Love, Loss, and the Power of Music to Heal in Kathleen Basi’s “A Song for the Road”

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In this episode 228, we visit with Kathleen Basi, author of “A Song for the Road,” a poignant journey of grief, love, and acceptance.

Miriam Tedesco is still grieving the loss of her husband and twin teenagers one year ago. After finding an automated cross-country road trip planned by her children for Miriam and her husband to take as soon-to-be empty nesters, Miriam decides to take the trip in their honor.

Barbara Claypole, bestselling author of “The Perfect Son” and “The Promise Between Us”, had this to say about the book, “An emotionally complex story about reconciling love with loss, and the healing power of music…I loved every scene from the first to the last.”

Connect With the Author

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About the Author:

Kathleen M. Basi is the quintessential jack-of-all trades writer: musical composer and songwriter, feature writer, essayist, nonfiction author, and of course, storyteller. Basi spent her childhood drawing inspiration for stories from the fields and trees on her family’s farm…when she wasn’t climbing on tractors and jumping off hay bales. Now, as mother to three rambunctious boys (read that: always breaking something!) and one chromosomally-gifted daughter (Down syndrome: more alike than different!), she doesn’t have to look any farther than her kitchen table.

About Guest Host Christine Arvidson

Christine lives in Charlotte, again, after being gone for 20+ years to Pittsburgh, northern Michigan, and the mountains of NC. She teaches in the English Department at UNC Charlotte. She’s co-edited and have writings in three anthologies: Mountain Memoirs: An Ashe County Anthology,Reflections on the New River, and most recently The Love of Baseball: Essays by Lifelong Fans. She earned a BA from Olivet College, an MA from UNC Charlotte, and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Goucher College.

Additional Endorsements

“In a novel filled with music, heartbreak, and surprising laughter, Basi takes us on a journey that encompasses both unimaginable loss and the powerful resilience of the human heart. A book club must read.”
—Kerry Anne King, bestselling author of Whisper Me This and Everything You Are

“A must read! Basi’s insights into the human experience make A Song for the Road an unforgettable journey. She introduces us to life, loss, love, and the resurgence of hope—she introduces us to ourselves. The beauty of her prose and this adventure will linger long after the last page.”

—Katherine Reay, national best-selling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop

“A nuanced grief journey whose final moments will push [our heroine] to face the depths of her shame and loss—and, scarier, the love that may help her emerge stronger on the other side. A truly panoramic view of human frailty and resilience.”

—Kathryn Craft, award-winning author of The Far End of Happy and The Art of Falling

“A heartachingly beautiful book about grief and guilt, family and friendship, love and loss. Readers will be swept awaywith the lyrical descriptions and charmed by the characters. I wanted to race through the book to see what happened at the same time that I wanted to savor every page.”

—Orly Konig, author of The Distance Home and Carousel Beach

“Lyrical prose propels this story about coming to terms with past choices and irreconcilable grief.  A great read for anyone who finds themselves mired in guilt and unable to move forward.”

—Marie W. Watts, author of The Cause Lives: Warriors for Equal Rights

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