Seven Days of Shiva - by Marc Gellman (Hardcover)

About the Book

The author searched deep into his soul to understand his wife's courage, and to find the answer: Can a forty-year marriage still have been magical, romantic, and filled with life, even with a thirty-year struggle with cancer?

Book Synopsis

Can an ordinary life be extraordinary? It depends on the lens through which one views. In the case of Marc Gellman, that lens is Shiva Eyes, and the life is the one he describes in his powerful and unforgettable memoir. It's a heartfelt engaging work; a full portrait of a marriage that the author promises will make you smile, laugh, and cry - not always in that order.

An unforgettable story about the power of love in this romantic love story that makes it worth reading. From around the world, readers love this New York City true-life love story about a boy from Brooklyn who meets a girl from The Bronx, and a husband's promise, "I will tell our story to the world; that every day we shared was special." As told through the eyes of the man who lived it, brings a romantic celebration of life, and shows the ordinary life experiences that bring about funny and poignant moments.

The author recounts his fairytale love story, from their teenage meeting at a summertime beach scene, to newlyweds in New York City, to suburban parenting, and to life as an urban couple relishing their empty nest. Looking through a husband's Shiva Eyes, readers will experience the couple's wondrous life as the author searches deep into his soul to find answers to questions.

With candor, humor, laughter, and tears, the author shares their story both wildly charmed with parties, celebration, and playful adventures. While through the hills and valleys of their life together and the courageous, grueling, determined hope-filled fight against a brutal disease, their excruciating challenges are unflinchingly depicted.

Observing the singular, remarkable romance, the author uncovers a depth to their love, he'd never fully grasped. Their nonstop silliness, playful puppy love, and strength in his wife that he'd never fully understood. It's a happy-ever-after born of a teen-age puppy love that grows with each passing year. Although their lives together may have ended with seven days of shiva, they shared forty-six years of puppy love.

This is not a swashbuckling adventure, not a rags-to-riches, no stunning whodunnit, but a sweet and simple love sonnet (albeit a lot longer) to the other pea in the author's pod, a deep love readers can feel and embrace in every word.

Review Quotes

Praise For: Seven Days of SHIVA: Forty-six years of puppy love

Reader reviews:

Can an ordinary life be extraordinary? It depends on the lens through which one views it. In the case of Marc Gellman, that lens is Shiva Eyes, and the life is the one he describes in his powerful and unforgettable memoir.

When reading a memoir, one should ask if there are any literary values in addition to the personal stories and sentiments. Writing about those who are dearest to you can be both rewarding and scary experiences for a writer. In this book the feeling is a great reward for the author and for us.

It is highly honorable that a partner and soulmate shares his reflections on their love and passages of life with mastery, beauty, and incredible passion.

Marc Gellman is an incredible storyteller. His honesty and ability to become vulnerable for his readers is outstanding.

This is a true one-of-a-kind Love Story. This book reveals the power of love between two teenagers that blossomed into a lifetime of respect, love, and like.

It's about life, and the funny and poignant moments that the author weaves into a compelling story spanning five decades.

This is a poignant, funny, and memorable recounting of two soulmates. Their initial love, growing together, and most of all, you will believe that true love does exist.

Oh, my goodness ... I laughed and cried and fell in love with this couple. They were made for each other.

In a world of so much disparity, it is wonderful to remember what the words love, and commitment really mean. Marc writes with great passion, detail, and flow.