In this unforgettable book, the award-winning writer, during his recovery after a life-threatening heart surgery, reflected on his many losses and accomplishments, and on all that remained to be done, sharing his aspirations for his writings and his hope that he made the world a better place.

An intimate, bracing, and beautiful exploration of vulnerability and culpability. Zoffness relives her childhood anxiety disorder as she witnesses it manifest in her firstborn; endures brazen sexual advances by a student in her class; grapples with the implications of her young son's cop obsession; and challenges her Jewish faith. What role does a mother play, she asks, in raising thoughtful, generous children? Where is the line between privacy and...