Our Short History

January 30, 2017
Karen Neulander has a rotten deal. Diagnosed with stage-IV ovarian cancer, she tries to manage her health—surgeries and treatments to prolong her life—as well as her career—political consultant to a philandering New York City councilman running for reelection. Most important is her six-year-old son, Jake. While Jake knows she has a terminal illness, Karen fiercely protects his world and pens a book for him—the very book we are reading, in fact—so that she can leave him something tangible as a guide for his life without her. Knowing she won’t be around forever, Jake suddenly wants to find his father, Dave, the love of Karen’s life, who ditched her when he learned she was pregnant. Grodstein (A Friend of the Family) deftly explores family relationships, but the device of Karen writing a book for her son is cumbersome and artificial. The power of the book is also undermined by the sentimental circumstances and predictable ending: will Karen let Dave, who has changed and is eager to have a meaningful relationship with the son he never knew he had, be a part of her son’s future without her?

Narrator Karen White skillfully navigates the barrage of emotions in Grodstein's heartrending story of a dying mother who is writing a memoir for her young son to read when he's older. White's clear delivery captures both the grim determination of the single mother as she fights to maintain normalcy while dealing with terminal cancer--as well as the anger she feels at the cruel hand she's been dealt. White effectively conveys the anguish any parent would feel in this tragic scenario. The subtle use of tempo and intensity lets White bring the listener all the inherent drama and pathos without becoming maudlin. Pairing a talented author with a skilled narrator renders a difficult subject approachable--but bring the tissues. M.O.B. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine