Forget Me Not: A Memoir by Jennifer Lowe-Anker

Of all the memoirs published during 2008, Forget Me Not stands out for (at least) several reasons. First, the cover art, created by the author with "fat, brightly-colored paint sticks... generally used by ranchers to mark the hides of sheep and cattle," will call you away from the text at times -- for a second, third, or tenth look. An attention-grabbing foreword written by Jon Krakauer states that "Many of the things Alex [Lowe] did on steep rock and ice were so staggering and so far ahead of their time that they were terrifying to contemplate." But perhaps the most compelling reason Forget Me Not should move to the top of your book pile is Jennifer's skilled use of personal correspondence from her husband to entwine his international climbing career with her domestic pursuits of parenting and painting.

Although she shared international adventures with Alex for years, once their first child once born she "lost interest in activities such as ice climbing and skiing for the first time ever." After that, this story transitions into their struggles with leaving and staying and trying, with moderate success, to find ballast within the storms of conflicting passions. From the dusty cliffs of Pakistan to the blue ice of Antarctica, Alex writes love letters to his family describing his exotic escapades.

Those world-wide, public dramas, however, are punctuated by scores of contrasting passages that deliver Jennifer’s domestic adventures: “At home, Max beat on our pots and pans and we danced together in the living room. I took Max to ride the bus, and we went to ‘monitor’ swim classes, library hour, and the park. We hiked among spring wildflowers that sprouted in the greening hills of the Wasatch. We baked cookies, read stories, and were together always.” Although Jennifer accepted her husband’s drive (and job) to climb mountains, she was often afraid and overwhelmed by her family responsibilities. And then on October 5, 1999, the worst happened.

Even if you have no interest in the exploits of mountain climbers, this poignant story of Jennifer Lowe-Anker, her famous husband, and their children will draw you in and keep you emotionally connected with them far beyond the final page.

Read about Forget Me Not: A Memoir by Jennifer Lowe-Anker on Amazon.com

And don't forget to listen to The Write Question on Montana Public Radio Sunday mornings at (approximately) 11:10. This week's guest is Susanna Sonnenberg, author of a memoir titled, Her Last Death.

Chérie Newman