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Praise for Together

“Each chapter shifts between the past and the present, with Goldman referencing her marriage and relationships with her family as signposts of change. In the hands of a less competent writer, these shifts would be redundant or tiresome. But Goldman’s prowess with the economy of words and emotions, also evidenced in her prize-winning poetry collections, allows readers to empathize with her plight without being bogged down…An insightful, at times harrowing, chronicle of the ups and downs of marriage, and the many roles we play in one another’s lives.”

Starred review in Library Journal

“Part love story, part medical mystery, Together explores the rich terrain of a marriage during a period fraught with uncertainty and stress. Ultimately, this memoir is a celebration of what truly matters in life: the power of love, the importance of forgiveness, and the necessity of accepting that some things remain unknowable.”

— Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and A Piece of the World

“This is a book about the challenges and limitations of a body: the body of a man suffering a medical mishap; the body of a marriage rocked by uncertainty and fear; the body of a woman pushed to exhaustion while supporting her husband beyond his ability to support himself; and the body of a family struggling to come to terms with the shock of its own unmooring. Judy Goldman is that rare writer whose inward gaze forces her reader to gaze inward as well, revealing something both brutal and beautiful about the world in which we live. As we plunge into her life while considering our own, we do not always like what we find, but with Judy Goldman as our guide we will undoubtedly find the truth. I loved this book. I really loved this book.”

— Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author of A Land More Kind Than Home and The Last Ballad

“It is one of those snapshot-of-a-moment memoirs that speaks volumes of truth about marriage: the impact of a crisis, the realignment of roles, the gut-level grind-it-out stuff that gets you through, and the love that just had to be there all along.”

— Keltie Peay, Parnassus Books

“What we have in Together is a blueprint for coping with “mishaps.” Goldman skillfully articulates the communality of human experience, and she’s startlingly frank when relating the difficulties a patient advocate encounters. Finally, Together is about being married, about becoming a part of another person and building on the long-term relationship we enter into when we take our marriage vows. If Goldman doesn’t offer easy answers to the vexing questions of life, she does outline a process by which we can puzzle our way into the moment and make the best of what fate offers us… What could be more honest than that?”

Salt magazine, O. Henry magazine, PineStraw magazine

“Goldman offers a tender view of her marriage and a suspenseful account of her husband’s frustrating struggle to regain mobility … this loving tribute to her husband and to the solidness of their union will engage and inspire readers.”

Publishers Weekly

Together is a riveting account of a strong marriage tested when a routine medical procedure goes terribly wrong. Judy Goldman beautifully shows us the challenges and setbacks but also the triumphs as two people find strengths within themselves to create a new life together.”

Ron Rash, author of The New York Times bestseller, Serena

Together: A Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap is a book you’ll read in one sitting. It’s that compelling, that illuminating. It’s a book that could make you see your own marriage in a whole new light.”

Charlotte Observer

“Life has a way of sneaking up on us sometimes, leaving those we love in terrible predicaments that draw things from us that we never expected. After reading Together, a book that touched me with its humanity and honesty, I must admit I fell a little bit in love with Judy Goldman and her Henry. They are an enormously compelling pair. He is heroic and she is, in every sense of the word, a protector who moved me with her love and strength. Anyone who has found themselves unexpectedly immersed in a loved one’s battle to survive with all its complications and trials will find Judy not just an engaging writer, but an indispensable companion in the struggle. Henry and Judy, thank you for sharing your lives.”

— George Hodgman, author of Bettyville

“Honest and compassionate, Goldman’s book is a life-affirming story that celebrates the grit that goes into making a long-term marriage work. A moving portrait of ‘young love turning into old love’ in the face of unexpected life challenges.”

Kirkus Reviews

“In Together, Judy Goldman explores the many paths – both bumpy and blissful – that a happy marriage navigates over many years. Although a medical mishap sends Goldman on this exploration, ultimately she lays bare not illness but strength: strength of character and family and endurance and, mostly, love.”

Ann Hood, New York Times bestselling author of She Loves You

Together: A Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap is a funny and wise account of the bumps and curve balls of a long-term marriage; it’s also an examination of the confounding labyrinth of America’s medical system.”

The Augusta Chronicle

“Goldman’s beautiful, deeply honest book is for anyone who has faced down change.”

Real Simple magazine

“For anyone who thinks that horrendous, inexplicable calamities never happen to good, honest, intelligent, moral people, please read Judy Goldman’s Together. If you believe that, perhaps, trouble never emanates from a simple trip to the hospital for a routine procedure, please read Judy Goldman’s Together. Again: Please Read. This memoir is funny and heartbreaking. It’s about a role-reversing love founded on grit and determination, true as a heart-aimed arrow.”

— George Singleton, author of Staff Picks

“Goldman’s Together is a beautiful, haunting portrayal of young love growing into old love, despite the unexpected and stunningly swift changes life’s inevitable forward momentum can bring. This exquisite memoir doesn’t shy away from the hard truths of marriage; rather, it confirms that marriage can mellow into something different, deeper, and far greater than young lovers ever imagine, despite crushing heartbreak along the journey. Judy and Henry’s story will elicit tears of joy and warm your heart, and you will find yourself thinking about their journey toward “old love” long after you’ve read the last page. I love this book.”

— Michel Stone, author of Border Child

“Together is a deeply moving and poignant memoir about love and loss, acceptance and resilience. Both delicate and powerful, this memoir invites all of us to think about what we lose and what we gain as we face the inevitability of change.”

— Tova Mirvis, author of The Book of Separation: A Memoir

“… the blueprint for a strong marriage. Goldman fights the good fight for her husband, and, in the process, discovers new facets of herself. This is the memoir’s strength. At its heart, it’s about a couple. Yet it’s also about a woman who changes in order to be a better partner when calamity strikes.”

Asheville Citizen-Times

“Somehow, Judy Goldman wrapped the story of a medical mistake into a beautiful memoir about her marriage and how love can change you…. Finish the last few pages. Sit quietly for a while. Let the wisdom wash over you.”

The Salisbury Post

“With her journals in hand and her poet’s eye, Goldman records the emotional and psychological weariness of prolonged illness. But, above all, this is an inspiring story of how life can change in an instant and how the power of love and the support of friends and family helps through unspeakable challenges.”

Booklist