Tasha - by Brian Morton (Hardcover)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><b>In the spirit of <i>Fierce Attachments</i>, <i>Bettyville</i>, and <i>The End of Your Life Book Club</i>, acclaimed novelist Brian Morton delivers a moving, darkly funny memoir of his mother's vibrant life and the many ways in which their tight, tumultuous relationship was refashioned in her twilight years.</b> <p/>Tasha Morton is a force of nature: a brilliant educator who's left her mark on generations of students--and also a whirlwind of a mother, intrusive, chaotic, oppressively devoted, and irrepressible. <p/>For decades, her son Brian has kept her at a self-protective distance, but when her health begins to fail, he knows it's time to assume responsibility for her care. Even so, he's not prepared for what awaits him, as her refusal to accept her own fragility leads to a series of epic outbursts and altercations that are sometimes frightening, sometimes wildly comic, and sometimes both. <p/>Clear-eyed, loving, and brimming with dark humor, <i>Tasha</i> is an exploration of what sons learn from their mothers, a stark look at the impossible task of caring for an elderly parent in a country whose unofficial motto is "you're on your own," and a meditation on the treacherous business at the heart of every family--the business of trying to honor ourselves without forsaking our parents, and our parents without forsaking ourselves. Above all, <i>Tasha </i>is a vivid and surprising portrait of an unforgettable woman.<p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br>"Unstinting yet tender... a tour de force... Part gut-punch comedy, part eulogy, this tribute is dazzling" <b> </b><b>--<i>Publishers Weekly</i> *starred review* </b> <p/>"One of the truest, most insightful mother-child memoirs I have ever read."<b> </b><b>--</b><b>Vivian Gornick, author of <i>Fierce Attachments</i></b> <p/> "This profoundly moving memoir is both an absolute delight and a punch to the gut: Brian Morton writes without flinching about his often exasperating mother, his own considerable failings, and the impossible demands of balancing safety and independence, love and anger, guilt and grief. I urge you to read this astonishing work: part family comedy, part prayer for the dead, and wholly unforgettable --like Tasha herself." --<b>Will Schwalbe, author of <i>The End of Your Life Book Club</i></b> <p/> "A memoir that asks not what but how we remember, <i>Tasha </i>is gut-wrenchingly funny, elegiac, and brimming with Morton's singular style and wisdom. Beyond the exquisite rendering of a larger-than-life mother is the story of a family, of sacrifice and forgiveness, and the myths we build about--and for--the people we most revere. Every page reads like a conversation with a close friend." <b>--</b><b>T. Kira Madden, author of <i>Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls</i></b> <p/> "A searing and tender memoir, written with candor, warmth, and heartbreaking grace." <b>--Betsy Lerner, author of <i>The Bridge Ladies </i></b> <p/> "Brian Morton is a wonderful novelist, so it's not surprising that <i>Tasha</i>, his memoir about his stubborn, charming, exasperating mother, is moving, funny, and most of all honest--about old age, about mothers and sons, about what we owe our loved ones and ourselves. It's a profound, riveting book." <b>--</b><b>Joshua Henkin, author of <i>Morningside Heights</i></b> <p/> "I read <i>Tasha </i>in a single sitting, laughing through my tears. With surprising humor and affection, Brian Morton shows that when it comes to mothers and sons, cruelty and love often go hand in hand. Every parent of a child and every child of a parent should read this book." <b>--</b><b>Susan Cheever, author of <i>Drinking in America</i></b> <p/> "Brian Morton's unflinching account of his mother's final years should only be read in the privacy of your home, unless you're fully comfortable sobbing in public. If you've cared for--or coped with--an aging parent, you will see yourself on every page of this book and you'll close it feeling less alone. And if you haven't, well, prepare yourself to be transfixed by Tasha, a singular, irascible, fascinating woman." <b>--Joanna Rakoff, author of<i> </i><i>My Salinger Year</i></b><br><br><b>Praise for <i>Florence Gordon</i>: </b> <p/> "Exquisitely crafted . . . Witty, nuanced and ultimately moving." <b>--Maureen Corrigan, <i>Fresh Air</i></b> <p/> "Smart, funny, and compassionate . . . [<i>Florence Gordon</i>] is a treat." <b>--<i>People</i></b> <p/> "Hilarious and addictive." <b>--<i>San Francisco Chronicle</i></b> <p/> "Morton's intelligent, layered portrait of a feisty, independent older woman is an absolute joy to read, not only for its delightful wit but also for its dignified appraisal of aging and living life on one's own terms." <b>--<i>Booklist</i>, *starred review*</b> <p/> "Always a pleasure to read for his well-drawn characters, quiet insight and dialogue that crackles with wit, Morton here raises his own bar in all three areas." <b>--<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>, *starred review*</b> <p/> "Morton's characters are sharply drawn, vivid in temperament and behavior, and his prose smartly reveals Florence's strength and dignity." <b>--<i>Publishers Weekly</i>, *starred review*</b> <p/> "Morton has created an obstreperous, rebellious character who is likable for being true to herself." <b>--<i>Library Journal</i></b> <p/> "Perceptive isn't a strong enough word to describe Brian Morton's insight into family dynamics; psychic is more like it. From the nuances of a long marriage to the inevitable, infinitely sad divisions and tender connections between grandparents and parents and children, Morton nails it all. And somehow he still manages to be funny, even as he breaks your heart." <b>--Emily Gould, author of <i>Friendship</i></b> <p/> "Florence Gordon is a marvelous creation. Like many great characters in English literature, she is a sacred monster, fully realized and richly present in the pages of this thoroughly enjoyable book." <b>--Vivian Gornick, author of <i>Fierce Attachments</i> and <i>Approaching Eye Level</i></b><br><p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br>Brian Morton is the author of five novels, including <i>Starting Out in the Evening</i> and <i>Florence Gordon</i>. He has been a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Koret Jewish Book Award, the Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Pushcart Prize, and a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner award and the Kirkus Prize in Fiction. He's also written two detective novels under the pen name Raymond Miller. He teaches at Sarah Lawrence College and lives in New York.
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