What We Wish Were True: Reflections on Nurturing Life and Facing Death
- Downloads：7665
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-04-19 02:19:37
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Tallu Quinn
- ISBN：0593442903
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Linda
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One woman's remembrances of her life; part of her journey thru dying。 One woman's remembrances of her life; part of her journey thru dying。 。。。more
Elke
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In “Be My Guest: Reflections on Food， Community， and the Meaning of Generosity” Priya Basil writes， “Stories enact a form of mutual hospitality。 What is a story if not an enticement to stay？ You’re invited in， but right away you must reciprocate and host the story back， through concentration: whether you read or hear a narrative- from a book or a person- you need to listen to really understand。 Granting complete attention is like giving a silent ovation。 Story and listener open， unfold into and In “Be My Guest: Reflections on Food， Community， and the Meaning of Generosity” Priya Basil writes， “Stories enact a form of mutual hospitality。 What is a story if not an enticement to stay？ You’re invited in， but right away you must reciprocate and host the story back， through concentration: whether you read or hear a narrative- from a book or a person- you need to listen to really understand。 Granting complete attention is like giving a silent ovation。 Story and listener open， unfold into and harbour each other。”Hospitality in writing and reading。 This is what it was like for me reading the words， the stories， shared by Tallu。 Her life the ultimate definition of hospitality。 We were guests and hosts to each other as I took in each word with complete attention。 Hearing her voice， feeling her joys， sorrows， hopes。 I felt called to her table。 Brought into her life like a close friend。 Like we were sharing in these stories together over that simple meal of a good crusty loaf of bread， some sweet butter， and maybe some salty cured meats。 This book holds beauty in its utter fragility。 Holds strength in its vulnerability。 Holds legacy in its own inevitable ending。 I couldn’t put the book down。I hope no matter the differences other readers have to Tallu Schuyler Quinn’s own journey or faith life they will too feel just as invited to the table to share in all these things。 And perhaps be inspired to open their own door to others to share as well。Full disclosure， I am one of the fortunate ones to have had the absolute privilege to call Tallu friend and coworker。 I hear her laughter in these pages。 I feel her sincere hugs with these words。 I’m grateful for this gift。 I miss her。 。。。more
Jessie Tyler
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I recently finished my copy of What We Wish Were True by Tallu Schuyler Quinn。 I was given an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 I worried like some others that reviewed this book that the author's faith might make me not relate to her story but I was able to get past it and be happy for her that she has a strong faith in her God to comfort her in trying times。 She was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at the age of 40。 She ran a non-profit that helped I recently finished my copy of What We Wish Were True by Tallu Schuyler Quinn。 I was given an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 I worried like some others that reviewed this book that the author's faith might make me not relate to her story but I was able to get past it and be happy for her that she has a strong faith in her God to comfort her in trying times。 She was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at the age of 40。 She ran a non-profit that helped those with food insecurities and got a lot of joy out of her work。 She shared stories about her family that she loved dearly including her husband and young children。 She shared some of her thoughts on living and dying， and this book was very deeply personal。 It felt like the author was having a conversation with you more than reading like a memoir。 According to her bio on Amazon， she died from the disease on February 17， 2022。 Tallu was 42。 The book is available on shelves on April 19， 2022。 。。。more
Manda Nicole
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A stunning collection of essays describing life and living and impending death as the writer faces incurable brain cancer。 The writing is honest and smart and full of life as the author shares her experiences and wisdom， What We Wish Were True is heartbreakingly beautiful yet inspires hope and will fill your heart in unexpected ways。
Kasia Hubbard
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Human as human could be。 How can you live your life to the fullest， while also planning your own funeral？ Planning the future of your business while also preparing your loved ones for the day that you will be gone， including loving your husband in the here and now and yet knowing that at some point in the future he will love someone else because you're gone。 This is Tallu's story， told in an essay format， as she continues to live her life as much as she can after being diagnosed with stage IV gl Human as human could be。 How can you live your life to the fullest， while also planning your own funeral？ Planning the future of your business while also preparing your loved ones for the day that you will be gone， including loving your husband in the here and now and yet knowing that at some point in the future he will love someone else because you're gone。 This is Tallu's story， told in an essay format， as she continues to live her life as much as she can after being diagnosed with stage IV glioblastoma cancer。 It's heartbreakingly beautiful， and I can only imagine the woman she was in person from reading how she was in this book。 Beautiful and yet heartbreakingly sad。 May we all have her style and grace in every day of our living。 *I received a copy of this book from NetGalley。 This review is my own opinion* 。。。more
Richard Propes
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 For those familiar with "What We Wish Were True" author Tallu Quinn's life-changing work as founder and longtime director of The Nashville Food Project， the April release of the book has an extra layer of emotional resonance perhaps not initially felt by those who will simply pick up the book themselves unaware of her life and the fact that Quinn's journey with Stage IV Glioblastoma （brain cancer） ended only a few weeks before the book's publication。That said， "What We Wish Were True" may very w For those familiar with "What We Wish Were True" author Tallu Quinn's life-changing work as founder and longtime director of The Nashville Food Project， the April release of the book has an extra layer of emotional resonance perhaps not initially felt by those who will simply pick up the book themselves unaware of her life and the fact that Quinn's journey with Stage IV Glioblastoma （brain cancer） ended only a few weeks before the book's publication。That said， "What We Wish Were True" may very well not be the book that you expect it to be。 While it is at times evident that Quinn is likely in her final days with this journey， the remarkable truth is that "What We Wish Were True" is as much about life as it is death。 