March 16, 2009 | Published in * Feature Columns, 5 Minutes for Books, Giveaways, Health and Fitness

5 Minutes for Books –
Sixtyfive Roses: A Sister’s Memoir

Sixtyfive Roses: A Sister’s Memoir sat in my to-be-read pile for almost two months, in spite of the fact that I was really excited to read it. Why? Well, it’s fairly thick for one thing (433 pages), and with other deadlines, it was easier to focus on shorter books; but the other reason was more personal. It’s the reason that I was drawn to the book in the first place. My long-time boyfriend (for a year in high school and a year in college) had Cystic Fibrosis, so I wasn’t sure how I would react to it.

How did I react? I was thankful: thankful for the early pioneers like the Summerhayes family, who pushed for medical treatment and attention to this disease. At the time that Pam was diagnosed (1958, when she was four), it was assumed that the children would die in early childhood, and no efforts were even made to treat it.

Ms. Cariou writes honestly and beautifully. This is a “sister’s memoir.” It very clearly shares Heather’s viewpoint of being a suffering sibling. She suffers from lack of attention at times, but really she suffers from guilt — guilt that she’s well, and guilt about the resentment that she sometimes feels as she’s growing up.

But this book is not just about what it’s like for a family to deal with life-threatening illness. It’s about sibling rivalry and comparisons among family members. It’s about the strain that hardship puts on a marriage. About fallen dreams, and teen rebellion, and insecurity. It’s about a family.

If you’d like to find out more about the book, and read more about other families who are coping with the effects of this condition, visit the book’s website Sixtyfive Roses.

We have one copy of Sixtyfive Roses to give away to one reader with a U.S. or Canadian shipping address. This contest is void where prohibited and subject to our terms and conditions.

Please leave a comment if you’d like to win. The winner will be announced in next week’s column.

The winners of My Little Red Book are:

#72 Sarah Stern
#91 prplrush
#44 Karen Gonyea
#94 Kelly Ferrari
#67 J Chaborek

If you did not receive an email from me, please send your full shipping address to me at 5minutesforbooks(at)GmailDOTcom.

This post was written by contributing editor Jennifer Donovan, who also blogs at Snapshot and is managing editor of 5 Minutes for Books.

Email Author | Website About Jennifer Donovan

Jennifer Donovan has been a part of the 5 Minutes for Mom team since 2007. She writes product reviews, covers events, and manages the 5 Minutes for Books weekly column and website. She lives in Houston and blogs at Snapshot about life with her family.

View all articles by Jennifer Donovan

{ 99 comments }

1 Anne March 16, 2009 at 1:17 am: I would love to win and read this book!

Thanks
2 amber d. March 16, 2009 at 1:34 am: I would also like this book! Thanks
3 Alicia March 16, 2009 at 2:11 am: Jennifer, I had no idea you knew someone so intimately who had CF. I can see where you would wonder what your reaction to reading this book would be. Since my daughter has CF (and my son does not), this looks like a book that I must read, whether it be in the near future or not so near future.
4 victoria lynch March 16, 2009 at 7:11 am: I would love to read this book. Being a caregiver myself and always looking for a good book that I can read at night!
5 Marilyn March 16, 2009 at 7:29 am: I would love to win this. It sounds effective.
6 Meredith Rogen March 16, 2009 at 7:52 am: This looks like a lovely book.
7 Amy N. March 16, 2009 at 8:27 am: sounds like a great book. i’d love to win!
8 Michael Capp March 16, 2009 at 9:07 am: I’d love to win!
9 Marla Taviano March 16, 2009 at 9:23 am: I’d love to win too. Thanks so much!
10 Linda White March 16, 2009 at 9:42 am: Id like to win this book and read this wonderful life story!
11 Denise March 16, 2009 at 10:24 am: This sounds like a great and touching book.
12 Carol Lawrence March 16, 2009 at 10:34 am: I want the book,enter me.
13 hotpants4979 March 16, 2009 at 11:37 am: Books are wonderful. I’d love to win!
14 BERNADETTE hOLBROOK March 16, 2009 at 12:07 pm: Count me in!!!! I so want this book!!!
15 Marsha March 16, 2009 at 12:16 pm: The last book that read about cystic fibrosis (written by identical twins with the disease) was wonderful. I look forward to reading this new book.
16 corrie C March 16, 2009 at 12:16 pm: hi please enter me i want to win
17 Sarah March 16, 2009 at 1:46 pm: This story would be dear to my heart as my sister Julie died from CF 4 years ago.
18 Corina March 16, 2009 at 3:13 pm: I would love to win this book. Thanks for your great reviews and awesome giveaways!
19 Mama Bub March 16, 2009 at 4:15 pm: I would love to read this book. I’m always looking for memoirs to read that other people found engaging and possible choices for my next book club pick!
20 Lynette March 16, 2009 at 4:54 pm: I’d like to enter my name for the giveaway for the book. Thank-you
21 susan varney March 16, 2009 at 5:13 pm: i read everyday
22 Margaret Imecs March 16, 2009 at 5:16 pm: Pick me!!!
23 Susan Smith March 16, 2009 at 5:18 pm: sounds like an interesting book
24 SJ March 16, 2009 at 5:21 pm: I’d love to read this. I found out through a random study that I participated in that I’m a CF carrier. It’s made it something near to my heart.
25 Elizabeth M. March 16, 2009 at 5:57 pm: Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
26 Mozi Esmes Mommy March 16, 2009 at 6:56 pm: Would love to read this book!
27 michele anne jaquays March 16, 2009 at 8:26 pm: another great giveaway…would love to win
28 Djp March 16, 2009 at 8:48 pm: thanks for this chance
29 Jen March 16, 2009 at 9:02 pm: I’d love to win and read this book!
30 Linda Peters March 16, 2009 at 9:08 pm: sounds like a great book, thanks
31 Denise March 16, 2009 at 11:06 pm: I would LOVE to win this book!!
32 Marcia Kanofsky March 17, 2009 at 1:50 am: I would love to win a copy of this book! I lost a niece to Cystic Fibrosis 12 years ago. I am the co-chair of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s LA Office Volunteer Leadership Initiative committee. If I win this book I will donate it to a CF event to be auctioned off and then I will buy my own copy!

