On My Own at 107: Reflections on Life Without Bessie [Paperback]

Sarah L. Delany (Author), Amy Hill Hearth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 20, 1998

On My Own at 107ÿ is Sarah "Sadie" Delaney's tribute to Bessie, her beloved younger sister and century-long companion, who died on September 25, 1995, at age 104.Just four years earlier, Bessie and Sadie, along with former New York Timesÿ reporter Amy Hill Hearth, co-wrote the bestselling Having Our Say,ÿ which told the story of the sisters' remarkable lives as witnesses to a century. Here, Sadie reflects on the first year following Bessie's death. Kirkus Reviewsÿ called the book "a bracing reminder that life, a rare gift, must be savored in the living."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1995, at age 106, Sarah Delaney found herself living on her own for the first time in her life when her sister Bessie died at the age of 104. The remarkable Delaney sisters, strong, independent-minded African American women who shared a house for 40 years in Mount Vernon, N.Y., achieved fame in 1993 with their bestselling self-portrait, Having Our Say, which was followed by The Delaney Sisters' Book of Everyday Wisdom (both coauthored with Hearth). In a touching tribute to Bessie, Sarah addresses her sister directly, articulating her grief, despair, loss and loneliness. She also meditates on the afterlife, in which she firmly believes, and mingles childhood memories with recollections of their careers-Bessie was a dentist in Harlem, while Sarah became the first black woman high-school home economics teacher in New York City. Charmingly illustrated with color drawings of flowers (in honor of Bessie, a dedicated gardener), this unpretentious book conveys a wisdom that makes it a life-raft for anyone coping with the loss of a loved one. $150,000 ad/promo.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

"Letting go of you was the hardest thing I've ever done," says 107-year-old Sarah "Sadie" Delany about the death last year--at age 104--of her sister, Bessie. With coauthor Hearth, the sisters produced the fondly read best-seller, Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (1994), in which they shared a wealth of observations and wisdom garnered from their incredible longevity. Now alone, Sadie still lives in the house in Mount Vernon, New York, that she shared with her sister. Sadie looks back over the past 12 months since Bessie's death, focusing, in particular, on the most poignant reminder of Bessie, the garden out back she loved so much. Sadie ponders life's differences without her beloved sibling; fortunately, her deep religious faith and her wonderful memories have given Sadie much to hold onto. This gentle, loving, inspirational account will appeal more to those who have read Having Our Say, but expect demand even from people who have not read the previous book. Brad Hooper --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; First Edition edition (January 20, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062514865
• ISBN-13: 978-0062514868
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #344,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an amazingly postitive look at life, June 15, 2000

By 

Howard E. Aldrich (Chapel Hill, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On My Own at 107 : Reflections on Life Without Bessie (Core Ser.) (Hardcover)

i think this book would be a wonderful source of comfort for ANYONE who has lost a partner or loved one...it is so 'upbeat' and positive that it would help the survivor cope with loss. it is delightfully written and offers a perspective from 107 years of life that most of us will not achieve! i am giving this book to friends who need comfort and a new perspective on continuing with their lives.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am so grateful for this little book, September 10, 2004

By 

Sally Turtlepage (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On My Own at 107: Reflections on Life Without Bessie (Hardcover)

I read the first two books about these two remarkable sisters ("Having Our Say," and "The Delaney Sisters' Book of Everyday Wisdom") and they also deserve five stars each, absolutely. In fact, the best book, in terms of literary merit, is the first one, and I loved looking at the photos in the book of the whole family, going back a few generations.

But this book here really helped me in the first year of my husband's death. I read it at least once a week, usually more. I found strength in the fact that if Sadie could make it on her own after being practically attached at the hip for over 100 years to Bessie, and loving each other so much and so well, then I would somehow find the strength to go on too.

Sometimes I was so cried out, but I was still so sad and wanted to cry more, but the tears wouldn't come. The way the "as-told-to" author Hearth expressed Sadie's feelings always helped bring back those cathartic tears.

I read many books of comfort for the grieving widow, but for some reason, this little book near saved my life.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Queen Bessie!, July 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: On My Own at 107: Reflections on Life Without Bessie (Paperback)

Bessie was my favorite sister. She had so much fire and flare. I'll miss her. This book really allows people that have lost someone to understand that a relationships still exists even though a person isn't physically here. Sadie has pictures of Bessie's favorite flowers from her garden on every other page. It is the best tribute to a person's life that I have ever read or seen. This book proves that it is the simple moments of compassion that make a life so great!