Guest Author - Denise Howard, M.D., M.P.H.

For One More Day is a book about regrets, but also a love story. Chick Benetto is a middle aged man who has become a lonely alcoholic with no reason to live. He is estranged from his only child, divorced and the only person who ever loved him completely, is long buried. He decides to end his life and chooses his childhood home as the site. When he arrives there he encounters his mother. He realizes that he has been given another chance to make things right. In the “one more day” that he gets to spend with her, he discovers the reason for his parents’ divorce, learns about the sacrifices his mother made for he and his sister and gains insight into her character. This journey provides him with hope and the conviction to become a better father and person.

The story is told by an initially, unidentified narrator from the perspective of Chick Benetto. It is told simply but effectively. It is woven in a fashion that it’s unclear if it is a true story or merely fiction. The chapters alternate between the actual story and accounts of the times that his mother stood up for him and when he did not stand up for her.

The tale is a heart-warming one that reminds us that it is never too late to make amends. It highlights the many sacrifices that a mother will make for her children. It also stresses the value of relationships, the shortness of life, and the importance of communication within families.

It was an easy and enjoyable read. This book is indeed a love story for it is reflective of the purest and most true love there is, the love of a mother.