Already Toast

“This is a timely and crucial appeal.”
—Booklist, Starred Review

“A biting critique of how America is failing its unpaid caregivers … . The result is a bracing antidote to ‘sentimentalized narratives’ that cast unpaid caregiving as its own reward when, the author makes clear, better Family and Medical Leave Act benefits would be far more useful … A startling, hard-hitting story of a family medical disaster made worse by cultural insensitivities to caregivers.”
—Kirkus Review

“[A] wrenching debut … Washington’s tale serves as both an evocative memoir and a strident call to action.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Vitally important … A gift to caregivers everywhere … If we are ever to untangle this multi-limbed crisis, it will be with large thanks to Washington.”
—Abby Maslin, author of Love You Hard

“Already Toast is a must-read for those concerned about the coming crisis of care and those currently facing the challenges of the caregiver life. Kate Washington describes caring for her husband suffering from cancer while raising two small children and, in doing so, is not afraid to ask tough questions about how we think about care—an activity both highly valued and taken for granted. A moving, lucidly written true story, Already Toast offers a glimpse into the lives of millions of Americans who give selflessly by providing care to sick, disabled, and/or elderly loved ones, but who pay a steep price in their emotional and physical health and financial stability. Washington argues eloquently that we urgently need to change how we view this practice if we wish to build a compassionate, truly caring society.”
—Chris Gabbard, author of A Life Beyond Reason

“Kate Washington movingly describes caring for her extremely ill husband… . With [a] keen wit to leaven her load, Washington&rsrquo;s description of a young family turned upside down and the difficulty in finding support and respite hits home, and underscores the societal cost of millions of unpaid family caregivers.”
—Marilyn Dahl, Shelf Awareness

Kate Washington is an essayist and food writer who currently serves as the dining critic for The Sacramento Bee. Her work has appeared in many publications, including The Washington Post, Eater, Catapult, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. She lives in Northern California.

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