Every Note Played/ Lisa Genova/ 307 pgs

This was a book discussion read and boy, was it heavy. Very well written and readable but not a book to take lightly. Richard is a classical pianist. He's divorced from his fellow pianist wife, Katrina, who now teaches piano to local kids, and has one daughter, Grace, who is away at college. Richard is diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. This is a death sentence. All parts of his body will eventually become paralyzed but his hands and arms go first. You can image how terrible this is, but it's even worse to read about. Eventually, Richard, who is a loner, gets into a situation where he has no one to care for him. Reluctantly, his ex-wife Katrina moves him back into their former home. Both characters spend a lot of time in their heads, ruminating over the choices and paths they have made and taken in life. While I will repeat that this book is quite depressing, it's a worthwhile read. I didn't like Richard and I wish he and Katrina would have used their words more often, but this is a still a poignant story.