Why did I love this book?
The central conflict at the heart of this book is that one sister, Elf, wants to die, and the other, Yoli, wants her to live. This makes them, as Yoli puts it, “enemies who loved each other.”
A book about suicidal depression doesn’t seem like it would be funny, but this one is. Heartbreaking, hilarious, and perfect in every way. An annual re-read for me.
3 authors picked All My Puny Sorrows as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
From the bestselling author of Women Talking, a "wrenchingly honest, darkly funny novel" (Entertainment Weekly).
Elf and Yoli are sisters. While on the surface Elfrieda's life is enviable (she's a world-renowned pianist, glamorous, wealthy, and happily married) and Yolandi's a mess (she's divorced and broke, with two teenagers growing up too quickly), they are fiercely close-raised in a Mennonite household and sharing the hardship of Elf's desire to end her life. After Elf's latest attempt, Yoli must quickly determine how to keep her family from falling apart while facing a profound question: what do you do for a loved one…