This book chronicles the life and poetry surrounding Rosenthal's diagnosis of acute (terminal) leukemia and his learning to cope with the "big, eternal events" of life and death. Through short essays, poems, and photographs the author post-humously tells of how knowing of his upcoming death gave him the freedom to truely appreciate life. While some of the poetry is a bit repetitive and heavy-handed, and some of the photographs are awkwardly placed, the book overall presents the image of a 30 year old man lovingly and inspiringly embracing life one last time. ( )