the author of drinking. A love story, found herself confronted with a monumental task. I first read gail caldwells lets take the long way home, a memoir of friendship between caldwell and the writer caroline knapp, when i was pursuing my mfa in creative writing.
This is everything a memoir should be exquisite writing, vulnerability without narcissism, revealing truth for the reader rather than just recounting the writers life. Jun 29, 2007 writer caroline knapp, whose grace, wit, and uncompromising honesty infused two bestselling books and scores of columns and articles for the boston phoenix, died june 3, at age fortytwo. A love story, caroline knapp chronicled a passionate attachment to drink and that love affairs devastating end. I read this book about years ago when i got my first dog, suzy, from a rescue shelter.
A memoir of gail caldwells friendship with caroline knapp, and an anguished chronicle of knapps death from cancer. It the authors story about her friendship with caroline knapp, author of drinking, a love story, who tragically died in 2002 from. Caroline knapp has truly communicated the joys of dog cohabitation as opposed to dog ownership in a way that even nondog people can appreciate. Caroline knapp november 8, 1959 june 34, 2002 was an american writer and columnist whose candid bestselling memoir drinking. Feb 17, 2010 maybe the story of gail caldwell and caroline knapp s friendship is an old story. A familiar yet emotionally complex story that can bring a reader to tears. Sadly, i believe she died soon after this book was published. She had been diagnosed in midapril with lung cancer. Knapp that drew me to this book about knapp and caldwells friendship. A love story became best friends, talking about everything from their love of books and their shared history of a struggle with alcohol to their relationships with men. Through rowing, swimming, writing, their dogs, and sharing life experiences, they nurture a connection that we would all love to have with someone. A love story recounted her 20year battle with alcoholism. In lets take the long way home, pulitzer prizewinning author gail caldwell offers a powerful and moving memoir about her comingofage in midlife and her extraordinary friendship with caroline knapp, the author of drinking. August 2010 indie next list this is the heartwarming and heartwrenching story of the authors deep friendship with writer caroline knapp.
In her younger years, caldwell defined herself by rebellion and independence, a passion for books, and an aversion to intimacy and a distrust of others. Caroline knapp has been celebrated as much for her fresh insight into emotional and psychological issues as she has been for her gifts as a writer. The intricate bond between people and dogs by knapp, caroline and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Author interview gail caldwell, author of lets take the long way. Caldwell a strong west wind has managed to do the inexpressible in this quiet, fierce work. Knapps close friend gail caldwell has recently published a memoir of their friendship. In this extraordinarily candid and revealing memoir, knapp offers important insights not only about alcoholism, but about. It was also interesting and moving to read this right after finishing lets take the long way home, a memoir by knapps friend gail caldwell about their friendship before knapps untimely death. New york times bestseller they met over their dogs. Book overview new york times bestseller they met over their dogs. The title of this book spoke to me, the merry recluse because i could so easily become a recluse myself.
In her younger years, caldwell defined herself by reb. If you are someone who struggles with food or body image issues, do not take four decades to learn the lesson that i have learned. It the authors story about her friendship with caroline knapp, author of drinking, a love story, who tragically died in 2002 from cancer. The intricate bond between people and dogs by caroline knapp by caroline knapp on. Its been called a memoir of friendship a lovely sounding phrase if you ask me.
Oct 15, 2010 2010 texas book festival the epic friendship of two writers, doglovers, and exdrunks by marion winik, fri. May 02, 1996 the roots of alcoholism in the life of a brilliant daughter of an upperclass family are explored in this stylistic, literary memoir of drinking by a massachusetts journalist. Aug 01, 2010 caldwells best friend, the writer caroline knapp, died within weeks of being diagnosed with cancer in 2002. Lets take the long way home eindiana digital consortium. The final section, passages, reflects on the themes of true friendship, transformation, and loss. Although part of what caldwell makes clear is that the friendship was, in a sense, not cut short if cut short means brought to an end. The book shows how two women from very different backgrounds, become like family over their mutual love of dogs, rowing and writing.
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Caldwells friend, caroline knapp, was a columnist for the boston phoenix and the bestselling author of several books. Gail caldwells friend caroline knapp died in 2002, a scant six weeks. She had faced the loss of both her parents, given up a twentyyear relationship with alcohol, and, as she writes, i was wandering around in a haze of uncertainty, blinking up at the biggest questions.
These columns by the late knapp, who wrote for boston phoenix, and other publications, span her career from the 80s until her death in 2002, at age 42. I loved caroline knapp s writing and was really heartbroken when she died of lung cancer. As it is, with caroline knapps pack of two, and now with her best friends. She died in 2002 of lung cancer before this book was published. This is a 190page book we dont get to caroline s illness until page 125. I was excited to read this book because im such a huge fan of caroline knapp, the friend about which this memoir written.
