The Knitting Circle

I don't usually post book reviews, but I have to comment on The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood.

First of all, how do you choose a book if it hasn't been recommended and isn't on your tried and true list of authors? I admit that the cover of the book sometimes grabs my attention, but the blurb or excerpt on the back or inside dust cover is what seals the deal for me.

This is what is on the back cover "After the loss of her only child, Mary Baxter finds herself unable to read or write, the activities that used to be her primary source of comfort. She reluctantly joins a knitting circle as a way to fill her lonely days - not knowing it will change her life. As they teach Mary new knitting techniques, the women in the circle also reveal their own secrets of loss, love and hope. With time, Mary is finally able to tell her own story of grief, and in so doing finds the spark of life again."

I probably would not have chosen this book based on that description. It could be a depressing story and I don't want depressing right now. My sister-in-law read this book and handed it me, telling me it a good read. She is right.

You don't need to be a knitter to understand the knitting references, and you don't need to worry that the book deals with agonizing details of death. You will feel Mary's grief, probably because the author experienced the loss of a child herself and Mary's words are her own.

The book is about moving through a hard place with the help of friends. It reminds us that we don't know what has happened or is currently happening in someone's life. We have all had pain. We can all have joy again. We can all be a friend. We can all have hope.

This clip is Ann Hood talking about both the book and her own experience with grief.
http://www.annhood.us/books/knitting