As Much as I Care to Forget

Everyone has questions for their parents. How did you meet mom or dad? Do you have any regrets? What are you most proud of? Liddy, a thirty-something professional living in New York City picks up her ringing phone. Without missing a beat, Jimmy, her father, announces terrible news. Cancer. He is supercharged with energy. Jimmy believes he will be cured and return to a full life of adventure. Yet, Liddy knows Jimmy's optimism can't fix this jam.

Liddy is in a race against time to ask tough questions to her bigger-than-life father because she ultimately wants to learn about herself. Liddy sits bedside with her father to tie together the memories of her younger father who adored his family and the man who also struggled with addiction. She wants to know more. Liddy learns more than Jimmy's dark secrets, she learns about Jimmy's struggles to stay in school, his tour in Vietnam, and how he fell in love.

Do you wonder about talking about mental health and or addiction with your family? Liddy can be your guide.

As Much as I Care to Forget is the follow-up to Howell's first book, As Much as I Care to Remember. They can be read in any sequence to understand the challenges of mental health and how to survive like Liddy.