Forces of Nature

“An astonishing story of sibling love… Deft and affecting in every way.” –Nora McInerny, author of Bad Vibes Only and host of Terrible, Thanks for Asking podcast

“A lovely meditation on how families are formed within hostile landscapes. Wagner is a talented stylist, limited only by an inability to explain the inexplicable – in this case, less her brother’s rare disease than her parents’ behavior.”–Washington Post

“Compelling, articulate, thoughtful and thought-provoking…unreservedly recommended.” –Midwest Book Review

“Every once in a while, a memoir comes along to remind us of a profound truth that we recognize as our very own. Forces of Nature reveals how pain and beauty, grief and living coexist within every family and every form of love… Gina DeMillo Wagner brings compassion and wisdom to every page.” –Claire Bidwell Smith, author of Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief
“Gina beautifully describes the physical and emotional toll that caregiving exacted on her own life, as well as the heartbreak of being the one who everyone looks to when things fall apart… Her story of resilience is profound and is certain to resonate with anyone who’s struggled to keep their head above water while trying to find themselves.” –Matthew Logelin, New York Times bestselling author of Fatherhood
“In Forces of Nature, Gina invites the reader into the intimate landscape of family history, what choices are made beyond our control, what questions linger, and how we decide which path to take. This memoir is all at once a can’t-put-it down riveting story of familial love, heartache, betrayal, and loss and also a gentle call to one’s own unexplored inner world. Forces of Nature allows us to witness ourselves acknowledging how we are marked by harm yet still held by beauty… This is a deeply needed and profoundly moving story on how to hold grief and hope within a past we cannot change.” –Katherine Sleadd, author of How to Be a Bad Friend
“Sharing moments that are both tender and tragic, and sometimes as haunting as they are hilarious, Forces of Nature takes on the gravity of family dysfunction but also shows us how to transcend it… It’s a page turner, a tear jerker and a soul-stirring chronicle of human resilience.” –Annette McGivney, author of Pure Land, winner of the National Outdoor Book Award
“With wisdom, hope and humor, Forces of Nature offers an honest and rich exploration of complicated grief… Gina reveals the complexities of losing people we love, and loving imperfect people without abandoning ourselves.” –Jessi Hempel, author of The Family Outing
“Within these pages, Wagner’s words act as an offering to anyone working through loss, that it is an act of love to let go.” –Rebecca Woolf, author of All of This