Narrated with warmth, humor, exceptional candor and wisdom, The Sum of Our Days is a portrait of a contemporary family, tied together by the love, strong will, and stubborn determination of a beloved matriarch, the indomitable New York Times bestselling author of The House of the Spirits, Isabel Allende.

"An inspiring and thought-provoking work." –Denver Post

Isabel Allende reconstructs the painful reality of her own life in the wake of the tragic death of her daughter, Paula. Narrated with warmth, humor, exceptional candor, and wisdom, this remarkable memoir is as exuberant and as full of life as its creator. Allende bares her soul while sharing her thoughts on love, marriage, motherhood, spirituality and religion, infidelity, addiction, and memory—and recounts stories of the wildly eccentric, strong-minded, and eclectic tribe she gathers around her and lovingly embraces as a new kind of family.

This unforgettable memoir is a powerful story of resilience, grief, and the unconventional bonds of family:

Grief and Loss: A mother’s candid account of continuing on after the tragic death of her daughter, Paula, turning profound sorrow into a celebration of life.
An Unconventional Family Tribe: Meet the eccentric, strong-minded, and eclectic tribe of relatives and friends Allende gathers around her, bound by love and unwavering loyalty.
Motherhood and Matriarchy: Explore Allende’s powerful reflections on love, marriage, and motherhood as she navigates being the matriarch of a sprawling, modern family.
A Generational Saga: From her stepdaughter Jennifer’s battle with addiction to the miraculous birth of her granddaughter Sabrina, witness the raw and hopeful tales that define three generations.