An intimate and enlightening no-holds-barred memoir that uncovers the many unexpected details of dying, Cautiously Pessimistic is one woman’s personal account of her husband’s death and what it means to die in the public eye. Cautiously Pessimistic is both deeply moving and funny as McGee tells the story of her husband’s diagnosis of brain cancer and the eight months leading up to his death. Through social media posts, text exchanges, and emails, as well as journal excerpts and letters, McGee delves into the story of... her and her husband’s tumultuous early relationship and his eventual death. McGee’s narrative plays out amongst the scintillating backdrop of the tightly-knit St. John’s arts community and its vibrant affairs. St. John’s is a great town to live in, but an even better town to die in—especially when dying is documented online.
