This is an excellent read and in fact, it was a re-read for me as I had perused it once several years ago.

L'Engle delicately explores the process of losing her mother in a staged manner. Simultaneously, she also takes a retrospective look at her ancestors.

What's remarkable is her positive perspective on the death of elderly parents, which is intertwined with the promise of the youth of her grandchildren.

It's as if she finds a kind of balance and solace in this complex web of life and death, past and future.

The way she weaves these themes together makes for a truly engaging and thought-provoking narrative.

It not only allows the reader to empathize with her personal journey but also offers a broader reflection on the cyclical nature of life and the importance of family.

Overall, it's a book that leaves a lasting impression and invites readers to contemplate their own relationships and the inevitable passage of time.

I have a deep affection for L'Engle's initial Crosswicks Journal, namely A Circle of Quiet. It was宛如 a truly long letter penned by a dear friend and mentor.

The unique and somewhat disconnected style she employed in these books actually functioned splendidly for the first installment. It had a charm and a flow that made it a joy to read.

However, when it came to this particular one, that same style presented a challenge for me. It made it rather difficult for me to follow the narrative and fully engage with the content.

I found myself having to constantly backtrack and try to piece together the various threads of her thoughts and experiences.

Nonetheless, I still appreciate L'Engle's writing and the insights she offers, even if this particular volume didn't quite resonate with me as strongly as the first one did.

I love her, and the change in her changes me, too.

I truly mean these words. Although I don't understand them at present, I am sincere in expressing them. Maybe one day, I will figure out their exact meaning. They are hidden within everything I write. I detected a hint of them during that lecture, even as I was warning against false promises. They underlie everything, from cooking meals to walking the dogs and talking with the girls. I may never be able to understand their meaning with my intellectual self. However, if I am granted enough glimpses, perhaps they will accumulate to a sufficient extent so that my heart can comprehend. Currently, it doesn't; not yet.

The times when I have been most fully myself are when I have been completely engaged with someone or something else; when I am listening rather than talking, cooking a special, festive dinner, grappling with a fugue at the piano, putting a baby to bed, or writing. A long-departed philosopher once said that if we practice dying enough during our lives, we will scarcely notice the moment of transition when the actual time arrives. But I am far from being a saint, and I am rarely able to consciously practice this kind of dying. It is not a self-doable activity. I become aware of it only after it has occurred, and I am only now starting to recognize it for what it truly is.

Death, grief, loss, love, knowing someone only partially—and the question of whether one can truthfully say "it's alright" about the world when all these things exist. This is a compassionate and tender journal of L’Engle’s last summer with her mother. I have a feeling that this one is worthy of a reread at some point.

I have an ongoing love affair with L'Engle's writing.

As a child, I was completely captivated by her fiction, and now as an adult, I find her non-fiction equally enchanting.

This particular book is a remarkable piece of work. It is wise and transparent, offering a profound exploration of a deeply personal topic.

L'Engle's tribute to her mother, who is drowning in the cruel clutches of Alzheimer's, is both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

Through her words, we can feel the love, the pain, and the struggle that L'Engle experiences as she watches her mother's decline.

It is a beautiful and moving testament to the power of love and the importance of family.

This book is not only a memoir but also a source of hope and inspiration for anyone who has faced or is facing a similar situation.

L'Engle's writing is a gift that keeps on giving, and I am truly grateful to have discovered her work.

This volume of L'Engle's four-volume memoir is truly a remarkable account. It vividly描绘s the author's final summer with her mother. She pens with great poignancy about her mother's heart-wrenching descent into dementia. As she writes, she recalls not only her mother's past history but also that of her deceased father. The stories her mother shared about grandparents and even great-grandparents add a rich layer to the narrative. The beautiful writing and excellent storytelling bring to life various aspects such as family, the care for the aged or impaired, and the inevitable death of a loved one. It is a deeply moving and thought-provoking read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in exploring the complex and beautiful tapestry of family life and the human experience.

Madeleine L'Engle has been an essential book companion for me ever since I first read A Wrinkle in Time during my fourth grade.

The four books that constitute the Crosswicks Journal are ones that I continuously return to, time and time again. There are several reasons for this.

For instance, consider this profound passage: "The most ordinary of deaths is the death of a parent. . . . So what I am experiencing this summer (though our doctor tells us that Mother is far from dying) is something I share with a great many other people. And I feel the need to reach out and say, 'This is how it is for me. How is it for you?'\\"

This excerpt truly resonates with me on a deep level. It makes me realize that even the most common and seemingly ordinary experiences, like the potential loss of a parent, are shared by countless others.

I am certain that I will come back to these pages once more. They offer a source of comfort, understanding, and a sense of connection with the human experience.

L'Engle's words have the power to touch our hearts and make us reflect on our own lives and emotions.

I truly relished this second book in the series. It was an absolute delight.

I had the pleasure of reading it with my sister, and we had some wonderful conversations. We talked about life, which is such a complex and beautiful thing. We also delved into the topic of mortality, a subject that makes us think deeply about our own existence.

Another important aspect we discussed was the significance of telling family stories. My sister shared some truly amazing family history stories that left me in awe. I couldn't help but keep exclaiming, "I can't believe that happened!"

This book is a great slow and reflective read. It allows you to soak in every word and really think about the emotions and experiences being described. I have every intention of finishing this entire series.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the author's real thoughts and feelings about her mom aging. It was a touching and poignant exploration. And at the end of the book, as she walked through the loss of her mother, it was a powerful and moving experience.

Overall, this book has been a wonderful addition to the series and I can't wait to see what else it has in store.

I think I've read this book three or four times already. I vividly remember reading it around Easter in 1993, and even then, it didn't seem entirely new to me.

I last re-read it when my dear grandmother was on her deathbed. I completed it on the plane while coming home from her funeral. There are certain moments in life when you desperately need an old and familiar book, a book that you know will say exactly the right things to you. This was precisely one of those times.

Madeleine not only delves into the rapid decline of her mother, who was suffering from senility due to atherosclerosis (and there were some similarities as my grandmother had dementia), but she also elaborates at great length on her family history, which was truly colorful. It was really interesting to read about it and then go to Bishop, WV, to explore some of my own family history.

She also talks about how helpless one feels in such situations, about the guilt that creeps in, and how we must find a way to overcome it. I'm extremely grateful for her writing and for the words she wrote to me when she autographed my copy: "All shall be well". This simple yet powerful phrase has brought me a great deal of comfort in difficult times.

Terrific!

This is such a wonderful word that can express our excitement and admiration. When we encounter something amazing or outstanding, we often use this word to describe it.

For example, we might say "That movie was terrific!" or "Her performance was terrific." It can also be used to describe a person's character or behavior. For instance, "He has a terrific sense of humor" or "She is a terrific athlete."

The word "terrific" has a positive connotation and can make people feel good when they hear it. It can also be used to encourage and motivate others. For example, we might say "You did a terrific job! Keep it up!"

In conclusion, "terrific" is a great word that can add color and energy to our language. We should use it more often to express our positive emotions and appreciation for the good things in life.

This one was less impressive than the first one.

The setup of the book, which presented a chronological look at her mother's family and life, was rather lackluster. It simply didn't hold the same level of interest as what the first book had to offer.

The first book provided an insider's peek into a writer's life and thoughts, which was truly captivating. It gave readers a unique perspective and allowed them to delve deep into the mind of the author.

In contrast, the second book's focus on the mother's family and life seemed somewhat mundane. While family history can be interesting, it didn't have the same allure as the first book's exploration of the writer's inner world.

Overall, the first book left a lasting impression, while the second one failed to live up to the same standard.

L’Engle beautifully chronicles their summer as a family united at Crosswicks. Amidst this, she also details the heart-wrenching decline of her mother and the arduous task of taking care of her. There is an abundance of rich and evocative content here, and I am truly enamored with her unique writing style. However, for some reason, it just seems to lack that certain je ne sais quoi that was so prominent in the first book of the series. Despite this, I am determined to finish the remainder of these books. Perhaps, if I were to read them at a different juncture in my life, I would discover a much deeper and more profound meaning within the pages. Only time will tell.

There were so many parts of this book that seemed to be written just for me.

Madeleine L'Engle is real and honest about all the many facets of being a daughter, wife, mother, and friend. She doesn't sugarcoat anything, but presents a true and vivid picture of the joys and sorrows, the challenges and rewards of these relationships.

Her take on God really resonates with me as well. She has a unique and profound understanding of the divine, one that is both comforting and thought-provoking.

I must admit, however, that I got a bit bored with some of the family history, especially at the end of the book. It felt a bit too detailed and dragged on a bit.

But as a whole, this book is a keeper. It has touched my heart and made me think deeply about my own life and relationships. I will definitely be reading it again in the future.