The Goldfish Went on Vacation: A Memoir of Loss (and Learning to Tell the Truth about It)

by Patty Dann

Sallie Sanborn (Afterword)

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Book cover for The Goldfish Went on Vacation

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The moment when Patty Dann’s husband was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, she felt as though the ground had dropped out beneath her. Her grief, however, was immediately interrupted by the realization that she would have to tell their three-year-old son, Jake, that his father was dying. The prognosis gave her husband just a year to live. In that short time, the three of them—Patty, Willem, and Jake—would have to find a way to live with the illness and prepare for his death.  

Written with disarming honesty, courage, and humor, Patty weaves together a series of vignettes that chart her and Jake’s eventual acceptance of their new family—through coping with the daily challenges, the sorrow, and the uncertainty, as well as embracing the surprising moments of beauty and acceptance. As much about exploring memory as it is about appreciating the moment, this captivating narrative will serve as a genuine comfort to anyone surprised by grief.
  • ISBN10 1590305647
  • ISBN13 9781590305645
  • Publish Date 4 December 2007 (first published 9 January 2007)
  • Publish Status Inactive
  • Out of Print 9 December 2022
  • Publish Country US
  • Imprint Trumpeter