I don’t know that the book was so much an exploration of what one would do to survive so much as it explored the extents to which one would go to provide life for their child. The dad did all he could to not only provide sustenance and love but hope as well. He knew there was no hope, not really. But he struggled on physically and emotionally for his son’s sake. It is interestingly juxtaposed to the mother figure who obviously can’t handle the new emotional reality of survival. We all have different levels of Hell that we can tolerate and different levels of resolve to see something through no matter the hurdles.

It left me feeling haunted for weeks afterward. It made me think. A lot. I don’t know what’s coming but I sure hope it’s not similar to that. Some things cannot be preped for, physically or emotionally.

(My apologies for the “ritter” handle—it’s one I use on other boards and didn’t think of the potential confusion it could result in. Nice group you’ve got here.)