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

ByJennifer Donovan Published On: Updated On:

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.

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.

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100 Comments

  1. Brenda S. says:

    I would also like this book! Thanks!

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

  3. i would love it

  4. melanie c says:

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

  5. Kathy Amos says:

    I would love to read thsi book.

  6. You bet! I would love to read this! Thank you so much

  7. Veronica Garrett says:

    I would love to win this book.

  10. Rose Fisher says:

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

  11. Amy Griffin says:

    Thanks for a really nice giveaway. Please count me in, I’d love to read this book.

  12. Sounds like an interestng family story. Please enter me. Thank you

  13. Cassandra says:

    I would love to win and read this–thanks!

  14. Donna Slice says:

    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!

  15. Karen Gonyea says:

    Great book.

  16. I have a friend whose son has CF and I would loved to win this book. Thanks

  17. Lily Kwan says:

    Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!

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

  19. Molly Capel says:

    What an awesome sounding book! I would love to read this

  20. Sherri B. says:

    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

  21. Oh I would love to read this.
    rsgrandinetti(at)yahoo(dot)com

  22. This is a great book I would love to read.

  23. Janice Wright says:

    I would love to win this book. Thanks for the giveaway!

  24. sounds like a great book!

  25. Thanks for the chance to win! I love to read!

  26. Sounds like a book I would really enjoy reading. Thanks.

  27. I would love it!!

  28. Marion Burgess says:

    Looks like a good book to read!

  29. Ed Nemmers says:

    Happy Weekend!

  30. I’d be delighted to win!

  31. I would love to get to read this book, the review make it sound really interesting.

  32. Would love to read this book!

  33. Lisa Taylor says:

    Would love to read this

  34. sounds fabulous thanks for the giveaway

  35. This book sounds like a really interesting read, thanks!

  36. I would love to take a few minutes for myself and read this book!

  37. Vicki Wurgler says:

    I would love to win this

  38. enter me!

  39. Jennelle Henderson says:

    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!

  42. This sounds like a great book to read, thanks for the chance 🙂

  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!

  44. Nice giveaway. Count me in!

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

  46. Gabriel J. says:

    Please, enter me, great prize!!!

  47. Linda Chaput says:

    I’d love to read this book.It looks interesting.

  48. Laura Collins says:

    I would like to win

  49. Anita Yancey says:

    I’d love to read the book. Please enter me.

  50. I’ve read several good reviews of this book online; I’d love to read it.

  51. I would love a chance to win. Thank you.

  52. email subscriber

  53. I would love to win

  54. Christina G. says:

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  56. Sounds like a great book and I like the fact that it is written from the siblings perspective.
    nhmummab@comcast.net

  57. Occupation: Mommy says:

    Sounds like a great book!

  58. Melissa P. says:

    I’d enjoy winning this.

  60. This sounds like a book I would enjoy reading

  61. Charlotte Padgett says:

    This is my favorite type of book to read. Pleae put me in the drawing.

  62. veronica sandberg says:

    want to win this

  63. Margaret Snyder says:

    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.

  64. I would love to win this book.

    tex2309(at)verizon(dot)net

  65. Jennifer Barr says:

    looks like a great book

  66. Great giveaway, thanks.

  67. Sheree Warner says:

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

  68. Marcia Kanofsky says:

    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!

  69. I would LOVE to win this book!!

  70. Linda Peters says:

    sounds like a great book, thanks

  71. I’d love to win and read this book!

  72. thanks for this chance

  73. michele anne jaquays says:

    another great giveaway…would love to win

  74. Mozi Esmes Mommy says:

    Would love to read this book!

  75. Elizabeth M. says:

    Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!

  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.

  77. Susan Smith says:

    sounds like an interesting book

  78. Margaret Imecs says:

    Pick me!!!

  79. susan varney says:

    i read everyday

  80. I’d like to enter my name for the giveaway for the book. Thank-you

  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!

  82. I would love to win this book. Thanks for your great reviews and awesome giveaways!

  83. This story would be dear to my heart as my sister Julie died from CF 4 years ago.

  84. Pingback: Once 5 Minutes for Mom - Sixtyfive Roses Giveaway/Mar22 - CoolCanucks.ca - Canada

  85. hi please enter me i want to win

  86. 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.

  87. BERNADETTE hOLBROOK says:

    Count me in!!!! I so want this book!!!

  88. hotpants4979 says:

    Books are wonderful. I’d love to win!

  89. Carol Lawrence says:

    I want the book,enter me.

  90. This sounds like a great and touching book.

  91. Linda White says:

    Id like to win this book and read this wonderful life story!

  92. Marla Taviano says:

    I’d love to win too. Thanks so much!

  93. Michael Capp says:

    I’d love to win!

  94. sounds like a great book. i’d love to win!

  95. Meredith Rogen says:

    This looks like a lovely book.

  96. I would love to win this. It sounds effective.

  97. victoria lynch says:

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

  98. 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.

  99. I would also like this book! Thanks

  100. I would love to win and read this book!

    Thanks

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