An intimate and enlightening no-holds-barred memoir that uncovers the many unexpected details of dying, Cautiously Pessimistic is one woman’s personal account of her husband’s death and what it means to die in the public eye.

Cautiously Pessimistic is both deeply moving and funny, as it recounts McGee’s husband’s diagnosis of brain cancer and the eight months leading up to his death. It is told in the first person and through posts from Facebook and Twitter, text exchanges, and email. Alternating chapters tell the story of McGee and her husband’s tumultuous early relationship, through the use of excerpts from journals and letters. Throughout the narrative the presence of the tightly knit St. John’s arts community is strongly felt. The etiquette of offering condolences on social media is examined in an afterword by the author.