The Light of the World : : a Memoir

Locations
Call Number: Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / General / Alexander, Elizabeth, 921 Alexander, Elizabeth
On Shelf At: Malletts Creek Branch, Traverwood Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / General / Alexander, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / General / Alexander, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	921 Alexander, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	Due 05-13-2024

" In THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, Elizabeth Alexander--poet, mother, and wife--finds herself at an existential crossroads after the sudden death of her husband, who was just 49. Reflecting with gratitude on the exquisite beauty of her married life that was, grappling with the subsequent void, and feeling a re-energized devotion to her two teenage sons, Alexander channels her poetic sensibilities into a rich, lucid prose that describes a very personal and yet universal quest for meaning, understanding, and acceptance. She examines the journey we take in life through the lens of her own emotional and intellectual evolution, taking stock of herself at the midcentury mark. Because so much of her poetry is personal or autobiographical in nature, her transition to memoir is seamless, guided by her passionate belief in the power of language, her determination to share her voyage of self-discovery with her boys, and her embrace of the principle that the unexamined life is not worth living. This beautifully written book is for anyone who has loved and lost. It's about being strong when you want to collapse, about being grateful when someone has been stolen from you--it's discovering the truth in your life's journey: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's Elizabeth Alexander's story but it is all of our stories because it is about discovering what matters"-- Provided by publisher.

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Absolutely artwork submitted by Jinxyluis on August 21, 2019, 11:24am Alexander is a poet and this memoir is a work of art, suffused with beautiful language as she details their life together and carrying on after his passing. It's an intimate story, giving the reader insight into a profoundly intertwined and in love couple. I was captivated by how she talked about their marriage, her descriptions of knowing each other more than anyone else knows them, and about their loving family, and how she and their two teenage sons continue on together. I loved how she explains the way her late husband continues to be present in their lives, how she incorporates dreams and recipes, and her how she lays bare her evolving understanding of life without his physical presence. Definitely recommended for anyone, especially lovers of memoirs or gorgeous poetic prose.