Review
"""Some memoirs are heartbreaking and some are hilarious, but very few manage to balance absurdity and honesty as does this title...This memoir is proof of the power of the human spirit. By finding joy in the face of the worst circumstances, Levy shows that what doesn't kill you makes you stranger"" and stronger. Enthusiastically recommended.""""" (Library Journal 2012-08-01)
"""...Levy's writing style is so accessible and compelling that reading her memoir feels like sitting down with a good friend over coffee to hear the latest. Every page is loaded with emotion so heart-wrenching it's almost unbearable, yet her tone is so engaging, her humour so dark, that you can't help but keep reading.""" (Georgia Straight 2011-10-20)
"""Robyn Levy, never one to do things by half, was diagnosed with two life-altering illnesses. Most of Me is her funny/sad and delightfully bawdy account of a dangerous and memorable journey. Long may she travel, and more may she write.""" (Richardson Bill 2011-07-27)
"""
"""A deliciously poetic, humor-laced narrative by a courageous and wickedly honest woman who has been handed a mountain of medical lemons in the prime of her life. Robyn Levy's spirit will stick with you long after you finish the book.""" (Raskin Rhona 2011-07-27)
"""An astonishing debut from a writer adept at handling the delicate balance between laughter and tears. """ (Howard Cori 2011-07-27)
"""As she says, if she doesn't joke about it, she'll cry. You'll probably do a bit of both if you pick up a copy of Levy's book.""" (Brown Adrienne Homemakers.com 2012-01-05)
"""Despite the subject matter, Most of Me is filled with irreverent humour and themes of family life that are relevant to almost everyone who's ever lived with a teenager (or been one.)""" (Vancouver Sun 2011-10-29)
"""I liked this book for one very big reason: readers watch on as Levy progresses from What's-wrong-with-me?"" to ""I-can-do-this"" and the transformation is simply tremendous. The powerful woman we know at the end of this book is not the emotional person we met at the beginning and that could be a beacon of hope for anyone facing a long-term illness.""""" (Schlichenmeyer Terri My Kawartha 2012-08-13)
"""In her debut memoir, Levy provides a dark-humored account of being afflicted with both Parkinson's disease and breast cancer...What initially seemed like a dual death sentence provided Levy with a new lease on life, reuniting her with friends and family, all of whom reminded her of the many blessings that remained. A traumatic tale surprisingly liberated by laughter.~""" (Kirkus Reviews 2012-06-01)
"""It was such a privilege to read Robyn Levy's story. Her integrity and honesty simultaneously broke and healed my heart, fresh from my own journey through breast cancer. Riveting and endearingly funny, her story impacted me profoundly, covering me in a blanket of feelings and thoughts that will stay with me forever, like a friend.""" (Naked Bif 2011-07-27)
"""Itís serious stuff, but Levy's writing style is so accessible and compelling that reading her memoir feels like sitting down with a good friend over coffee to hear the latest. Every page is loaded with emotion so heart-wrenching itís almost unbearable, yet her tone is so engaging, her humour so dark, that you canít help but keep reading.""" (Johnson Gail Georgia Straight 2011-10-20)
"""One nipple up! A must-read for all breast cancer survivors!""" (Ms. Mastectomy 2011-07-27)
"""...Levy's writing style is so accessible and compelling that reading her memoir feels like sitting down with a good friend over coffee to hear the latest. Every page is loaded with emotion so heart-wrenching it's almost unbearable, yet her tone is so engaging, her humour so dark, that you can't help but keep reading.""" (Georgia Straight 2011-10-20)
"""Robyn Levy, never one to do things by half, was diagnosed with two life-altering illnesses. Most of Me is her funny/sad and delightfully bawdy account of a dangerous and memorable journey. Long may she travel, and more may she write.""" (Richardson Bill 2011-07-27)
"""
""It is a brave story, not because of the private emotional reality [Levy] bares -- all memoirs require that. It's her determined levity in the face of so much suffering that's heartbreaking and raw.""
""" (Globe & Mail 2011-11-07)"""A deliciously poetic, humor-laced narrative by a courageous and wickedly honest woman who has been handed a mountain of medical lemons in the prime of her life. Robyn Levy's spirit will stick with you long after you finish the book.""" (Raskin Rhona 2011-07-27)
"""An astonishing debut from a writer adept at handling the delicate balance between laughter and tears. """ (Howard Cori 2011-07-27)
"""As she says, if she doesn't joke about it, she'll cry. You'll probably do a bit of both if you pick up a copy of Levy's book.""" (Brown Adrienne Homemakers.com 2012-01-05)
"""Despite the subject matter, Most of Me is filled with irreverent humour and themes of family life that are relevant to almost everyone who's ever lived with a teenager (or been one.)""" (Vancouver Sun 2011-10-29)
"""I liked this book for one very big reason: readers watch on as Levy progresses from What's-wrong-with-me?"" to ""I-can-do-this"" and the transformation is simply tremendous. The powerful woman we know at the end of this book is not the emotional person we met at the beginning and that could be a beacon of hope for anyone facing a long-term illness.""""" (Schlichenmeyer Terri My Kawartha 2012-08-13)
"""In her debut memoir, Levy provides a dark-humored account of being afflicted with both Parkinson's disease and breast cancer...What initially seemed like a dual death sentence provided Levy with a new lease on life, reuniting her with friends and family, all of whom reminded her of the many blessings that remained. A traumatic tale surprisingly liberated by laughter.~""" (Kirkus Reviews 2012-06-01)
"""It was such a privilege to read Robyn Levy's story. Her integrity and honesty simultaneously broke and healed my heart, fresh from my own journey through breast cancer. Riveting and endearingly funny, her story impacted me profoundly, covering me in a blanket of feelings and thoughts that will stay with me forever, like a friend.""" (Naked Bif 2011-07-27)
"""Itís serious stuff, but Levy's writing style is so accessible and compelling that reading her memoir feels like sitting down with a good friend over coffee to hear the latest. Every page is loaded with emotion so heart-wrenching itís almost unbearable, yet her tone is so engaging, her humour so dark, that you canít help but keep reading.""" (Johnson Gail Georgia Straight 2011-10-20)
"""One nipple up! A must-read for all breast cancer survivors!""" (Ms. Mastectomy 2011-07-27)
About the Author
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Robyn Michele Levy is a visual artist, radio broadcaster, and writer. Her paintings can be found in private and public collections around the world. Her radio work includes documentaries, commentaries, poetry, and sketch comedy for CBC Radio. Her writing has been published in the Vancouver Sun, the Georgia Straight, and the Vancouver Courier, among other publications, and she has also dabbled in stand-up comedy and slam poetry. She lives with her family and her remaining body parts in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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