NPR's Book of the Day In new novels, marriages are tested by a last request and a moment in the spotlight
Dec 5, 2025
Ann Packer, a novelist known for her exploration of complex emotional landscapes, discusses her book where a woman's final request reshapes her husband's identity as a caregiver. She reveals the deep psychological effects of an uncertain prognosis on planning for the future. Craig Thomas, co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, shares insights from his new novel, highlighting how a family’s memoir about raising a son with disabilities gets adapted into a film, exploring the bittersweet realities of caregiving and the comedic side of adult life with disabilities.
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Dying Wish Reframes A Caregiver's Identity
- Ann Packer frames Claire's request to have women care for her as an unconscious reflection of what she feels she needs while dying.
- The request forces Elliot to rediscover himself after years of caregiving and to reckon with their relationship.
Timeframes Give Caregivers Emotional Structure
- Uncertainty about prognosis becomes a central emotional struggle for caregivers like Elliot.
- Knowing a timeframe gives people a way to plan reactions and rituals, even if it's only an estimate.
Long Pause Followed By Fast Draft
- Ann Packer describes a decade between novels spent on a failed project that stalled her creativity.
- She then finished a new draft in four months, showing creative cycles can suddenly shift.
