Let's Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship

I found two satisfactions in this book:1. A disquisition on the importance of a deeply meaningful longstanding friendship between two women without complications of sexual, economic dependance, or unhealthy emotional overtones. We should all be so lucky to have such friends-people who regard us with respect , interest and love over as long a period as lifetime persists.2. The word craft in this memoir is outstanding-personal, vivid and emotional, yet spare where it needed to be.I recommend this book. It would be an ideal book club read.

This book is an easy, gentle read if you're pandemic-fatigued and need something both poignant and light. Caroline Knapp's more gritty "Drinking-A Love Story" introduced me to the main characters, here her real life best friend takes the reader through a heartfelt account of their first encounter, budding and blooming friendship, towards it's untimely end. Beautiful description of rowing on the St. Charles River in Massachusettes. I'm a married woman with children, but Ms. Caldwell's story is for any woman who has known, loved and grieved a real "girlfriend." The cover shows a quickie reivew "meant to be savored and shared". Spot on. Grab a blanket, and a cup of tea, sip, repeat....

It's rare that I simply gush over books but I fell in love with Gail Caldwell's newest book. As sleepy as I was reading the last pages in bed, I didn't want the book to end and it's one of those books I'll read over and over again.When someone is crunched for time, as most of us are, why take the long way anywhere instead of a shortcut? If you've ever been lucky enough to feel so close and so comfortable with a friend that you never have enough time to spend together, you'll understand why and you'll resonate to the story of the powerful bonds between the author and her best friend, Caroline Knapp.The book begins, "It's an old, old story: I had a friend and we shared everything, and then she died and so we shared that, too." While the loss of a best friend to Stage IV lung cancer sounds maudlin, it's only incidental to the beautiful story of love and connection that is the essence of this book.An accomplished writer, recovering alcoholic, rower, dog lover, private person, single, and self-described introvert, Caldwell was 46 years old when she met Knapp, who was 37. In mid-life, they both found kindred spirits whose lives had many parallels."Finding Caroline was like placing a personal ad for an imaginary friend, then having her show up at your door funnier and better than you had conceived. Apart we had each been frightened drunks and aspiring writers and dog lovers; together, we became a small corporation," writes Caldwell. The two became part of each other's family of choice. The mix of similarities and differences both anchored the friendship and enriched their relationships with the larger world around them, personal and professional.What Caldwell does best is to describe the indescribable, finding words that aptly translate the essence of friendship for those of us who often fumble trying to do so. Her prose is simply beautiful and her wisdom so insightful that it leaves the reader with indelible memories and life lessons.She reflects on her first misunderstanding with her friend as a "testing ground and gateway for intimacy." Later, she writes about the friendship: "Our trust allowed for a shorthand that let us get to the point quickly." Characterizing their changed relationship when her best friend becomes critically ill, she describes it as a "choreography of silence." Despite its poignant ending, the Caldwell-Knapp friendship will make you envious---but it will also help you realize that friendships like this are, indeed, possible.Caldwell writes after Knapp's death, "I know now that we never get over great losses; we absorb them, and they carve us into different, often kinder, creatures." The same might be said about how the reader will emerge after reading this touching memoir of friendship.

Being a late arrival to the wisdom and brilliance of Caroline Knappthis book gave me the opportunity to know her even better, as wellas allowing me to grieve her all too soon departure from our realm.A little bit about that. I am a therapist and had heard about Drinking, a Love Story and thought it would be a good (turned outto be GREAT) resource for my clients with substance abuse issues.I read it and literally fell in love with Caroline Knapp. I then found out that she had written a book about DOGS and ordered it immediately and practically swallowed it whole. You see I havehad, more on that later) a dog named Nico who was the love of my life; a beautiful, willful, intelligent boy...who through sheerdetermination overcame 3 kinds of Cancer until he met the onehe couldn't beat. He made it to almost 13 (not bad for a healthybig dog) with Cancer following him since 2009.After reading a Pack of Two I decided to google Ms. Knapp (this wasjust in 2010) and found that she had died some years before. I completely fell apart crying.........simply heartbroken that hervoice has been silenced by the insidious epidemic we call Cancer!I immediately ordered and read the other books she had written andmy love affair with Ms. Knapp grew deeper. You see we are cut ofthe same cloth. As it turns out so is Ms. Caldwell.At the end of August of 2010 I lost one of my 2 best friends, myDad, to the same Lung Cancer that killed Ms. Knapp. Of course Ididn't know it was the same Cancer until I read Let's Take the LongWay Home.Just 3 weeks ago to the day (Jan 24, 2011) I lost my other bestfriend, Nico, my Angel Dog....also to Aednocarcinoma. As you canimagine I am heartsick in an indescribable way.On Saturday I read the entirety of Long Way Home and it served asa balm for my heart and soul. The words so pitch perfect to thelevel of grief one experiences upon losing best and irreplaceable friends. Ms. Caldwell's telling of her relationship with Carolinethat was built around sharing the pure joy of the love and adventureswith their dogs is required reading for anyone who has suffereda loss of either/or a 2 or 4 legged best friend. The prose issublime. The honesty a breath of fresh air. And, as I said, anelixir for deep, indescribable loss. Thank you Ms. Caldwell, youshowed up just in the nick of time for both beautiful Caroline andme.

Loved this book

I believe I have all ready written a review of this book. While it is well written, to me it was almost like a rant.... for the author to get things off her mind.

great

An unusually evocative portrait of an unusually deep friendship.