19/56

"Life is such a short thing to live in for such a long time."

A mother's love and wisdom are worth an entire life. She is your teacher, therapist, and philosopher, among other things. But when illness slowly takes her away, and you are young enough for it to be labeled as "tragic", what are you left with? What does one go through when they lose a parent at a young age?

John Colacarro has a first-hand account of the journey.

In 19/56, John discusses and reflects on the journey of being able to love somebody who is slowly dying. The conversations, memories, and lasting impacts had on him and his loved ones by his mother, Julie.

"It's nothing that we wish to go through, but it isn't something that we are able to avoid either. When something happens to us, but does not destroy us, and we can look at the world a little kinder, gentler, and softer, then something very beautiful has been gifted."

19/56 is a combination of everything that John loves. Poetry, prose, stories, conversations, and pictures. In a beautiful tribute to his mother, he proves and showcases that love does not go away just because a person does. Grief is love with nowhere to house it.

Whether you have lost somebody, you know somebody who has, or you have questions about what it means to turn something into a memory, John Colacarro's fifth book has something that you can take from it no matter what corner of life you come from.