Book Review :: The Middle Place

I know what you’re thinking: “Two reviews in two days, this chick is on a role!” Actually, not so. I started The Middle Place before Pope Joan arrived in my mail box and was already about half way through it before I was side tracked by the Catholic church. 😉

First, this is something I NEVER do – read two books at once. And I’m not sure that this even counts, because I didn’t go back and forth between them. I read half. Put it down. Read the other completely. Finished the first. Whatever, I never do this. 
And for the record, I didn’t put The Middle Place away because I wasn’t engaged. It was just I was so darn excited about Pope Joan – I’ve been waiting to read that one for years, literally. 
On to The Middle Place. This is a non-fiction memoir-of-sorts by Kelly Corrigan. She’s a thirty-something mother of two, daughter of two. And, oh yeah, she has cancer. So does her dad. The middle place refers to that in-between state of being a parent and needing a parent. 
She’s funny and honest – often at the same time. Corrigan talks about her husband, her parents, her children and her brothers, and I found myself relating so much to her, so often thinking, “Thank goodness. I thought I was the only person who thought like that” – that I forgot the book was about cancer. Can’t relate to that. Knock on wood. 
But then I realize, The Middle Place isn’t about cancer. It is about life. Kelly Corrigan’s just happens to have cancer in it. I don’t have children, but I can imagine that when I do, regardless of whether or not I go through something as terrifying as cancer, there will be a moment or moments, where I am in the middle place of needing, wanting, to be both parent and child – at the same time, separately. 
In fact, even just as an adult it happens. I want to be both grown and not. Independent and taken care of. Responsible and irresponsible.
And that is why The Middle Place is a good read. It reaffirms that whatever your battle, you are not alone.

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5 Replies to “Book Review :: The Middle Place

  1. Weird, my friend, weird…we are mind melding on the books we are reading. This is the third or fourth time I've checked your blog to see a review of a book I just finished. I'm starting to think we have great taste in books – HA! I really liked "The Middle Place". It was a very fast read that reminded me to slow down and focus on the important things in life. Well worth the read!

  2. Tiff, I knew within minutes of meeting you we 'synced'with books! You aren't by any chance reading "Ava's Man" by Rick Bragg? Have you read any of his?

  3. Already read it. I enjoyed it! "All Over But the Shoutin'" was better, but this was good too. I actually think "Shoutin'" was one of our first book club books back in the early days.

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