THE BOOK OF JESSE

By nature of his profession, Yale University sociology professor Rowe must approach the world with a sense of compassionate detachment. This was no easy feat, however, when Rowe's son Jesse, who was almost 20 years old, died in 1995, following a lengthy illness that involved liver transplants and protracted hospital stays. Rowe's response to the tragedy is a touching tribute of a father's love to his fallen son. Through journal entries, Rowe monitored his son's progress, and was able to chart the effects of the medicine and surgeries doctors used in their attempts to save Jesse. Rowe was also able to capture and transcribe tender moments like Jesse's hesitation about being moved to the top of the donor list for a new liver, and Rowe's wife (Jesse's stepmother) putting Chapstick on the young man's dry lips a few days before his death. Rowe also depicts poignant scenes outside of the hospital, such as his interactions with his younger son. The poise with which Rowe writes belies his anguish., yet he manages to turn one of the most harrowing experiences of his life into a beautiful elegy. His interpretations of Jesse's drawings, which are included in the book, provide further insight into this father's love. (Oct. 10)

FYI:Seven-year-old Francis Press publishes only biographies, autobiographies and memoirs.