Thanks!
33 Sheree Warner March 17, 2009 at 1:59 am: I would love to read this book also but I wish everyone Goodluck! Thank you for the giveaway!
34 David March 17, 2009 at 5:20 am: Great giveaway, thanks.
35 Jennifer Barr March 17, 2009 at 9:35 am: looks like a great book
36 Janell March 17, 2009 at 10:01 am: I would love to win this book.

tex2309(at)verizon(dot)net
37 Margaret Snyder March 17, 2009 at 10:31 am: I would really love to read this book as I find medical issues interesting. I also would love to read it from the sister’s perspective to see how it affected the family. Thanks for the great giveaway. I blogged about this on my website.
38 veronica sandberg March 17, 2009 at 11:13 am: want to win this
39 Charlotte Padgett March 17, 2009 at 11:20 am: This is my favorite type of book to read. Pleae put me in the drawing.
40 Angela J March 17, 2009 at 1:07 pm: This sounds like a book I would enjoy reading
41 Gina Stratos March 17, 2009 at 2:03 pm: Would love to win
gkstratos@yahoo.com
42 Melissa P. March 17, 2009 at 2:44 pm: I’d enjoy winning this.
43 Occupation: Mommy March 17, 2009 at 5:01 pm: Sounds like a great book!
44 Tia March 17, 2009 at 8:18 pm: Sounds like a great book and I like the fact that it is written from the siblings perspective.
nhmummab@comcast.net
45 Tia March 17, 2009 at 8:19 pm: email subscriber
nhmummab@comcast.net
46 Christina G. March 17, 2009 at 8:21 pm: Thanks for the giveaway!
47 Kathy March 17, 2009 at 9:12 pm: I would love to win
48 Kathy March 17, 2009 at 9:14 pm: email subscriber
49 Andria March 17, 2009 at 10:33 pm: I would love a chance to win. Thank you.
50 Paige March 18, 2009 at 12:33 am: I’ve read several good reviews of this book online; I’d love to read it.
51 Anita Yancey March 18, 2009 at 10:01 am: I’d love to read the book. Please enter me.
52 Laura Collins March 18, 2009 at 11:56 am: I would like to win
53 Linda Chaput March 18, 2009 at 1:10 pm: I’d love to read this book.It looks interesting.
54 Gabriel J. March 18, 2009 at 4:17 pm: Please, enter me, great prize!!!
55 Pamela S March 18, 2009 at 7:09 pm: As a nurse I’ve seen the heartbreak of cystic fibrosis and would love to read this book. Thanks.
56 Terri D March 18, 2009 at 11:43 pm: Nice giveaway. Count me in!
57 Alane March 19, 2009 at 1:15 am: I’ve become very interested in CF through a great blog, Confessions of a CF Husband (www.cfhusband.blogspot.com) & I’d love to read this book!
58 Debi March 19, 2009 at 6:00 pm: This sounds like a great book to read, thanks for the chance
59 Annmarie March 19, 2009 at 7:20 pm: This looks like a book I would love to read. I have been fortunate enough not to have known anyone with CF, but always like to heart-felt family type books!
60 Susanne March 19, 2009 at 10:09 pm: I would love to read this book, Jennifer. CF is a disease that has always touched my heart even though I have not known anyone personally with it.
61 Jennelle Henderson March 20, 2009 at 3:10 am: I am always on the look out for good reads and this one is one I really hope to get my hands on. It looks really interesting and meaningful.
62 Sarah March 20, 2009 at 9:01 am: enter me!
63 Vicki Wurgler March 20, 2009 at 3:02 pm: I would love to win this
64 Pam March 21, 2009 at 9:57 am: I would love to take a few minutes for myself and read this book!
65 Becca March 21, 2009 at 11:09 am: This book sounds like a really interesting read, thanks!
66 mindy March 21, 2009 at 11:53 am: sounds fabulous thanks for the giveaway
67 Lisa Taylor March 21, 2009 at 12:37 pm: Would love to read this
68 shawna f March 21, 2009 at 3:03 pm: Would love to read this book!
69 prplrush March 21, 2009 at 3:28 pm: I would love to get to read this book, the review make it sound really interesting.
70 Hesper F March 21, 2009 at 3:40 pm: I’d be delighted to win!
71 Ed Nemmers March 21, 2009 at 4:53 pm: Happy Weekend!
72 Marion Burgess March 21, 2009 at 4:58 pm: Looks like a good book to read!
73 sarawins March 21, 2009 at 6:55 pm: I would love it!!
74 joanne March 21, 2009 at 7:12 pm: Sounds like a book I would really enjoy reading. Thanks.
75 Marianna Twitter: I March 21, 2009 at 8:55 pm: Thanks for the chance to win! I love to read!
76 Debbie B March 21, 2009 at 9:03 pm: sounds like a great book!
77 Janice Wright March 21, 2009 at 10:15 pm: I would love to win this book. Thanks for the giveaway!
78 Jessica March 21, 2009 at 10:31 pm: This is a great book I would love to read.
79 Renee G March 22, 2009 at 12:39 am: Oh I would love to read this.
rsgrandinetti(at)yahoo(dot)com
80 Sherri B. March 22, 2009 at 12:56 am: I would really like the chance to read this book. Having family members who struggle with hardships daily, i have learned to appreciate the bonds families create.

