Now You See the Sky

By: Catharine H. Murray

Narrated by: Catharine H. Murray

When Catharine H. Murray travels to a small town on the banks of the Mekong River to work at a refugee camp, she falls in love and marries a local man with whom she has three sons. When their middle son is diagnosed with cancer at age five, their pursuit of a cure takes them from Thailand to Seattle, before they eventually return to Thailand, settling on a remote mountaintop. Full of honesty and grace, Now You See the Sky allows the listener to witness the fathomless loss of a beloved child and learn how tragedy can transform us, expand our vision, and make us more fully alive.

©2018 Catharine H. Murray (P)2018 Tantor

Critic reviews

"As much a eulogy to Chan as a testament to the joy of life, the book is a heartwarming tale of dealing with lifealtering loss.... A tender, love-filled story of how one woman dealt with the loss of a young child." (Kirkus)

I got something out of it

This book was part of a book group in which I am a member. I hesitated to listen to it thinking it would be too sad. Of course, it was sad, but I got more out of it than I thought I would. The reader is the author. Her voice was soft and gentle. She shared her journey of losing her son in a graceful manner. I had some biases about the need to talk about death before I started listening to it. The author helped me to see that addressing death is complex, particularly if one lives in a different culture that has a different way of looking at dying. So the best part of this book was the expansion of my mind in what has to happen as one dies. I appreciate that.

Quiet, honest beauty in the face of life and death

The author's quiet steady voice describes her life, love, and growing family in Thailand before and during the terminal illness of her middle young son. She incorporates the sounds of Thai language, details of cooking and details of life, as she lives with heartbreaking grief. Her steady thoughtful accounting brings in her spiritual work to greet each moment and challenge with loving kindness. I was moved, feeling a spacious quiet peacefulness in the face of loss. Quite an accomplishment to live and write this story.

the authenticity of the story

If you have loved someone who has passed, this story is relatable. It is shared with raw, authentic experience that brings to surface a real human integration of living and loving, while seeking purpose and understanding.

very moving story.

I lost my son, my Michael from leukemia as well last year. it has been the hardest journey of my life. I lost his younger brother the previous year. just total devastation.