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They call us the "sandwich" generation --- middle aged folk who are finding
it necessary to begin caring for our parents while at the same time still launching our
children into the world. One day we wake up and discover that we are not only parenting
our children, but we are also parenting one or both of our parents.
When this happens, we are all strangers in a strange land, traveling down paths fraught
with frustration and difficulty. Parents frequently don't think they need any advice or
assistance, even when it is obvious that they do. And when a child (and we are always
children in our parents' eyes, aren't we?) has to step in and take over, difficulties
arise.
In PATRIMONY, Philip Roth examines this problem with humor and sensitivity. The book
chronicles the last years of his father Herman's life, as he battles with a brain tumor.
As he watches his father, who was famous for his vigor, charm and sense of humor, slowly
decline, he finds that his relationship with him deepens and changes.
At first it seems that his father will simply need a little help. But gradually, as Herman
begins to lose his sight and his hearing, it becomes clear that someone will have to care
for him full-time. Persuading Herman of that turns out to be a difficult task. As the
months pass and his father's condition at first improves and then worsens, Roth himself
discovers how deeply he admires and loves his father despite the thorniness of their
relationship.
PATRIMONY is the incredibly moving story of a father-son relationship that is filled with
poignancy, vulnerability and love. It is a book that will touch your emotions and resonate
long after you finish it.
--- Reviewed by Judith Handschuh (JHSCRIBA)
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