The dogs are strong characters in caldwells book and the rituals of. In pack of two, she brings the same perception and talent to bear on the rich, complicated terrain of humananimal relationships. Critic and author caldwell wrote the book as a moving tribute to her best friend, writer caroline knapp, who died of lung cancer in 2002 at the age of 42. Somehow it seems fitting that a conversation with gail caldwell would be punctuated by the jubilant barks of a dogfitting because her exquisite new memoir, lets take the long way home, is a celebration of friendship, both canine and human.
The intricate bond between people and dogs by caroline knapp. A life in essays, knapp shows us that her vision through a wider lens is as brilliant as through a narrow one. After reading caldwells lets take the long way home, the story of her soulmate friendship with writer caroline knapp who died in 2002 of a brain tumor i wondered what caroline herself had written. A beautiful exploration of caldwells long friendship with fellow writer caroline knapp, and her searing loss after knapp s death from cancer. I thought caroline was going to teach me about grief, because shed lost both her parents, says caldwell. Books youll devour if you liked wintergirls khristina chess.
Author interview bookpage discover your next great book. Written 15 years ago, this was one of the first, and still the best, explorations of the doghuman. A pulitzer prizewinning authors heartfelt memoir of her midlife friendship with a fellow writer. Sep 08, 2020 caroline knapp ultimately, caroline knapp overcame her struggles with anorexia and adopted a dog, writing another great book, pack of two. Walking the woods of new england and rowing on the charles river, these two private, selfreliant women created an.
Gail caldwell memoir mines the depths of grief, memory the. In this extraordinarily candid and revealing memoir, knapp offers important insights not only about alcoholism, but about life itself and how we learn to cope with it. Knapp died in june 2002, shortly after completing appetites. I can still see her standing on the shore, a towel around her neck and a postworkout cigarette in her handhalf gidget and half splendid splinter, her rowers arms in defiant contrast. Gail caldwell and caroline knapp author of drinking. Brief essays exploring universal themes friendship, loneliness, and loveand observations on contemporary life, from barbie dolls and linda tripp to computer solitaire. Many of them, like caroline knapp, started in their early teens and began to use alcohol as liquid armor, a way to protect themselves against the difficult realities of life. It was a difficult time as i didnt know much about dogs and suzy was a difficult case neglected and abused. In 2001, just a few years into their friendship, knapp was diagnosed with lung cancer, and died within months. Jul 25, 2012 this week, i read lets take the long way home by gail caldwell. A pulitzer prizewinning authors heartfelt memoir of her midlife friendship with a. Gail caldwell and caroline knapp were athletes, sisterly competitors, best friends. Both writers, gail caldwell and caroline knapp, author of drinking. Caroline knapp is revered for her addiction memoir, drinking.
Caldwells best friend was caroline knapp author of drinking. Caroline knapp was an american writer and columnist whose candid bestselling memoir drinking. Caroline knapp s readers are known not just for their number, but for their intense connection to her work. Lets take the long way home by gail caldwell audiobook. From 198895, she was a columnist for the boston phoenix, where her column out there often featured the fictional alice k. A love story became best friends, talking about everything from their love of books and. I was in the middle of grieving the loss of my mother and was writing about how caring for a. A love story the dial press, 1996, who died of lung cancer at age fortytwo. This is a 190page book we dont get to carolines illness until page 125. Gail caldwells memoir of her friendship with caroline knapp, author of drinking. In the meantime, a prescient dog trainer who knew both women had suggested to caldwell that she and knapp spend some time together. A love story became best friends, talking about everything from their love of books and their shared. A friendship that developed across the net turns into a matter of life and death for one of the players. The memoir describes the friendship between the author and fellow writer caroline knapp.
Be prepared for tears from the books opening, which starts with knapps death and. She was the daughter of the noted psychiatrist peter h. I was in the middle of grieving the loss of my mother and was writing about how caring for a traumatized cat helped me to heal from ptsd. Caldwell writes with the same grace and elegance, and complete lack of sentimentality caroline knapp displayed when writing about the most intimate things. Gail caldwell memoir mines the depths of grief, memory. While caldwell describes this in the book s opening sentence as an old, old story, its also a new one because the friendship between knapp and caldwell was the product of unprecedented historical conditions.
Caroline knapp was a contributor at new woman magazine and a regular columnist at the boston phoenix, and her work has appeared in mademoiselle, the new york times, and numerous international magazines. A doctors story of friendship and loss by abraham verghese. Lets take the long way home, a memoir of friendship. She is also the author of a strong west wind, a memoir of her native texas. Then caroline died, leaving gail to untangle their intangible, spooky bond. Caroline knapp is an excellent writer and her prose distinguishes this book from the plethora of dog books published each year. Knapp connected so well in part because of the intense focus she brought to her subjects. Though they are more different than alike, these two fiercely private, independent women quickly relax into a friendship more profound than either of them. The intricate bond between people and dogs by caroline knapp and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. This book is perfect for people who own and love their dogs, yet are stymied when their nondog lover friends say, sure, barkey is cute, but he is just a dog. Gail caldwell has succeeded, and then some, in this account of her friendship with fellow memoirist caroline knapp, a friendship cut short when knapp died seven weeks after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
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