As ninety-two-year-old Florence "Flo" Greene nears the end of her
life, she writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to
her, describing the items Flo is leaving Ruthie in her will. But as it
goes on, telling surprising stories about those “little” things Flo will
leave behind (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in
a matchbox tied up in red ribbon?), an unforgettable portrait of the
life she has lived emerges.
The letter starts off as an autobiography in things, but
it turns out to do much more than that: ultimately, it will transform
Flo and those around her. In the time she has left, Flo decides to take
herself up on tiny dares. She encourages Ruthie to reconsider her
impending divorce by sharing a startling, long-buried secret about her
own perfect-seeming marriage. Flo has never had a pedicure before now,
and as long as she's going to a beauty parlor, she arranges to have a
blue streak put in her hair, too. And as these adventures lead her to
make new friends, Flo helps them, too, find the fulfillment that living a
full life has led her to understand.
Full of Elizabeth Berg's characteristic mix of warmth, humor, and poignancy, Life: A Love Story
is a reminder that whatever your circumstances, as long as you're
alive, you can keep on investing in life. The joy will inevitably
follow.
About The Author
Elizabeth Berg is the author of eighteen novels and has more than 1.5 million books in print. Her novel, OPEN HOUSE, was an Oprah’s Book Club selection in 2000. Berg lives near Chicago, Illinois. Visit her at www.elizabeth-berg.net
My Review
This is such a beautiful love story. A life lived, and now blessing us, showing how to appreciate the "little things".
Flo is ninety-two-years-old and she now knows that time is limited. I loved how she shares her blessings, from kissing the flowers on a plate, to cherishing rocks, all with a story. Some of the things she reals in her letter to the little girl, Ruthie, now married with children, she had left everything to, are hurtful, but this is life!
A lesson on what is really important! Old friends, and new ones, life's blessings. Saying hello, sharing a sandwich, taking a walk. We take a lot for granted, and the author does such a wonderful job of highlighting "life".
I'll be looking for more by this author!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Random House, and was not required to give a positive review.
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