Barry Kluger releases “A Life Undone”

By on April 29th, 2010 In People

bkgradiantOur friend and guest Valley PR Blogger Barry Kluger has just released a new book A Life Undone: A Father’s Journey Through Loss.

Nine years in the making, A Life Undone is the story of the tragic loss of Barry’s daughter, Erica, in a car accident here in Arizona — and as you can imagine, it’s his story too.

I am headlong into the book and it’s not what you might think. A Life Undone is a warm and witty celebration of Erica’s life. If you’ve read Barry’s posts here at Valley PR Blog, you’ll have a good idea what to expect.

With that said, if you do purchase the book, go to www.alifeundone.com and order a signed copy. While it’s available on the “other sites,” and will be in bookstores around approximately May 15, Barry’s site is conveniently set up with PayPal and a portion of those proceeds will go to several organizations (e.g., Erica Kluger Scholarship at The Spotlight Dance Academy and Autism Speaks™). And if you order in the next few weeks through www.alifeundone.com, your book will be personally inscribed

Says Kluger, “Thanks for living through it all, and for comforting me, during these years after Erica. Erica’s life is worth remembering and now I can ensure this story will be known.”

Book synopsis:
When a parent has to bury a child, there is no manual, no guide and no 12-step program. A Life Undone, A Father’s Journey Through Loss is the story of one father’s voyage through this most horrific experience, battling unimaginable grief to find a new way of life.

In A Life Undone, Barry Kluger shares his struggle to regain his footing after losing his 18-year old daughter Erica – his only child.
It is not surprising that Kluger, a corporate communications executive and writer, would compose a story about his daughter’s life, her tragic death and his grieving process.

It will, however, surprise many that Kluger holds nothing back—not his own failings nor his daughter’s. His realism, tempered with humor, is refreshing and inspiring.

A Life Undone is not a how-to book; it is a view into one man’s parenting and grieving. Readers get a road map—not a guide—via Kluger’s thoughts, emails and recollections, on how to adjust to life’s inevitable changes, from the miniscule to the monumental. Readers see Kluger adjust as a new father, as a divorced parent, a remarried man and finally, as a grieving dad.

Kluger, who was for many years “casual” about religion, turns to his faith as an anchor to help him cope with his grief. The experiences he shares help people of any faith traverse the fine line between embracing their beliefs and becoming strangled by religion when faced with turmoil.

Readers learn much about Erica; the first half of the book is a celebration of the times they shared together. Kluger does not sugar-coat the bad times, grappling with the realization that his decision to divorce Erica’s mother may have contributed to her demise. But he learns to accept that he did the best that he could, an invaluable lesson to all parents.

The beginning of A Life Undone, Kluger includes an article by Rabbi Jack Riemer about a concert given by Itzhak Perlman, during which one of his violin strings broke. This article sets the stage for the book’s most powerful message: Like Perlman’s playing at the beginning of his concert; Kluger lived life with all that he had. And akin to Perlman’s masterful completion of his concert with only three strings, he now lives to the fullest with what he has left. A Life Undone recounts one man’s grieving process, but more importantly, it is a celebration of love and life.

Here is something he is proud to share with you all…

“By sharing his most loving memories of his daughter, Barry Kluger has written a powerful book filled with humor, heartache and an unflinching form of introspection.In his words, we see our own losses, and possibilities of life also.” — Jeffrey Zaslow, coauthor of The Last Lecture

Finally…
“There’s no tragedy in life like the death of a child. Things never get back to the way they were.” —Dwight David Eisenhower

“Death ends a life, not a relationship.” —Robert Benchley

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