The Light of the World
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
A deeply resonant memoir for anyone who has loved and lost, from acclaimed poet and Pulitzer Prize finalist Elizabeth Alexander.
In The Light of the World, Elizabeth Alexander finds herself at an existential crossroads after the sudden death of her husband. Channeling her poetic sensibilities into a rich, lucid price, Alexander tells a love story that is, itself, a story of loss. As she reflects on the beauty of her married life, the trauma resulting from her husband's death, and the solace found in caring for her two teenage sons, Alexander universalizes a very personal quest for meaning and acceptance in the wake of loss.
The Light of the World is at once an endlessly compelling memoir and a deeply felt meditation on the blessings of love, family, art, and community. It is also a lyrical celebration of a life well-lived and a paean to the priceless gift of human companionship. For those who have loved and lost, or for anyone who cares what matters most, The Light of the World is required reading.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Love and loss bookend an extraordinary relationship in Elizabeth Alexander’s powerful memoir. When her husband died suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack days after he turned 50, the world changed instantly for the author and her two young sons. She provides intimate glimpses of her partner, who fled war-torn Eritrea as a teenager before carving out a contented life as a cook, painter, and family man. Those scenes of a happy marriage make the overwhelming pain of her loss all the more heartbreaking. An acclaimed poet, Alexander conveys emotional resonance economically. Her grief manifests in dreams, where her husband makes frequent appearances, as she tries to shepherd her two children through their own devastation. Alexander narrates with the calm assurance of someone accustomed to sharing her deepest thoughts with others. The Light of the World reminds us of those we’ve lost and makes us reconsider those we hold dear, which seems a fitting legacy for the life it honours.
