WinnerofaGoldNautilusAwardFeaturedonKatieCouricMedia’s“37Life-ChangingBooksYouWon’tBeAbletoPutDown““Wecandoextraordinarythingswhenweleadwithlove,“BarbaraBeckerremindsusinherdebutmemoirHeartwood.Whenherearliestchildhoodfriendisdiagnosedwithaterminalillness,Beckersetsoffonaquesttoimmerseherselfinwhatitmeanstobemortal.Canweliveourlivesmorefullyknowingsomedaywewilldie?Withakeeneyetowardsthatwhichmakeslifeworthliving,BarbaraBecker--aperpetualseeker,amom,andaninterfaithleader--recountsstorieswherelifeanddeathintersectinunexpectedways.Shevolunteersonahospicefloor,becomesaneagerstudentofthemanywayspeoplefindmeaningattheendoflife,andaccompaniesherparentsintheirfinaldays.Beckerinspiresreaderstolivewiththeendinmindandprovesthatturningtowardlossratherthanawayfromitistheonlytruewaytolivelifetoitsfullest.Justaswiththeheartwoodofatree--thecentralcorethatisnolongeraliveyetsupportsthenewergrowthrings--thedeadbecomeanenduringsourceofstrengthtotheliving.Withlife-affirmingprose,Beckerhelpsusseethatthatgriefisnotaproblemtobesolved,butratherasacredinvitation--anopportunitytoletgointosomethingevengreater...alovethatwillinformallthedaysofourlives.
