Memorial Days: A MemoirMemorial Days: A Memoir
What it's about
In 2019, the novelist Geraldine Brooks got a phone call telling her that her husband, the writer Tony Horwitz, had collapsed and died suddenly on a street far from home. In the shock that followed, there was no time to grieve: there were sons to care for and arrangements to make. Years later, she went alone to a remote island off the coast of Tasmania to finally face her loss. This memoir moves between those weeks of solitude and their life together.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Critics Circle finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. Brooks, a Pulitzer winner, writes about grief with honesty and grace.
You'll love it if you liked
The Year of Magical Thinking
A Severe Mercy
When Breath Becomes AirGood to know
It's short and grief is its whole subject. Readers who have lost someone often find it consoling.
By the numbers
- Readers81 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller28 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz72 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #108 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #107 of the 481 new books we rank
- #599 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Geraldine Brooks
People of the Book
March
Caleb's CrossingIf you like this, read next
I'm Glad My Mom Died
King: A Life
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Things in Nature Merely Grow
Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice
Liliana's Invincible Summer: A Sister's Search for JusticeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Memorial Days: A Memoir worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Critics Circle finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #599 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Memorial Days: A Memoir about?
In 2019, the novelist Geraldine Brooks got a phone call telling her that her husband, the writer Tony Horwitz, had collapsed and died suddenly on a street far from home. In the shock that followed, there was no time to grieve: there were sons to care for and arrangements to make. Years later, she went alone to a remote island off the coast of Tasmania to finally face her loss. This memoir moves between those weeks of solitude and their life together.
How long does it take to read Memorial Days: A Memoir?
About 6 hours (224 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Memorial Days: A Memoir?
If you liked it, try The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken or When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.