Review of Dear Abigail

[Malissa Conley]

I really enjoyed how the review walked me thru the emotions of the book. The emotions evoked by the words on the page are just as important as the storyline itself.

[tarafarah7]

Today's BOTD is a memoir that started out as a letter to the author's granddaughter, Abigail, after losing both his wife and daughter to ovarian cancer. In it, he reflects on his grief, while sharing with Abigail the details of her mother and grandmother's lives, as well as his life with them. Sounds like an emotional piece! I'm looking forward to reading it. Thank you!

[Aan Granados]

I hope that by writing this book the author found it cathartic and move on from the grief. Thanks for your review!

[Timothy Rucinski]

I'm not too fond of memoirs, particularly those involving grief, so I'll be skipping this one. However, I am pleased to offer my congratulations to the author on his achievement.

[Fredrick Felix Mnjala Maneno]

A true story of human resilience. The review itself is quite moving. Love, loss, grief and the all-time saviour in heart-breaking situations, humour. This sounds like an excellent read.

[Ogejoe]

I'm not in love with memoirs. Especially those with grief.
But I still congratulate the author on his reward

[Mildred Echesa]

I don't like sad stories so I won't be reading this one.
It's sad t loose your wife and child though. Congratulations on making a book of the day

[Brenda Creech]

This sounds like a heart-wrenching book, but what a legacy the author left for Abigail! Growing up not knowing her mother's side of the family and then having such a treasure as this book! I will have to check this one out! Thanks for the excellent review!

[Stormy Stemmet]

This author and his wife fell in love as teenagers and insisted against their parents opposition on marrying at twenty-one. Like many in their generation, their childhoods were damaged by poorness and early death. Wales was poor and mining and other available jobs were dangerous and unhealthy. Some managed to remain cheerful and loving; others were irritated and angry by the unpleasantness of their lives.

Richard trained as an accountant - not his first choice, but an easy, well-paid job/line of work compared to many. They had two beautiful children and a lovely home. Then the ovarian cancer that ran in Rachel's family struck again and she was dead without being able to see her children marry or hold her grandchildren . Because of the family history, her daughter Carys was at high risk for the same cancer. She was advised to be screened often and to marry and have children early, followed by a hysterectomy . She did fall in love and marry, but during her pregnancy she, too was told he or she had a disease named ovarian cancer. She gave birth to Abigail, but didn't live to see her baby's second birthday.

As to little Abigail, it's a story that's all too common now. Most of the time, grandparents are separated from grandchildren by divorce, but sometimes it's by death and remarriage. And so the grandfather who has been struck three mortal blows wrote this book for his granddaughter. He wants her to understand the laughter and joy and closeness of the happy times. He wants to explain his deep and emotional need to protect his only daughter from harm and the pain of learning that he was powerless to do so. He wants her to know how much she was loved and wanted.

Matter of fact, I almost stopped reading after the first pages of DEAR ABIGAIL, which I found too sweet and overly emotional. I'm so glad I kept reading because it turned out to be a beautiful, honest, funny, gut-emotionally upsetting book. This author has published several novels and he's a good writer. Even if he couldn't tell his story in such wonderful, beautiful writing, it would still be a great story. It's a reminder to all of us of the easily-broken quality of life. It's good evidence of the power of love and the MEMORY of love in the face of even the greatest terrible events

[Ronzy Adams]

I was a bit taken aback by the authors ability to use his grief to talk about his relationship with God. I also like the way he used humour in describing his family members

[Danielle Briggs]

The grief this author must have felt is unimaginable! The journey he takes readers, and Abigail on, sounds like an interesting one to read. Thanks for the great review!

[Bertha Jackson]

It is a beautiful idea to write a letter to a granddaughter, or any family member, to give them their family history if circumstances prevent you from doing so personally. Thank you for your review.

[Chinazo Anozie]

This book seems like a good read, and I empathize with the author. However, I'll have to pass on this because I don't read non-fiction.

[Petronila O]

None fictional book he wrote a letter to his granddaughter he wants her to understand when she is older who her real mother was the author brought out a storyline between Rachel and Carys and the timelessness nice to read

[Jane Ogwang]

Richard has been to hell and back and I really want to know how he got through those tough time. The book seems emotional but quite insightful. Thanks for the marvelous review.