Forbes reflects on caring for those nearing the ends of their lives in this memoir.

The author recounts, with deep respect for those in her charge, a life spent working as a home-carer for the elderly. She opens with a series of vignettes depicting some of the patients she’s cared for, from a woman who “deliberately summoned and made peace with her offspring” to a man who was nonverbal “unless someone took away his cowboy hat, in which case you would not want to hear what he had to say!” From there, Forbes reflects more generally on the world of professional caregivers. She notes that she’s never met a person she couldn’t work with, and she explains that most people who elect for in-home care do so because they’re not ready to leave, regardless of the cost of staying put. The author identifies curiosity, attentiveness, assumed friendship, and humility as four vital qualities required to reach and care for seniors. Through personal reflections, a mixture of poetry and fiction, and philosophical and theological analysis, Forbes establishes humility as the root of meaningful interactions and asks the question, “[W]hat would the world look like without reward?” She closes by calling on readers to prioritize their own humility and to consider the importance it plays in the kind of participatory democracy that’s at risk in this historical moment. Forbes’ writing is at its best in its most concise and personal moments. Many of the vignettes featuring the patients in her care open with commanding and compelling first lines—including “Gilda was gloriously and terrifyingly alone,” “Our Lady of the Great Clothes was found wandering the halls in her pyjamas,” and “My mother was many things, most of them exceptional, none of them normal”—all of which capture the true essence and spirit of her subjects. While the book’s latter half suffers from a lack of specific personal focus, this is a deeply affecting and thoughtful work.

A heartfelt look at providing care for the elderly.