Overview

A vivid, heart-lifting and heart-breaking report from the teetering balance between devastation and joy. These short writings form a collage of Hanna du Plessis' experience through two years of life after receiving a terminal diagnosis of ALS. Hanna gives us rare insight into the details of her experience with a progressive disease while also earning a graduate degree in creative writing and traveling the world. These short essays are laced with sharp detail, surprising humor, and observations about how to live and die. We all experience endings, fadings, losses and deaths. Hanna helps us find grace in the mundane and wonder in the wreckage. Hanna's whimsical sketches make delightful companions to her vivid and often humorous language. It is rare to find these two things so well-forged together: an unflinching gaze into loss and an undaunted determination to fully experience life.

Full Product Details

9798990250932

Table of Contents

Reviews

It's funny. It's heartbreakingly uplifting. It's real. It lands you in the territory of the real meaning of life (and death): savor, honor, cherish, be silly, be full. What a delight, what an inspiration. - Goodreads reviewer Touched me to tears, to laughter, to depth of thought and wondering and gratitude. Hanna's stories opened me up, settled in, and will stay with me long after I've read them. Deeply inspirational. - Erika, Goodreads Wow. This book was an honest, bold, and beautiful look into the face of the most devastating disease on earth. du Plessis shows us the immense weight of her suffering in raw, funny and whimsical ways. We feel her love and attachment to life amidst her suffering. I loved every minute of this read. A truly unique voice that artfully weaves together her difficult story. - Ayça, Barnes & Noble This book isn't just about facing death; it's about embracing life's beauty, flaws and all. An inspiring, heart-opening read for anyone navigating life's toughest challenges. - Mark, Goodreads ""Bedsores and Bliss"" is a deeply moving and beautifully crafted memoir that sheds light on the realities of living with ALS. In her words, we can feel the strain, but also her unshakable resilience and humor. A a gift to readers. - Christine, Barnes & Noble This small book offers deep wisdom about how to embrace the fullness of life. [It] evokes tears and smiles, connection and joy. Hanna's ""five stars"" offer a path that feels poignantly relevant in the current state of the world. Hiroko, Amazon Hanna is courageous and fierce. She speaks from the depths of her breaking heart, and zings directly into the reader's. A short deep gem. Eddy, Amazon

Author Information

Hanna's life has centered on the possibility that people can co-create a thriving world. After growing up in apartheid South Africa, Hanna came to the US in 2009 to study design. Shortly after, she embarked on a mission to transform herself and share what she learned with others, ""so we can get good at the collective work of healing, repairing, and re-weaving."" Hanna has co-hosted dozens of spaces of transformation-gatherings of change leaders, student cohorts, and entire organizations. She has been an artist, a dancer, a writer, and performed improv on stage. In March of 2023, Hanna was diagnosed with ALS, a degenerative neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of its functions. She has committed her remaining time to writing, adventuring with her family and being in her beloved community.

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