THE DEATH OF A JAYBIRD Essays on Mothers and Daughters and the Things They Leave Behind

Full of humor and heart, Deanna Anthony animates the people in these essays. Many center on Savage's grandmother. Anthony astutely describes the author's comfort with her while growing up, her fear at her grandmother's descent into Alzheimer's, and her ongoing grief at her death. The audio takes listeners into the African-American tradition of funeral services called "homegoing" and other aspects of the Pentecostal religion. Anthony's interjections of expressions and dialect increase the authenticity of this audio. Savage candidly writes of her complex relationship with her mother, a narcissistic addict; her experiences with breast cancer and medical professionals; and her decision not to have children. Anthony's conversational tone evokes the feeling of catching up with a close girlfriend. S.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2023]