In this week's edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Jonathan Gluck's An Exercise in Uncertainty, a touching memoir highlighting his experiences as a cancer survivor. In its review, PW says "Readers grappling with difficult diagnoses—for themselves or their loved ones—will find Gluck’s perspective refreshing."
Here's how the book came together:
Jonathan Gluck
“Roughly three-and-a-half years after I was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of blood cancer called multiple myeloma, I wrote an essay for New York about my illness. When that came out, several agents and editors approached me about a book. I was intrigued and flattered, but I didn’t have anything further to say at the time. In 2021, I realized the 20th anniversary of my diagnosis was coming up. That’s when it occurred to me to write the book.”
Daniel Greenberg
“I was blunt with Jon that cancer memoirs can be difficult to sell. We had several conversations about how to reframe the idea to focus on the experience of living from scientific breakthrough to breakthrough with the specter of uncertainty hanging over all aspects of your life.”
Matthew Benjamin
“In early drafts, I noticed Jon seemed most free when he was fly fishing—out on the water away from masks, treatments, and chronic uncertainty. My main contribution was encouraging him to expand the fishing pieces. We also worked on where to start. This is always the toughest thing with any personal story. How far back do you go?”
Lucas Heinrich
“The author indicated he favored minimal, clean covers. We also wanted to include an image that tied in his love of fly-fishing— which plays an important role in his story—without it looking like a book about fishing. We needed an illustration that felt loose and evocative, not too literal.”
