Buddhism

[close] “The author examines death and dying with rare grace in this intelligent novel. Drawing on the insights of Buddhism, holistic medicine and modern researchers like Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, the author has crafted a provocative story.” Publishers Weekly 5-star review.

Barbara Sue Herbert spent most of her life in the between—what Tibetan Buddhists call the time after death and before rebirth.

Her miserable childhood segued into an unhappy marriage, and for years she limped along with a deadened spirit and devalued self-image. When she divorces her philandering hunk of a husband it unexpectedly triggers a transformation, and Barbara is reborn as an independent woman, a successful professional and beloved teacher. She is finally on her way to a whole and happy life.

Through it all is her lifelong friend Carolyn who, from junior high, has recognized the true brilliance in Barbara. When Barbara is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at age 42, Carolyn takes her into her home—but it’s not just to give her a place to die. She surrounds Barbara with love, comfort and the singular joy of friendship, helping her really live before she enters the next between.
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[close] What would you do if you found that the bones and ashes you were given by the Air Force were not the remains of your loved one? Dorothy Kozeny, a 64-year-old widow from a small town in Ohio, after getting no answers from the relevant authorities, decides the only thing to do is to go to Laos herself to search for the truth concerning her son's fate. In 1990, accompanied by a trusted Laotian called Kampeng, Dorothy travels deep into the mountains of rural Laos, attempting to trace her son's path through inhospitable terrain, an unforgettable trek that provides her with a rewarding, often humorous, and at times frustrating, cross-cultural experience. All clues lead her to a mysterious figure, an alledged CIA operative left over from the war, living in a remote and hostile area deep in the jungle. The second part of the book traces the life of this enigmatic character hiding in Laos, the two main characters linked through Dorothy's son. [close]

[close] An intimate journey through through marriage, motherhood, and coming out.

In the words of one reader:

"beautiful. inspiring. eloquent. messy. honest. brutal. insightful. just like life." [close]