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How to Forget

A Daughter's Memoir

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How to Forget

By: Kate Mulgrew
Narrated by: Kate Mulgrew
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About this listen

In this profoundly honest and examined memoir about returning to Iowa to care for her ailing parents, the star of Orange Is the New Black and best-selling author of Born with Teeth takes us on an unexpected journey of loss, betrayal, and the transcendent nature of a daughter’s love for her parents.

They say you can’t go home again. But when her father is diagnosed with aggressive lung cancer and her mother with atypical Alzheimer’s, New York-based actress Kate Mulgrew returns to her hometown in Iowa to spend time with her parents and care for them in the time they have left.

The months Kate spends with her parents in Dubuque - by turns turbulent, tragic, and joyful - lead her to reflect on each of their lives and how they shaped her own. Those ruminations are transformed when, in the wake of their deaths, Kate uncovers long-kept secrets that challenge her understanding of the unconventional Irish Catholic household in which she was raised.

Breathtaking and powerful, laced with the author’s irreverent wit, How to Forget is a considered portrait of a mother and a father, an emotionally powerful memoir that demonstrates how love fuses children and parents, and an honest examination of family, memory, and indelible loss.

©2019 Kate Mulgrew (P)2019 HarperAudio Dysfunctional Families Dysfunctional Relationships Grief & Loss Parenting & Families Personal Development Relationships Memoir Witty
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I just finished "How to Forget" by Kath Mulgrew on Audible, and I was absolutely captivated from start to finish. This book is a magnificent read, so much so that I devoured all 12 hours of it in just three days!

Kath's storytelling is incredibly moving, and I found myself relating to so many of the experiences shared within its pages. The stories about her mother, and the profound exploration of their relationship, were particularly touching and resonated deeply with me.

As an avid fan of Star Trek: Voyager, it was initially a delightful challenge to separate the author, Kate Mulgrew, from her iconic character, Captain Kathryn Janeway. However, her authentic voice and complete honesty throughout the narration quickly allowed me to fully immerse myself in her personal journey. Speaking of her voice, it was an absolute pleasure to listen to her read her own words; it added an incredible layer of intimacy and authenticity to the entire experience.

"How to Forget" is a powerful and honest memoir that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a deeply personal and beautifully told story.

A Truly Magnificent and Moving Listen!

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I enjoyed this book as much as her first if not more so. I tenderly written love letter to her parents and family and an interesting window into the life of a fascinating woman.

highly enjoyable

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Love it. Well read and written, this story kept me eager to hear more. it did not disappoint.

A most enjoyable memoir.

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I really feel like i know the family after this, a must have follow up to born with teeth. An absolute love letter to parents

Such a delight for the ears, and the heart

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A beautiful narration continuing on from Kate's memoir Born With Teeth, this time focusing on her relationships with her parents, and their's with one another. Highly recommended reading.

The perfect follow up to Born With Teeth...

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I laughed and cried as Kate narrated her memories of caring for her parents as they neared the end of their lives. Flashbacks of her parents lives as well as Kate and her siblings lives make this a thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved it.

Beautifully written memoir

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