Amy Boesky's memoir, What We Have (Gotham Books, Aug.), held me captive from prologue to last page. The author and her sisters come from a family in which many of the women have died of ovarian cancer at a young age. All three siblings opted for the doctor-prescribed solution of preventive surgery before 35. Amy, married at 31 and climbing the academic ladder, was acutely aware of her time line. In the midst of teaching and finding a home, she had the two children she had planned for. Fortunately, her husband, Jacques, provided the perfect foil for her anxieties and drive. His support was all the more necessary when the sisters found that the gene in question carries a double whammy. This is much more, however, than a tale of coping with a genetic disease. Boesky quickly drew me into this rich narrative of love, family relationships, and all the joys and unexpected challenges of daily life.