"In this beautiful memoir, Carol Becker accompanies her mother's living and dying with wisdom, humor, and deep, uncomplicated love such as we rarely allow ourselves to feel. It is a gift of courage amidst inconsolable loss for which her readers will be grateful." --Marianne Hirsch, author of The Generation of Postmemory   "Carol Becker's work of undying devotion shows us that the death of a parent can be a time of unanticipated grace. Brave, honest, and moving, Losing Helen  is also unexpectedly comforting. It makes it clear that kindness, clarity and insight can arise out of a willingness to face the traumas of our lives."  -- Mark Epstein, M.D., author of Going to Pieces without Falling Apart and The Trauma of Everyday Life     "Carol Becker's extraordinary transcription of grief and love transcends various forms--memoir, autobiography--to become something else entirely: a work of literature that is entirely sui generis , constantly surprising, real, and, like the truth, beautiful and sustaining.

A book to be treasured, embraced, and learned from." --Hilton Als, staff writer, The New Yorker  .