An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination

A Memoir

By: Elizabeth McCracken

Narrated by: Elizabeth McCracken

Length: 3 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

"This is the happiest story in the world with the saddest ending," writes Elizabeth McCracken in her powerful, inspiring memoir. A prize-winning, successful novelist in her 30s, McCracken was happy to be an itinerant writer and self-proclaimed spinster. But suddenly she fell in love, got married, and two years ago was living in a remote part of France, working on her novel, and waiting for the birth of her first child.

This audiobook is about what happened next. In her ninth month of pregnancy, she learned that her baby boy had died. How do you deal with and recover from this kind of loss? Of course you don't - but you go on. And if you have ever experienced loss or love someone who has, you will hope to go on with the help and company of this remarkable audiobook.

With humor and heart and unfailing generosity, McCracken considers the nature of love, and grief. She opens her heart and leaves all of ours the richer for it.

©2008 Elizabeth McCracken (P)2008 Hachette Audio

Great Book!

As a labor and delivery nurse that helps women through these losses, I loved this book for the different perspective it gave me. She is a great author and kept me listening the whole way through!

Tragic and heartbreaking but important.

Novelist Elizabeth McCracken's first son was stillborn. She does tell you right off the bat that she does successfully have a second child, but of course he will never replace her first child. This book is visceral, not just heart-wrenching but like going into your chest with a dull knife, ripping out your heart, jumping up and down on it for a bit, and then pouring salt on it. Rarely has anyone so eloquent written about something so tremendously sad. From my point of view as a bystander to a similar situation, this rang extraordinarily true.

I was initially impressed that the author was narrating this audiobook herself. I had previously listened to The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, and she had a different narrator (although a brilliant one). I thought it could be too hard on her. Unlike Magical, where the narrator's voice occasionally trembled with so much emotion, in Replica, Ms. McCracken keeps a firm grip on her emotions, even as she reads about the most horrible days of her life. At first I felt it wasn't as personal, but in the end, it actually made the narration even more personal. You could feel her biting back her emotions and her ironclad steadiness broke my heart even more, as I could still feel her pain through her stoicism. Sometimes watching (hearing) a person maintain a stiff upper lip through tragedy can be the most heartbreaking thing of all.

I teared up a couple of times while listening to this book, and I am not a person who cries easily. I'd like to thank Ms. McCracken for allowing us to hear her story and share in her sorrow. And I once again am very thankful, as The Mighty Mighty Bosstones say, "Have you ever been close to tragedy or close to folks who have... I never had to knock on wood, but I know someone who has, which makes me wonder if I could, it makes me wonder if I ever had to knock on wood, and I'm glad I haven't yet, because I'm sure it isn't good, that's the impression that I get." That song was running through my mind when the audiobook was over

Sad but Hopeful

I like the idea of a memoir based on a specific event or period of time in one's life.

This memoir deals with a sensitive and emotional subject but just when I thought I could not absorb any more sadness the author pulls together the broken threads of her life into a new fabric of acceptance and redemption.

Exact Replica review

McCracken elaborates her angst and disbelief concerning the stillborn loss of her child and her reconciling how emotionally attached she was to the fetus during development and the disengagement she had to endure to separate herself from the dead child. I thought she took a brave road in allowing insight into her emotional state during this transition. Whereas this is not a re-read for me, I thought it was insightful and meaningful for the emotional states we need to endure during such passages. I would recommend it.

Amazing

10 years ago, my son was stillborn on week 28. It's an experience I wish on no one, and most people cannot begin to imagine, let alone understand. Elizabeth McCracken, with her direct authenticity, resonated almost every fiber of my experience as well, though hers was so different than mine. I found myself nodding, crying, citing her, saying "word" while alone in the car. I found myself wanting to go back in time and give this book to every person who ever misunderstood my experience, but more over - to 35 years old me.
I recommend this book to every person who ever knew someone who had a stillbirth. To every person who ever knew someone who grieved. As a grief therapist, I recommend this book to each and every one of my colleagues.

Grief and loss explored and shared.

Any additional comments?

This powerful book delves deeply into the very personal experience of hope and excitement of pregnancy and then the subsequent loss of that hope. The story will speak directly to anyone who has lost a child. The author's experience is so true and heartrendingly told that it takes on a universal quality. It will ring true and put words to the tragedy many people experience. Beautifully written.

So Relatable if you had a loss

I would recommend this book to any women who had a stillborn baby. It is validating and comforting and has put words on so many things I have experienced when I found out my baby had died in the womb.

A beautiful true story

As a retired Obstetrician I can empathize with this book. Also because my wife and I lost a pregnancy, this book has so many poignant and beautiful observations.
This book is a wonderful read.