Lift

Nomatterwhenandwhythiscomestoyourhands,Iwanttoputdownonpaperhowthingsstartedwithus.Writtenasalettertoherchildren,KellyCorrigan'sLiftisatender,intimate,androbustportraitofriskandlove;atouchstoneforanyonewhowantstolivemorefully.InLift,Corriganweavestogetherthreetrueandunforgettablestoriesofadultswillingtoexperienceemotionalhazardsinexchangeforthegratificationsofraisingchildren.Lifttakesitsnamefromhanggliding,apursuitthatrequiresflyingdirectlyintoroughair,becauseturbulencesavesagliderfrom"sinkingout."ForCorrigan,thiswisdom—thattoflyrequireschaotic,sometimesevenviolentpassages—becomesametaphorforalloflife'smostmeaningfulendeavors,particularlythegreatflightthatisparenting.Corriganservesitupstraight—howmundanelyandfiercelyherchildrenhavebeenloved,howclosemostlivesoccasionallycometodisaster,andhowoftenwefallshortasmothersandfathers.Liftisforeveryonewhohasbeencaughtoffguardbythepaceandvulnerabilityofraisingchildren,toremindusthatourworkisimportantandourtimelimited.LikeAnneMorrowLindbergh'sGiftfromtheSea,Liftisameditationonthecomplexitiesofawoman'slife,andlikeCorrigan'smemoir,TheMiddlePlace,Liftisboisterousandgenerous,abookreaderscan'twaittoshare.PraiseforLift"Althoughwe'venevermet,IloveKellyCorriganlikeafriend.Herworkgivesmearichsenseofintimacywithsomeonewhoisfulloflifeandhard-foughtwisdom.She'shilarious,tender-hearted,tough,loyal,wild,andscrewed-up—likeallthecoolestwomenIknow."—AnneLamott,authorofBirdbyBirdandTravelingMerciesPraiseforTheMiddlePlace"Funnyandirresistiblyexuberant."—O,TheOprahMagazine"Comeforthewriting,stayforthedrama.Orviceversa.Eitherway,youwon'tregretit."—SanFranciscoChronicle"Plantolaugh,cry,andbeconsumedbyKellyCorrigan."—Winston-SalemJournal"FortwodaysIignoredmyfamilywhileIdevouredKellyCorrigan'smemoir.Ispentagoodpartofthattimecrying,butmostlyIwaslaughing...Shecapturesourheartsandteachesussomethingnewaboutfamily,love,andyes,evendeath."—AyeletWaldman,authorofBadMotherandLoveandOtherImpossiblePursuits