It is almost here, Tuesday, September 26, the day "Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers" by Elizabeth Edwards, is released in bookstores. This is an eagerly awaited book by so many who admire Elizabeth Edwards for her class, brains, and grace under fire.
Elizabeth will kick off her book tour on October 3, in NY, NY and will make appearances in cities across the country.
In "Saving Graces," Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, has written of life on the campaign trail, of losing their son Wade due to an auto accident, and of her courageous fight against breast cancer.
Follow me below the fold for more on Elizabeth's moving book.
Elizabeth discovered a lump just weeks before the 2004 General Election. In Chapter One of her book, she describes that day, a day expected to be an "ordinary day," but turned out to be one where "careful pieces of life can break away and shatter."
Excerpt: Chapter One
KENOSHA
October 21, 2004
My face was tilted toward the stream of water from the showerhead. Water spilled from the corners of my closed eyes as my fingers outlined the unfamiliar lump in my right breast. Around and around again, I traced its edges. Try as I might, it wouldn't go away. How could I have missed something this size when I showered yesterday? Or the day before? Or... but it didn't matter. I'd found it today, this lump, firm and big on the side of my breast. I kept my eyes closed and finished rinsing my hair.
Until that moment--until the lump--October 21, 2004, was meant to be an ordinary day, if such a thing can exist on a campaign trail two weeks before a presidential election. An 11:00 A.M. town hall meeting at the Kenosha United Auto Workers hall. A rally later that day in Erie, Pennsylvania. Scranton in time for dinner, and Maine by sunrise the next morning. I would speak to at least two thousand people, prepare to tape a segment for Good Morning America, discuss Medicare premiums with senior citizens, talk college tuition with parents, and, if it was a very good day, influence at least a few undecided voters. Just another ordinary day.
But I had learned long ago that it was typically the most ordinary days that the careful pieces of life can break away and shatter. As I climbed out of the shower, I heard the door to my hotel room click shut. I knew instantly who it was, and I was relieved. "Hargrave," I called out from the bathroom, wrapping myself in a towel, "come feel this." Hargrave McElroy was my dear friend of twenty-three years, my daughter Cate's godmother, a teacher at the high school my children had attended, and now my assistant and companion on the road. She had agreed to travel with me after John had been named the Democratic vice presidential nominee. I had previously chased away a couple of well-intentioned young assistants who aroused my desire to parent them instead of letting them take care of me, which was wearing me out. I needed a grown-up, and I asked Hargrave to join me. She had no experience on campaigns, but she was a teacher and what's more, the mother of three boys. That's enough experience to handle any job. Choosing Hargrave was one of the best decisions I would make. She instinctively knew when to buy more cough drops, when to hand me a fresh Diet Coke, and, I now hoped, what to do after one discovers a lump in her breast.
About eight days later, after returning home to North Carolina, Elizabeth made that dreaded visit to the doctor. In this audio, Elizabeth beautifully narrates an excerpt from her book, which offers a deeply personal description of the moments she experienced that day in North Carolina. Amidst a time of darkness and uncertainty, Elizabeth's strength, hope and determination shines through.
Elizabeth was formally diagnosed just one day after her husband's 2004 campaign ended. The day his campaign ended, her fight began. Always the fighter, Elizabeth entered the battle, determined to win: "I went into it thinking, `I'll beat this thing!" she said. "A few times I fell apart. But John was always there by my side."
Elizabeth went on to endure 16 weeks of chemotherapy, lumpectomy surgery, radiation therapy and lymph node removal. She is now cancer-free.
In Elizabeth's first interview since her diagnosis, in the October 2 issue of People magazine, Elizabeth stated that she wanted to share her story with others because, "People may not have the sense of what women juggling so many things go through when they have cancer," "I wanted to open the door."
Elizabeth has emerged from cancer with grace and is becoming engaged again in the public political dialogue. In her typical straightforward fashion, Elizabeth recently commented on Lieberman's betrayal to the Democratic Party:
"Let me be clear-we cannot have this." She went on to question what kind of Democrat would not support the primary winner after he was defeated. With an ability to cut to the chase and having been described by a former colleague as having an intellect that is a "weapon of mass destruction" in a courtroom.
Elizabeth, undoubtedly, is also a down to earth, "every woman." Theresa Heinz Kerry described Elizabeth as having a "mother earth quality, that is, her grounding in a life familiar to most Americans: raising kids, coaching soccer, volunteering at school, struggling with her weight, juggling work and family."
Elizabeth truly is an "every woman"... she even blogs! In fact, Elizabeth is very involved in the blogosphere. This year, she attended the The Personal Democracy Forum (podcast of her speech)and on October 14th, Elizabeth will lead a session at the upcoming Converge South Blogger, Podcast, Videocast Conference in Greenboro, NC.
For more on Elizabeth Edwards: OneAmerica Committee
For more on Elizabeth's book: Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers
Elizabeth shares favorite photos, a letter of welcome, and her gracious humor.
Saving Graces Book Tour Schedule
Saving Graces is going to be one superb read!