My Last Name

"This novella might be the most psychologically honest, narratively engaging, and spiritually beautiful thing I have read this year. The words from these pages haunted me long after I read them, and moved me to gratitude, wonder, and even joy. The word that comes to mind as I read this story is 'life.' Read it and see: what it kindles in you will enliven you." - Russell Moore"...a poignant reflection on life and dignity. In a single day of an elderly narrator, her life unfolds as she remembers key moments from her past with sharp clarity, even though she's restrained by the unreliable physical trappings of old age. In crafting a story that slides effortlessly between the past and the present with subtle symbolism and careful juxtaposition, Schumacher demonstrates the value of each moment of our lives, and the inherent worth of every person who enters-and exits-our individual narratives." - K. B. Hoyle "...a tender, sensitive, and quietly lyrical portrait, infused with a bright, longing ache. This exploration of the expansive interior life of an elderly character near death, reminds us that we are all living in the middle of stories--stories that are going somewhere. His readers are likely to feel some gentle tug of the eternal vicariously drawing their own hearts along." - Douglas Kaine McKelvey"I have probably written more than a hundred endorsements over the years. But I've never felt as inadequate as I do right now in trying to explain how important this writing is or how moved I was in reading it. ...a beautiful story, written by a poet who has thought deeply about aging and loss and redemption." - Elyse Fitzpatrick"Eric Schumacher invites readers into an assisted living unit and introduces us to Lottie, who is drifting slowly between periods of cognitive decline and moments of clarity in the last movement of her long life. Lottie's past and present unfold in this remarkable novella with unflinching dignity. The grace of Schumacher's spare and shimmering writing make 'My Last Name' a story readers won't soon forget." - Michelle Van Loon