Susan Olding's collection of short stories examines what it means to be a mother and a woman as defined by society and what happens when a woman doesn't quite fit the mold. She doesn't shy away from her mistakes or the obstacles that have come into her life. The stories don't deviate much in form but it works for Olding. There are some instances when Olding is faced with certain questions and I wonder if I would answer so eloquently. Her book is an experiment in what is means to love unconditionally.

After reading reviews here and elsewhere, I expected this book to be compelling. But I was disappointed. I found the use of the same narrative device over and over (twining together two apparently disparate topics) tiresome. I'm not saying not to read this book. I'm just saying not to have over-the-top expectations.

I read "Pathologies" through twice, and each time I was sorry to finish it. Olding autopsies the human heart, contemplating her experiences as woman, daughter and mother. Her exemplary honesty is her knife, cutting to the centre, to the truth. Her other tool is her lyrical, precise prose. It delivers meaning and emotion. I read a lot of books, but I have high standards. I'm usually dissatisfied. Pathologies is a profound book, I recommend it to anyone who wants to read the best of Canadian writing.

I think that Susan Olding is the best non-fiction writer alive today. Her powerful accounts of her experiences as a daughter, teenage girl, and finally mother are breathtaking, heartbreaking, and absolutely unforgettable. I tend to be a very slow reader. But I read Pathologies in one gulp, and mourned over the final page. This book is headed for the bestseller lists, I just know it!