When author Merissa Nathan Gerson, AB ’04, moved from the quiet of New England to the complexity and magic of New Orleans, she was greeted by the sudden death of her father. Forget Prayers, Bring Cake is her story of confrontation with layers of grief and despair, current and historical, all handled alone in a brand new city.
Though at times it may seem impossible, we can heal with help from our friends and community — if we know how to ask. This heartrending, relatable account of one woman’s reckoning with loss is a guide to the world of self-recovery, self-love, and the skills necessary to meeting one’s own needs in these times of pain — especially when that pain is suffered alone.
Grief is all around us. In the world of today it has become common and layered, no longer only an occasional weight. A book needed now more than ever, Forget Prayers, Bring Cake is for people of all ages and orientations dealing with grief of any sort—professional, personal, romantic, familial, or even the sadness of the modern day. This book provides actions to boost self-care and self-worth; it shows when and how to ask for love and attention, and how to provide it for others. It shows that it is okay to define your needs and ask others to share theirs. In a moment in which community, affection, and generosity are needed more than ever, this book is an indispensable road map.
This book will be a guiding light to a healthier mental state amid these troubled times.
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