Songs from a Lead-Lined Room: Notes--High and Low--From My Journey Through Breast Cancer and Radiation

Rating:
Summary: A Walk Through The Deepest Valley
Review: Death and illness are tough subjects for any writer. A diary of of a writer's own illness runs the danger of either being too dark or too brave in the face of death. Suzanne Strempek Shea's account of her breast cancer treatment is neither. Shea marches cleanly down her own path, balancing her own anger and needs with the world around her. I read this book nearly a year ago, yet key passages remain with me still. Although Shea covers the life-altering details of cancer treatment, this book is more of a journal of the emotional trama caused by the disease. This is not the book for those looking for bright sunshine in the face of darkness, yet the account is very often funny. It is a real life take on how one person finds a way to deal with the most frightening thing that can be thrown at a successful person in the prime of life. Shea does her best writing when she speaks of the effect her illness is having on family and friends. Writing about music is extremely difficult, but Shea is also able to convey the healing power of music as she struggles through radiation treatment. Her way through the valley is unique and I think this book can be a useful guide for those facing adversity. Many readers seek to avoid the sadness of this type of illness account, but "Songs from a Lead-Lined Room" is one to be embraced.

Rating:
Summary: an important book
Review: This book is as much for families of those with cancer as it is for those with cancer.
First read an excerpt in Yankee Magazine in the spring. "Songs" delivers on that promise.
Despite the subject matter, the book is funnier than you would think.

Rating:
Summary: Finally, an honest voice
Review: When cancer hits you and yours, you read a lot of things in order to deal with the alien world you've been thrown into. The books are helpful, but always there is that undercurrent of, it's not so bad, you should be glad it's not worse, you should be grateful to do anything to stay alive, you should be ok with this in some way and even find life-affirming value in having cancer. Well in my experience it's not like that. Doing what you have to do in order to save your life in no way diminishes the problems, pain, and grief that you have to face. This book talks about that in a real way, and it's the only one I've read that does. It's ok to want your old life back, and it's incredibly important that you get validation for everything that you are going through. It really is that bad and you deserve to know that other people know that. This book will provide you with another voice that knows what you and yours are going through and doesn't try to minimize it. It was such a refreshing and helpful change from most books about breast cancer that I read it in one sitting on the day it came, and would recommend it to anyone that would like to hear about the experience of another real person.