Title: Seasons
Author: Gay Sizemore Sauer
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1440165238
Pages: 188
Genre: Short Stories
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Pacific Book Review
Humanity as a whole tends to have the bad habit of making assumptions about a group of people, especially as stereotypes have set in over the years. One group in particular that knows this all too well is the elderly. As George Burns once said, “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” Being older doesn’t mean becoming senile or becoming less of a person, and author Gay Sizemore Sauer’s novel Seasons does a great job of touching on this sentiment.
In this collection of short stories, the author takes readers through the life of an elderly woman whose body is incapacitated but her mind is as sharp as ever. Over the course of a year, the woman deals with memory, wheelchairs and aging with dignity as the author blends these short stories with works of poetry to keep the reader engaged.
This collection of short stories does an excellent job of creating a narrative while allowing readers to dive into the book and come back later at any point to enjoy it. The poetry is beautiful, and the stories feel personal as the protagonist, the older woman in the wheelchair, reflects on life and the lessons she learned growing up applying to her life now, as in the story of the jigsaw puzzle early on in the narrative.
This is a read for anyone who enjoys short stories, stories involving the elderly or anyone who is passionate about giving the elderly the dignity and respect they deserve in the latter years of their lives. As a reader who not only enjoys the format of the book but who in recent years lost my grandmother, it was easy to connect with the narrative and become lost in its story.
An excellent, well-written and short read, this is a book that readers will not want to put down. Filled with humor, emotion and wit, the narrative truly speaks to readers of all ages while giving a voice to those who so often don’t have one. Be sure to grab your copy of author Gay Sizemore Sauer’s Seasons today!
