Here I am with the 94th 5 star rating for this book on Goodreads. The postman brought me it this very morning but I had to finish the Joyce book first. I had one of those great Saturdays where I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, it's like my reward for being good or something, so all I did was finish one book, start AND finish another, and start to watch a really stupid movie for which life is too short. 
 This book is about dealing with the last few years of your very very old and more than somewhat difficult parents. Its mode of transport is black black black black humour and it was absolutely spot on. 
 LIZ'S DAD GOES INTO "ASSISTED LIVING": 
 Without lapsing into the confessional style of Goodreads reviewing I can confirm that all the stuff in this book is true. 
 EXAMPLE OF FAMILY DYNAMICS OF THE CHASTS 
 Mom : George, how many olives do you want? 
 Dad : I'll have four. 
 Mom : FOUR??? Are you trying to commit SUICIDE??? 
 Dad: You're right, I'll have one. 
 Mom: Have two. 
 Dad: No, one is fine. Why rock the boat? 
 Mom: Why don't you start with one, see how it's sitting, and then have another in two minutes? 
 Dad: You are a GENIUS, Elizabeth! 
 Liz (can't keep her mouth shut any longer): Excuse me. Do you mind if I say something? If you let dad choose his own olives, all of this would be a non-issue. 
 Both parents together: WHO ASKED YOU????