[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Worthy Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary and Review
Actor, writer, and speaker Tyler Merritt shares his cancer story and a conversation about lament and mortality in his newest book – and it is excellent. This book is both funny and searing. From Tyler’s story of his cancer diagnosis to the story of Emmitt Till, with Where the Red Fern Grows thrown in for good measure, you are on a beautifully crafted emotional rollercoaster.
Intermixed with Merritt’s cancer story and related health complications, he shares stories of WWII, George Floyd, John Lewis, and illustrations about pets and sharks to weave a treatise about suffering and perseverance, resilience and lament. Quoting David Brooks, he also looks at “resumé virtues” vs. “eulogy virtues” which was my favorite illustration of the whole book. It explores how living with cancer can lead a person to examine how they live life with others. And Jen Hatmaker fans will get a few teasers about their relationship in the book (another favorite part of the book for me).
This is more serious overall than Tyler’s previous book, I Take My Coffee Black (♥♥♥♥). But I also walked away from this one with more introspection about how his experience calls readers (me!) to consider what we do with our time on earth. Fans of his other work – his books, his viral videos – should absolutely pick this up. If you are new to Tyler’s work, I recommend checking this out. Readers should note that some sections of the book cover medical and health discussions in some detail. Take a look at other content warnings before diving in. (Language. Content warnings: racism, cancer, death/grief, details about medical procedures and outcomes)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥*
*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read