In fact， with the exception of a handful of reflections where Quinn quite explicitly talks about her likely impending death it wouldn't be unreasonable to call "What We Wish Were True" as much an autobiographical tale as it is her reflections on nurturing this unpredictable life and treating the facing of death with the same love and respect that one treats every other unexpected fork in the road。 Having only 2-3 months ago lost a dear friend to Glioblastoma and also watching from across the street as a dear and sweet neighbor spends her final days with the same diagnosis in the home where she raised her entire family， I am instead caused by "What We Wish Were True" to reflect upon my own unexpected life journey with spina bifida and a myriad of associated diagnoses that doctors expected would take my life at a mere three-days-old but instead has found me living into my 50's with a far higher quality of life than anyone ever expected。 As I watched my own brother pass away due to pancreatic cancer in the past year at the young age of 43， I can reflect upon my own times when I've tried bargaining with God and tried to grasp why I've been blessed with more time than expected while others with many more reasons to live have seen their journeys shortened。 It's hard to grasp， I suppose， why such a vibrant and loving life as Quinn's is impacted by a diagnosis that is more common among older folks but instead occurs in the life of a woman impacting so many lives while also living in a happy marriage and with children far too young to lose their mother。 Quinn， at times， grapples with both big and small questions in "What We Wish Were True。" However， at times， it is simply powerful in the simplicity with which she reflects upon her own life and a future that will likely exist without her and the painful wonderings if the children that she nurtured into this world will in a few years remember her physical presence and physicality。 At times， "What We Wish Were True" feels disconnected as Quinn reflects on her life and the points of reference that play out in her mind over and over and over again。 At times， "What We Wish Were True" feels like deep reflections playing out against the backdrop of one of life's most challenging journeys。 At other times， there's almost a randomness to the book as memories become triggers for deeper soul-searching and introspection。 "What We Wish Were True" is not necessarily a sentimental journey - instead， it is a rather resolute and matter-of-fact one。 It often finds Quinn coming to some degree of acceptance amidst fear of the future she knows lies ahead and the complete lack of knowing what it will mean for the people and the places around her。 It is likely best to experience "What We Wish Were True" without expectations， no small task given its larger than life subject matter and the ways that we've all had our own personal experiences with death even if， in all likelihood， they haven't resembled those of Quinn。 Instead， however， "What We Wish Were True" is likely best experienced as one woman's final gift to the world around her - the husband she adores， the children she can't fathom growing up without her， the people of Middle Tennessee whom she loves deeply， and the God she continues to believe in passionately even amidst this final unexpected journey。 "What We Wish Were True" is not the book I entirely expected it to be， yet it feels at its core like the book Quinn intended it to be。 It is a simple yet powerful tribute to a life well-loved， people well-loved， and the painful truth that while death will will undeniably alter these truths it cannot possibly erase them。 。。。more
Lauren pavey
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I I don’t even truly know where to start a review for a book like this 。 How can you review something so honest ， so brutal， so powerful。 I’ll try but I don’t think I’ll be able to do it justice。 If I had to sum this book up in one word that would be mesmerising 。 This book cast a spell over me and I found it impossible to put down， in fact the only time I felt truly able to put it down was when I had to reflect on the words I had just read。 。 Sometimes do you ever feel like an author is talking I I don’t even truly know where to start a review for a book like this 。 How can you review something so honest ， so brutal， so powerful。 I’ll try but I don’t think I’ll be able to do it justice。 If I had to sum this book up in one word that would be mesmerising 。 This book cast a spell over me and I found it impossible to put down， in fact the only time I felt truly able to put it down was when I had to reflect on the words I had just read。 。 Sometimes do you ever feel like an author is talking just to you？ That’s how I felt。 It felt as though I was reading something directly purely at me， so personal that it was impossible to look away。 It felt completely relatable even though the main subject of the book （a woman trying to find her way through her cancer journey） is luckily not personally relatable to most of us。 This book is brutally honest。 You know you are reading something special。 It is a profound collection of essays that flow seamlessly together like a poetic memoir。 I must confess when I opened the book and saw how devout in faith the author was I was worried that i would not fully relate to the author but her strong faith only made me happy that she is content and gave me hope that her faith will ease her fears and continue to give her strength。 I don’t know how she is currently but I hope she is still experiencing many more happy moments with her family。 There were so many quotes that I jotted down to remind myself of in my day to day life but if I quote them all I feel this will be the longest review ever written。 I will simply say I believe that there is something that everyone can take away from this book and I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know。 Thank you to the author for such an honest and beautiful book and thank you to the publishers for giving me the privilege of reading this。 。。。more
Wanda Argersinger
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To find your purpose in life and follow it with passion is for most， a dream。 For Tallu Quin， she was living it every day working to end hunger around the world and in her home community。 Then the unthinkable- glioblastoma， an aggressive incurable brain cancer。 For many， this would then end the pursuit of passion at which time most of us would withdraw from society and spend our last days with family。 Tallu managed both， her family and her fight against hunger。 She did all she could do to ensure To find your purpose in life and follow it with passion is for most， a dream。 For Tallu Quin， she was living it every day working to end hunger around the world and in her home community。 Then the unthinkable- glioblastoma， an aggressive incurable brain cancer。 For many， this would then end the pursuit of passion at which time most of us would withdraw from society and spend our last days with family。 Tallu managed both， her family and her fight against hunger。 She did all she could do to ensure that her projects would continue long past her time on earth。 This is a story told with grace， love， belief， and from the heart of a warrior。 I can say it better than she did when she said “I think about how my purpose may be the same in death as it continues to be in life—surrendering to the hope that our weaknesses can be made strong， that what is broken can be made whole，” she writes。 。。。more
Drea
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