Nancy W. (Nancybw) reviewed Breath: Life in the Rhythm of an Iron Lung, A Memoir on + 2 more book reviews
Marsha Mason was, until her death earlier this year, the oldest living survivor in an iron lung. She spent more than fifty years completely encased in a mechanism that looks, for all the world, like something from a 1950s sci-fi movie. That her spirit not only survived but thrived is motivating and moving.
Martha was the valedictorian in her high school class and went on to attend Wake Forest where, with the help of her mother, she graduated summa cum laude.
Although "Breath" is interesting and deserving of respect, it is not captivating. Not "pollyanna-ish exactly, but without any of the grit that takes a memoir from good to great. If you are looking for the nitty-gritty of her daily struggles, they are not here. This is a nice, albeit squeaky clean, version of a life lived in an unexpected way.
Martha was the valedictorian in her high school class and went on to attend Wake Forest where, with the help of her mother, she graduated summa cum laude.
Although "Breath" is interesting and deserving of respect, it is not captivating. Not "pollyanna-ish exactly, but without any of the grit that takes a memoir from good to great. If you are looking for the nitty-gritty of her daily struggles, they are not here. This is a nice, albeit squeaky clean, version of a life lived in an unexpected way.
