Unforgettable

February 23, 2015
In this tender memoir developed from a series of Twitter messages, Simon, the host of NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, finds the last week of his mother's life to be a time for them to cherish each other and tenderly reminisce. In his daily tweets, which garnered a considerable audience at the time, Simon recorded the last days of his mother's life as significant and newsworthy. An only child, Simon was raised by his mother, Patti, in a Chicago apartment. His comedian father's drinking became unbearable and his mother divorced him before he could bring down the family; he died when Simon was 16. Subsequently, Pattiâpretty, kind, and accommodatingâsold clothes at "posh shops" on Michigan Avenue, worked as a secretary in an advertising agency, and volunteered for styling hands and hair ads. She also entertained many suitors. Her vitality informed Simon's youth. As Patti lies dying of respiratory failure in a Chicago hospital, she and her son exchange "painful truths" while listening to Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable." Simon appreciates how generously Patti is treated by the staff at the hospital, which brings up memories of the "lovely" men who courted her. He takes his quirky, devoted, gracious mother on her own terms, and his work shimmers as a touching tribute.

The familiar voice of NPR host and correspondent Scott Simon introduces listeners to a more personal side of his life in this audiobook, a memoir of his mother, Patricia Lyons Simon Newman, her colorful life, and her relationship with her only child. Based on Simon's tweets during his mother's final illness, and expanded to include additional reminiscences both positive and negative from mother and son, the book is an homage to a woman he clearly holds dear and who seemed to have touched everyone she met with her kind and positive disposition. Simon's radio background is evident in this production. His relaxed pace and pleasant vocal quality are conducive to easy listening. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Starred review from July 1, 2015

What started as a series of tweets by NPR host Simon (Pretty Birds) has been expanded into a touching, heartwarming biography of his ex-showgirl mother, Patricia Lyons Simon Newman. Tweeting from his mother's hospital room during her final days, Simon not only portrays the parent/child bond and celebrates his mother's unique qualities but also demonstrates the limitations of social media. Reflecting on the inevitability of death and the broader meaning of life, Simon jumps between Patricia's final hospitalization and her life as a single parent. Simon's professional broadcast expertise enhances his expressive voice, which is nicely paced as he reads. An easy, entertaining, yet thought-provoking listen. VERDICT This program will appeal to biography/memoir readers and those familiar with Simon.--Laurie Selwyn, formerly with Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX

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