Sheryl Aronson’s
Passing Myself Down to the Grave
(A Woman’s Rise from Darkness)
A Review
By Dr. Michael Berlin

I couldn’t put this book down until I turned the last page. It isn’t often that a personal story is so compelling, so filled with truths and insights that the reader finds oneself “inside” the story. On the surface, Sheryl Aronson’s memoir, “Passing Myself Down to the Grave (A Woman’s Rise from Darkness)” is a tale too often lived by many women – a diagnosis of breast cancer, chemo, radiation and the long painful road to recovery that the lucky ones experience.

In this case, Ms. Aronson takes a dangerous and almost fatal detour into the abyss of depression and suicidal thoughts. The “road to the grave” that Ms. Aronson travels is well told and reads like a suspense novel, though it’s all too painfully true. The revelations are raw, the insights crystal clear, the pain all too real.

Thankfully, Ms. Aronson is a survivor in the true sense of the word. She has seen hell up close, even put a foot in to test the waters, but ultimately this is a story of recovery, reevaluation and a true desire to live again in a meaningful way. I applaud the author her courage and willingness to share this story that has meaning for both women and the men who share their lives.