Book Review: Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards

The day this book came out I reserved it at the library and have been waiting for a copy to become available ever since. Personally, I thought it was worth the wait. This woman has been dealt a lot of adversity in her life and has shouldered it all with great strength.

In the book, she spends a lot of time talking about her first born son Wade who was killed in a car accident back in 1996. Honestly, I thought she might not discuss this topic at length because she has faced so many other difficult life situations since then but she does and I was glad considering my own situation.

It was very interesting to read as she outlined how she grieved and how she feels now. Not long ago as I was watching her interview on the Today Show with Matt Lauer he questioned something she discusses in the book. At the time I thought it was inappropriate and today having now read the book and lost my own child it actually makes me mad that he asked the question at all especially in the tone that he did.

The discussion was with regard to how she handled Wade's "stuff" once he passed. The fact was she didn't. She left it as was. Matt Lauer took her to task during the interview asking whether that was an appropriate way of grieving. The answer: Yes, Mr. Lauer it is thankyouverymuch.

It left me wondering how he would feel that we are making somewhat of a memorial to Megan Grace in the room that would have been hers with all of her "stuff". It's comforting to me as I'm sure it was to Mrs. Edwards.

She does briefly touch on the affair, her battle with terminal cancer, and her faith. It seemed to me a lot of the book was about the loss of Wade but she uses that to discuss how that situation made it easier for her to overcome these other life changing situations.

Basically, she sums it up when she discusses her faith towards the middle of the book. Her belief is that God gave us life and the world we live in along with free will and it's up to us to "fix" things as we are able. My beliefs do not exactly jive with hers but I can appreciate her thoughts on the subject as I'm sure she has questioned her faith many times over the years.

All in all, this is a good book. It is inspirational even if you have never been in any of the situation. She also throws in a few anecdotes about her life prior to fame that relate to the book as well that make it an easy read. So easy that I read it in four hours while sitting in my garage "helping" Steve paint.

Enjoy!