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Sixtyfive Roses: A Sister’s Memoir

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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.

Reader Interactions


100 Comments

  2. This sounds like a powerful book. I would love to get a chance to experience it.
    Cassie

  4. I haven’t read some good fiction in a long time!! I am tired of self help books.. give me something good and juicy!

  10. I would love to read this book and also pass it on to other friends. Thank you for the chance.

  14. 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!

  18. I became interested in CF after watching Supermasochist (which is not for the squeamish)

  20. 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

  39. 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.

  40. 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.

  41. 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!

  43. 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!

  45. As a nurse I’ve seen the heartbreak of cystic fibrosis and would love to read this book. Thanks.

  63. 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.

  67. I would love to read this book also but I wish everyone Goodluck! Thank you for the giveaway!

  68. 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!

  76. 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.

  81. 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!

  85. 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.

  96. I would love to read this book. Being a caregiver myself and always looking for a good book that I can read at night!

  97. 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.