Bobby Wonderful An Imperfect Son Says Good-bye

His mother's last word was his name. His father's was "Wonderful." Together they inspired the title for this true story of love and redemption.

Bob Morris was always the entertainer in his family, but not always a perfect son. When he finds his parents approaching the end of their lives, he begins to see his relationship to them in a whole new light and it changes his way of thinking.

How does an adult child with flaws and limitations figure out how to do his best for his ailing parents while still carrying on and enjoying his own life? And when their final days on earth come, how can he give them the best possible end?

In the tradition of bestselling memoirs by Christopher Buckley, Joan Didion, and with a dash of David Sedaris, Bobby Wonderful recounts two poignant deaths and one family's struggle to find the silver lining in them. As accessible as he is insightful, Bob Morris infuses each moment of his profound emotional journey with dark comedy, spiritual inquiry and brutally honest self-examination.

This is a little book. But it captures a big and universal experience.

Bob Morris is the author of Assisted Loving and Crispin the Terrible and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times. He has been a commentator on NPR's All Things Considered, has written for the New York Times Magazine, the New Yorker, Southampton Review, Town and Country, and other publications. He also collaborated with actress Diahann Carroll on her award-winning memoir. He lives in Manhattan and is a graduate of Brown University.