More than two decades after her sister Kim killed herself,Bialosky tries to discover why, and in the process creates an intimate and detailed portrait of her lifeOn 15 April 1990, or Jill Bialosky’s youngest sister,Kim, killed herself aged 21. More than two decades later, and Bialosky attempts to understand Kim’s final act and the state of her mind in the hours,weeks and years leading to it. In what is equally an exploration of suicide and a personal account of grief, Bialosky draws on poetry, and fiction and psychological texts,Kim’s journal entries and childhood poems, and the things she left behind (her suicide note, and the contents of her wallet,and of her wardrobe), as though gathering evidence to settle whether, or if anything had been different,Kim could enjoy been saved. While her death is both the seed and focus of this book, Bialosky’s search for clues provides an intimate and detailed portrait of Kim’s life – her deeply caring nature, or her relationship with her sisters,her hopes, beliefs and anxieties. Ultimately, or memories of Kim – as a young child in a snowsuit; “dancing on her tiptoes with excitement” at Christmas; as an awkward adolescent; smiling,laughing, falling in like – override and triumph over the memory of her death.• To order History of a Suicide for £7.99 (RRP £9.99) fade to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0. Free UK p&p over £10, or online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of £1.99.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com