Patricia Lyons Simon Newman was a bombshell: drop-dead gorgeous, glamorous, hilarious, insightful, curious, a woman whose bounding, generous, mischievous presence beckoned to others like the first warm sunshine of spring. She was wise, irreverent, brave in loss and grateful in joy, and urgently, thankfully alive to the beauty in everything and everyone. And before anything else, she was a profoundly devoted mother to her son, NPR host, journalist, and author, Scott Simon. In his poignant, funny, intimate memoir of his last days with her, Simon reflects on the lessons she taught him, the preciousness that death gives to life, and the endless resonance of love. This is an unforgettable meditation on a life lived, as Hemingway wrote, 'all the way up.'” —Laura Hillenbrand, author of, UNBROKEN: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption and Seabiscuit: An American Legend on the audio recording of Unforgettable
“Unforgettable is a treasure. It is as poignant and tender and wise as Tuesdays with Morrie, with the added virtues of being unflinching and, quite often, very funny. At its center is a remarkable woman, gorgeous and charming and relentlessly honest, who remains a true star to the very end.” —Scott Turow, author of, PRESUMED INNOCENT
“Who would have thought that such short intimate tweets could lead to such literature? This mother and son story is personal, universal, and filled with humor. Scott Simon reminds us of the transience of life and the endurance of love—and that beautiful writing is the best guardian of memory.” —Azar Nafisi, author of, READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN
“This is an extraordinary book. Amazing. Breathtaking. Affirming. This book will change lives, restore hope to the broken-hearted, and remind the rest of us of what is truly important.” —Laurie Halse Anderson, author of, SPEAK
“Simon's memoir is so captivating that everyone, not just fans of NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, will enjoy learning about the wellspring that nourished the award-winning journalist's wit, intelligence, heart, and chutzpah. Wait, an enjoyable memoir about a dying mother? Indeed. That is part of Simon's...charisma. Every child should have such an opportunity to be there for his or her mother in those final days and hours. Every mother should have such a gifted child.” —BOOKLIST (*Starred Review)
“A charming tribute to a remarkable woman and the bond between mother and son.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS
“In this tender memoir, Simon finds the last week of his mother's life to be a time for them to cherish each other and tenderly reminisce. He takes his quirky, devoted, gracious mother on her own terms, and his work shimmers as a touching tribute.” —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
02/23/2015
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, Patti—pretty, kind, and accommodating—sold 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. (Apr.)
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
2015-01-14
As he sat at his dying mother's bedside in 2013, Simon (Baby We Were Meant for Each Other: In Praise of Adoption, 2010, etc.), the award-winning host of NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, tweeted messages to his 1.2 million followers, recording the last moments of his mother's exuberant life.The author had flown to Chicago after learning his mother was in the intensive care unit. She had been about to travel to California for a summer-holiday visit with his family. Troubled by an annoying cough and weight loss, she decided to get a checkup before leaving. To her dismay, she learned that lung cancer that had been in remission had returned, and she had only days left to live. Simon found her hooked up to oxygen, gasping for breath and speaking with difficulty. Nonetheless, she retained her joie de vivre and savored memories of times they had shared and people they knew. This book is built around the tweets that he sent during that difficult time. They became the vehicle for him to memorialize her indomitable spirit as she gave "a last great performance." Her great love was the author's father, whom she divorced after his out-of-control alcoholism became destructive, and she had two subsequent marriages. Although it was Simon's father who had been a professional comedian, it was his mother's extraordinary sense of humor, gift of friendship and love of life that dominated his life. Even in the period when she was a single mother taking modeling jobs to support her son, they lived in style. "Dress for the job you want, not the one you have," was one of her mottoes. Another was "Never be afraid to go into a classy place." A charming tribute to a remarkable woman and the bond between mother and son.
