Let's see if I can hold back the tears to write this review. Normally, I run from the topic of loss with my hands covering my ears. However, this book was a different experience for me. I actually know the author, and knowing that she somehow survived the death of her five week old beloved baby, and that she is a cheerful, hope-filled, compassionate person gave me the courage to read her story. And I am so glad I did! It is a book with a heartbreaking loss, yes, but also a book that shares so much gained from a short life! It was actually the recounting of love and service and kindness that brought out the strongest emotions in me as I read. Remarkably beautiful.

As a mom I worried about my children from the moment of conception. I don't know how I would feel losing one of them. Losing my mother-in-law to heart problems was difficult enough but reading this made me feel like I have been able to honor her with the things we have done. Hannah has written such a inspiring story that I hope people read.

A powerful and moving true story, Five Weeks: A Lifetime, made me feel a wide range of emotions, from sadness to joy, and a lot in between. Ms. Sullivan shares the story of her son so beautifully, and in a way that made me feel as though I was making the journey with this incredible family. This book made we walk away with a true sense of hope, and it made me feel as though I am a little better for "knowing" baby Clinton. Thank you, Hannah Sullivan, for sharing your story! I highly recommend this book to anyone, and especially to anyone who has ever experienced loss and is looking to come out stronger on the other side.

This book is beyond words. I felt nearly every emotion while reading this (a lot of crying). What I take from this book is inspiration to be the best mom I can be and the importance of community. I think Hannah did an amazing thing sharing her story and using it to remind people what is really important in life..love. What a strong and inspirational family! A MUST READ!

All books give you a tiny peek into the author’s life. Even fiction gets infused with the author’s experiences but memoirs give you more than that. This short memoir is more deeply involved and covers such a personal and difficult time in the author’s life that it is both slightly uncomfortable to read and impossible to put down. That mild discomfort of reading someone’s diary is a good thing. It tells you that you’re stretching outside of your previous boundaries and learning something new.

The people in this book are real people. Some memoirs polish things up so much that they read like fiction. This doesn’t. It starts off with the happy early pregnancy journal but things don’t stay happy. The contrast of their early expectations and what ended up happening are heartbreaking. The people and tragedy are real. It’s impossible not to relate to their struggles and hurt with them. I’m sure we have all experienced losses in our lives but there are some important lessons to be learned in reading this book.

It has been edited for spelling mistakes but the style and grammar are somewhat informal, as you would expect from actually reading someone’s diary. It’s not polished. The lack of polish is very authentic but I’m used to a more edited style so it was an adjustment to read. The content was well worth the minor difficulty.