"My husband and I had two children and lost them both. Vincent, 16, enjoyed baking, while 19-year-old James was a brilliant linguist and a deep thinker. Shortly before Vincent's death, Li had written a memoir about her depressive episodes which led to her own suicide attempts."
"In the abyss that I call my life, facts, with their logic, meaning and weight, are what I hold on to. It's not much, this holding on, and yet it's the best I can do."
"Li reveals how she and her husband have adopted a radical acceptance, which means living with the facts of their lives as they are now, however difficult. All of this is contemplated in a blunt and stoic manner free of anger and regret."
Yiyun Li's memoir recounts the devastating loss of both her sons to suicide. Vincent died at 16, and James at 19. Li had previously written a memoir about her own depressive episodes and suicide attempts, raising questions about whether her openness about mental illness influenced her sons' perspectives on suicide as an option. Rather than dwelling in anger or regret, Li and her husband embrace radical acceptance, learning to live with their current reality. Li's analytical approach to grief emphasizes holding onto facts, logic, meaning, and weight as anchors. Voice actor Suzanne Toren's sensitive narration captures Li's calm, contemplative mindset, illustrating human resilience in facing profound loss.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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