Marrow

A Love Story

By: Elizabeth Lesser

Narrated by: Elizabeth Lesser, Sally Field

Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

The author of the New York Times best seller Broken Open returns with a visceral and profound memoir of two sisters who, in the face of a bone marrow transplant - one the donor and one the recipient - begin a quest for acceptance, authenticity, and, most of all, love.

A mesmerizing and courageous memoir: the story of two sisters uncovering the depth of their love through the life-and-death experience of a bone marrow transplant.

Throughout her life Elizabeth Lesser has sought understanding about what it means to be true to yourself and, at the same time, truly connected to the ones you love. But when her sister, Maggie, needs a bone marrow transplant to save her life, and Lesser learns that she is the perfect match, she faces a far more immediate and complex question about what it really means to love - honestly, generously, and authentically.

Hoping to give Maggie the best chance possible for a successful transplant, the sisters dig deep into the marrow of their relationship to clear a path to unconditional acceptance. They leave the bone marrow transplant up to the doctors but take on what Lesser calls a "soul marrow transplant", examining their family history, having difficult conversations, examining old assumptions, and offering forgiveness until all that is left is love for each other's true selves. Their process - before, during, and after the transplant - encourages them to take risks of authenticity in other aspects their lives.

But life does not follow the storylines we plan for it. Maggie's body is ultimately too weak to fight the relentless illness. As she and Lesser prepare for the inevitable, they grow ever closer, and their shared blood cells become a symbol of the enduring bond they share.

Told with suspense and humor, Marrow is joyous and heartbreaking, incandescent and profound. The story reveals how even our most difficult experiences can offer unexpected spiritual growth. Reflecting on the multifaceted nature of love - love of other, love of self, love of the world - Marrow is an unflinching and beautiful memoir about getting to the very centers of ourselves.

©2016 Elizabeth Lesser (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Amazing Love Story

this was such a wonderful book about love and life and relationships. I just loved it. Make sure you can be somewhere where you can take notes. There are so many great lessons. I cannot wait to read another one of her books!!! I love that Sally Field read the book I love her it was great!!!

Be prepared to feel and cry.

Loved it! Elizabeth Lesser truly speaks to the soul of anyone who has sisters, 2ho has lost someone to cancer.

wonderful heartwarming story of courage ❤️

I loved this book. what a story of bravery and courage. the connection and honest was inspiring and helped me in my own life. Will probably read it again and again. so much learned wisdom.

A perfect match for me

(The first post did not have the correct 5 stars!)
I learned of Elizabeth Lesser’s book while researching cancer resources for my sister. Then when a dear friend independently recommended it, I added it to my Audible account for the long drives I make when I go twice a month to spend a week with my younger sister who has diffuse cancer. Like Elizabeth and her sister Maggie, we are two very different siblings out of four sisters. We love each other but we navigate the world differently. Also like Elizabeth, I, for various reasons, am the lead caretaker though my other sisters are incredibly supportive. This memoir covers the difficult terrain of addressing these sibling relationships in the most poignant and scariest of times, when one sister’s life is threatened. I too am an ‘over-sharer’ and a nerdy researcher-both traits that Elizabeth uses to describe herself -so I completely identify with her struggles and doubts and raging inner debates and am comforted by knowledge. She is a gifted writer who finds ways to speak of the unspeakable: what if we do everything we can, even give our own blood,and it’s still not enough? Elizabeth tells of her struggle with imperfections and perfectionism even as she tells us the most important thing she’s learned from all the years she’s spent in association with the Omega Institute is that we are all perfectly imperfect humans- including even the authors of books about what we seekers are seeking. Examples include the humble monk with the huge ego and the marriage expert who got divorced. The point is not the great irony but the great human condition of being flawed and the life long struggle to accept that even so, we may be good enough. I couldn’t have dreamed up a more apropos read for myself at this very moment. It’s helping me immensely to sort my feelings and even feel my feelings and to find compassion for myself as I help my sister navigate her journey to do the same. It’s doesn’t get any more real than this. One need not have an ill sibling to benefit from this book or be inspired to consider whether a relationship with someone you’ve known from childhood might be well served by looking at our assumptions and patterns.

Beautiful

This love story is so beautiful. I laughed. I learned and I cried.

Thank you Elizabeth Lesser for sharing yourself, Maggie and your family in this most intimate way. Beautiful. ♥️

A MUST read!

This is a beautifully written story with many life lessons woven into it. One of the most powerful books I've ever read. I am now a huge fan of Elizabeth Lesser.

Great book!

This could not have been narrated by a better person than Sally Fields! I will definitely listen to this one again and feel it contains so many important life messages. Well done, by author and narrator!!

Lovely Book

This is a wonderful book, loved the narration. I have 3 sisters and love each of them, I can't imaging the pain of losing one of them but this book enlightened me on the value of life and the love of it! Thank you

This is now in my marrow...

One of the best non-fiction books I've ever experienced. There were times I ran to a pad of paper to write down an aching or joyous wording of something Elizabeth or Maggie said. There were times on a walk with my headphones on that I lost being present outside and was so deeply engaged it was like coming from out of the book itself when it dawned on me I wasn't within its pages. Painful, harrowing sorrow, soul touching beauty, family truths enlightening, humanity renewing beauty. This is absolute beauty. And it had to be exhausting and lifting to bring to life. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Elizabeth. And also kudos for the incredibly perfect choice of Sally Field for the narration. She's flawless in the interpretation of the words and emotions. Stunningly gorgeous love story.

Such a touching story

Brilliant book, amazing story, and a great narrator. I really enjoyed this book. The author is so honest, authentic, and transparent. 100 stars out of 10.