Quilting Lessons

I'd bought the book to fill out an Amazon order, to qualify for the free shipping. It sounded interesting. I'd read Sue Bender's book many years ago and liked it quite a bit at the time (though I've not reread it in the past fifteen years -- perhaps I should -- and see what I think of it now) and I thought this might have a similar bent.

So I put Quilting Lessons into my shopping cart and eventually when the book I'd preordered was published, my parcel arrived. And I started right in on Quilting Lessons. I liked that it was short, self-contained chapters, just the kind of thing to read a bit of at night, before turning out the light.

It is about a woman in academia who is abruptly immobilized professionally. She is part-way through writing a book and gets stuck. It's more than writer's block. It is, I believe, depression. You can read reviews here. For me, it was an okay book. I'm fortunate to not have ever experienced depression (I get whelmed and panicky from time to time and have the occasional blue day, but never the kind of thing others have spoken of). I would have liked the book more had she included photographs of her quilts.

This isn't a book I need to keep or read again. As I said, it didn't speak to me in ways I could really relate. I'd like to pass it along, to give it to someone who might understand it better. Someone who knows what depression is, who may use quilting as a tool to beat it, much the way I proclaim that quilting is what helps me to keep body and soul together. If you are this person, or if your good friend is this person, please let me know, and I'll send it on.


Comments

*karendianne. said…
I might be that person. I'm not afraid to admit that. I don't know that I grapple with depression but having MS I grapple with a lot of fear and, well, that takes you into different emotional aspects of your psyche I cannot begin to tell you. So I'm speaking up.
The Calico Cat said…
If you did not already give it to karen, my best friend takes regular doses of medication & regularly visits a psychiatrist to stay "normal." & She is a wonderful quilter & the best friend! (She even held my baby & she doesn't "do" babies - infertility ravaged her too.)
*karendianne. said…
Oh well Amy's best friend would be a better recipient than I would be. Besides, I really could just order it.