A well-written collection that explores various topics such as aging, marriage, affairs, friends (and frenemies), and mental health.
I didn’t really know what to expect from this book going in to it. I was initially intrigued by the title and downloaded the audiobook.
First of all, if given the opportunity, listen to the audiobook. It is read by a star-studded cast including Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Glenn Close, and RuPaul. It is very cool to listen to and they really bring the words to life.
The stories themselves were well-constructed. At first, I assumed this would be a humorous collection, however quickly found it was much darker than I had expected. There is an emphasis on loss, sorrow, and dealing with hardships, however, there is a nice variety of stories expressing a range of emotions including some humor as well as sadness, fear, and anger. There is an inspirational quality to many of the stories in this collection as Nevins works though difficulties to find the light at the end and share some insight.
Some of my favorites include, “Did You Ever Seen a Book Cry?”, “The Dictator, the Farmer, and the Professor”, “The Day She Lost Her Jealousy at Barneys”, and “A Man with a Scythe Rang My Doorbell”.
A very good collection of stories and essays that shows the range in life. From sorrowful to inspired, from frustrated to motivated, these stories express many of the things we struggle through as women and as humans.