To the River
A Journey beneath the Surface

I loved this book. It seems hard to believe that a book about suicide could be described this way, but To The River is compelling and laugh-out-loud funny and beautiful and thoughtful and heartwarming as a book can be. The exercise of exploring a chosen death leads to much consideration of life, wha......more

"When people die from suicide, one of the things they leave behind is suicide itself. If becomes a country. At first I was a visitor, but eventually I became something like a citizen." Don Gillmor's brother David walked into the river, leaving behind a family and friends baffled that they didn't rea......more

To the River is at once a prodigious feat of remembrance, an intensely personal expression of love and sorrow, and a level-headed exploration of a deeply-rooted social problem. The tone is appropriately mournful overall but manages to be funny in places, too -- and that's a magical feat in itself. I......more

Although I’ve turned the last page, this book will stay with me for a long time. Having studied sociology, I appreciated Gillmor’s research as much as his beautifully told story of his brother’s life and death. This book is both heartbreaking and hopeful, a captivating read.......more

Well-written Gillmor has a beautifully told personal story but has also researched the subject of suicide well. This book is very informative and the issue handled with sensitivity. It is a must read for those living with at risk individuals or who have lost someone.......more