Introduction/Definition/etc
Humorist takes it to the end, writing late in his
career, even in Hospice, describing visitors
when he would not die on schedule, outliving
other residents, becoming the poster boy
for hospice, regressing back to military service,
Paris, meeting his wife, outliving her,
and losing his leg, then planning his funeral,
five speakers including Tom Brokaw,
fellow depressive/ manic depressive now called
bipolar Mike Wallace, and Ben Bradlee,
George Stevens, Jr., Ken Starr,
his Doctor Michael A. Newman,
his son, Joel, and lesbian daughter
Jennifer.and finally Carly Simon, a singer
on Martha's Vineyard, with the theme song
Too Soon to Say Goodbye (pages 180-181).
See the index to see if you're in it...
Not likely, but check anyway, as Art's gone,
with style and grace, and is getting the last laugh...
20101105 16.34 pm Jerry
Body
The autobiographical book by Pulitzer Prize Winner writer / humorist
Art Buchwald about his time in a Washington DC area Hospice
after losing his leg and terminal with kidney problems.
He wouldn't die. His kidneys started functioning again
and stayed a little past his welcome, so left for Martha's
Vineyard, with doctor's approval.
He discusses many things, mostly humorous,
but some serious, and for me it was therapeutic to read it,
given my morose RaceToTheDeath2010 ,
MindsOnTheEdgeDisturbinglyBoring , and
WaitingForGodAgain2010 , HitByACar2010
and especially HugATreeNotAWeapon2010
and MyFatherPassedAwayLastNight ..
I've tried some other stuff like VSA films,
BenXIsAVSA
SexAndDrugsAndRockAndRoll
NobodysPerfectEspeciallyInSexDrugsAndRockAndRoll
Autreat summer conference
Autreat2010PoorPitifulMeAndTheTreatmentsIRantOn
AutieCultureAndReentryIntoNormalSociety
SomeGoodThingsAboutAutreat
and wanted to modify the con some
TweakingAutreat
and concerts
TinnerHillorgBluesFestival
even comedy at JCADAorg
ICameISawICriticized for seasonal stuff.
This is without the events reviewed in Street Sense,
described a little in SomePublishedWorks
,
I had not known what happened with Buchwald
before happening upon a free copy of his book
put out for giveaways in Old Town Alexandria.
I had thought all Buchwald's stuff was funny,
and one of the persons giving books away
was not entirely amused. Upon talking with others
I learned the history of Buchwald, and reading his
book even more...
The jacket flap mentions Ethel Kennedy,
John Glenn, Queen of Swaziland, his military
service, Paris and, of course, work and his family.
Religion is mentioned, and he covers all his bases,
Billy Graham, a priest and a rabbi.
He even got a Picassa during his writing career,
while responding to a lovebird's request, almost
Dear Abby like...
In 19 chapters, 189 pages with index and eplilogue,
Too Soon To Say Goodbye covers almost all the bases,
or what is fit to print, and some that is not.
Off color humor like a Catholic Priest in England
would marry a Jew to a Catholic, but not a Protestant,
makes you wonder how much of this is really true.
Even the overboard parts of 5 speeches
requested to make the book and perhaps reviving
his career, for his kids sake, or just to go out on an
upswing...
He was quite a man, and his family, friends and career
plus name recognition should tell you that...
Even if morphine or whatever drugs, and being a posterboy
for Hospice, complete with the money strings of filling
a banquet/ awards dinner, doctors when they are wrong,
and when they are right (ever?), he still has good humor
in this book, and at $17.95 for a new copy, or you could
probably find a used one, or in a library, it would not
count for a medical expense like a doctors appointment,
but then again, waiting in the waiting room, or at a consumer
run place, maybe that is the way to go...
His buddy/ competition, Tom Brokaw
says nice things about him too. as do many others.
He created a club, and kept one guy out,
met for meals, like some people describe on TV,
Larry David, or similar, made dues, and created a little
society/ fellowship, in other ways picturing
"Thanks for Smoking" type scenes.
He was a speaker for depression with Mike Wallace,
and others, so he knows about representing the medical causes,
but without full disclosure, it's not medical reporting,
but humor, which Patch Adams and others can tell
you is sometimes the best medicine.
.
Conclusion
Summary of experience or similar
Wish I could review this better, but trying to quickly
put something up before giving the book away to someone
else who might need it.
Discussion
A place for feedback on the page presented
Page History
20101105 Jerry
- Jerry created this page to write about something that helped me...
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