Novelist and poet Judy Goldman's inspiring account of the mishap that left her husband paralyzed, how it tested their marriage, and their struggle to regain their "normal" life.
When Judy Goldman’s husband of almost four decades has a routine spinal injection to alleviate back pain, he is instantly paralyzed from the waist down—a phenomenon no doctor can explain or undo. She’s forced to take over, navigating the byzantine medical world they suddenly find themselves in. Her husband is forced to give in. This is the starting point for Together, which looks at the changes every couple faces—the slow, ordinary ones brought about by time and the sudden, dramatic ones that take us by surprise. Identities shift; roles switch. How do we adjust? How do we let go of the if-onlys? Together is a deeply honest story about the life we dream of and the life we make—an elegant and empathetic meditation on what happens to love, over time and all at once.
One of the Best Books of the Year, Real Simple
“Together . . . is a book you’ll read in one sitting. It’s that compelling, that illuminating. It’s a book that could make you see your own marriage in a whole new light.” —The Charlotte Observer
“Goldman’s beautiful, deeply honest book is for anyone who has faced down change.” —Real Simple
“Somehow, Judy Goldman wrapped the story of medical mistakes into a beautiful memoir about her marriage and how love can change you. Finish the last few pages. Let the wisdom wash over you.” —The Salisbury Post
“An inspiring story of how life can change in an instant and how the power of love . . . helps through unspeakable challenges.” —Booklist
“Together is a funny and wise account of the bumps and curve balls of a long-term marriage; it’s also an examination of the confounding labyrinth of America’s medical system.” —The Augusta Chronicle
“An insightful, at times harrowing, chronicle of the ups and downs of marriage, and the many roles we play in one another’s lives.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“Honest and compassionate, Goldman’s book is a life-affirming story that celebrates the grit that goes into making a long-term marriage work. A moving portrait of ‘young love turning into old love’ in the face of unexpected life challenges.” —Kirkus Reviews
