This touching biographical documentary follows the life of Dick Wall in the year after losing his wife to cancer. His wife, Carol Wall, would have been the subject of the documentary if not for her untimely demise. She held on just long enough to see her memoir, Mister Owita’s Guide to Gardening, published and hear about its reception, but was unable to tour or sell her book as an author normally would because of her declining health. Her husband took up the job in the months after her death, wanting her book to see success but also to keep her memory alive.
Dick and his son, Phil, travel across the country to various bookstores, holding talks, readings, and signings. Phil Wall serves as a documentarian, often recording personal conversations with his father about loss, grief, and the past during long car rides. Throughout the film, Dick shares his feelings about the way people treat death and the bizarre way people avoid you after losing your spouse; “It’s as if they’re afraid they’ll catch it,” he often says.
This documentary was surprisingly powerful. I had to stop mid-way through to catch my breath. We never really know how our lives will play out. We can plan for many things, but not for everything. The Book Keepers is the story, the documentation of such an unplanned event, of grief after losing a spouse. Carol speaks to us in interviews and home video clips from before her death, providing a powerful foil for Dick’s own testimony and experience as they both discuss similar issues. You can see that their love and emotional connection was strong and deep.
Dick does a tremendous amount of personal introspection and emotional expression during his long conversations on car rides. There’s something especially powerful in seeing a man with such love and passion for his departed wife actually sharing his feelings instead of shoving them down or otherwise hiding them. For those who have lost a spouse, The Book Keepers may be particularly cathartic. For those who have not, it is a learning experience and a chance to gain empathy. Highly Recommended.
What library shelves does this documentary belong on?
The Book Keepers belongs on psychology, biography, and personal documentary shelves in public and academic libraries.
What type of film series could benefit from this title?
If you are a media librarian, film programmer, or professor exploring grief, loss, and death, you should consider hosting a public screening of The Book Keepers.