sherri419 at gmail dot com
81 Molly Capel March 22, 2009 at 1:37 am: What an awesome sounding book! I would love to read this
82 Jean F March 22, 2009 at 6:19 am: I became interested in CF after watching Supermasochist (which is not for the squeamish)
83 Lily Kwan March 22, 2009 at 8:19 am: Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
84 MH March 22, 2009 at 10:24 am: I have a friend whose son has CF and I would loved to win this book. Thanks
85 Karen Gonyea March 22, 2009 at 10:40 am: Great book.
86 Donna Slice March 22, 2009 at 10:43 am: I just found your website and am so glad I did. I would be thrilled to win the book, but feel like a winner anyway to be here with you all!
87 Cassandra March 22, 2009 at 10:46 am: I would love to win and read this–thanks!
88 Candie L March 22, 2009 at 11:52 am: Sounds like an interestng family story. Please enter me. Thank you
89 Amy Griffin March 22, 2009 at 12:12 pm: Thanks for a really nice giveaway. Please count me in, I’d love to read this book.
90 Rose Fisher March 22, 2009 at 12:21 pm: I would love to read this book and also pass it on to other friends. Thank you for the chance.
91 Laura Pruett March 22, 2009 at 12:30 pm: I’d love to win this!

backflash_tuna@juno.com
92 Marcy Strahan March 22, 2009 at 1:20 pm: Sixtyfive Roses Sisters Memoir wounds like a heartwarming Book!
I would love to read it!

zestywonderland@gmail.com
93 Veronica Garrett March 22, 2009 at 1:23 pm: I would love to win this book.
94 Mary March 22, 2009 at 1:24 pm: You bet! I would love to read this! Thank you so much
95 Kathy Amos March 22, 2009 at 3:11 pm: I would love to read thsi book.
96 melanie c March 22, 2009 at 3:19 pm: I haven’t read some good fiction in a long time!! I am tired of self help books.. give me something good and juicy!
97 Angel March 22, 2009 at 3:50 pm: i would love it
98 Cassie M March 22, 2009 at 5:20 pm: This sounds like a powerful book. I would love to get a chance to experience it.
Cassie
99 Brenda S. March 22, 2009 at 5:36 pm: I would also like this book! Thanks!