Never Simple by Liz Scheier

[Anonymous]

Has anyone else read this book? I just read this memoir and dang what a whirlwind! Sort of like roz chast’s Can We Talk About Something More Pleasant? But not a graphic novel and more cat marnell style (although the author seems way more functional than cat marnell)

This book has everything: borderline personality mom, genteel poverty in Manhattan, egg donation, kidney donation, complex romantic entanglements, forensic genealogy to find birth father, dealing with crazy elder care issues, funny complaining about living in DC. Yet it is east to read because it’s somehow upbeat?! Anyway if you liked Jeannette McKurdys I’m Glad My Mom is Dead, this is a good memoir to read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else read this book? I just read this memoir and dang what a whirlwind! Sort of like roz chast’s Can We Talk About Something More Pleasant? But not a graphic novel and more cat marnell style (although the author seems way more functional than cat marnell)

This book has everything: borderline personality mom, genteel poverty in Manhattan, egg donation, kidney donation, complex romantic entanglements, forensic genealogy to find birth father, dealing with crazy elder care issues, funny complaining about living in DC. Yet it is east to read because it’s somehow upbeat?! Anyway if you liked Jeannette McKurdys I’m Glad My Mom is Dead, this is a good memoir to read.

Sounds kinda exhausting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else read this book? I just read this memoir and dang what a whirlwind! Sort of like roz chast’s Can We Talk About Something More Pleasant? But not a graphic novel and more cat marnell style (although the author seems way more functional than cat marnell)

This book has everything: borderline personality mom, genteel poverty in Manhattan, egg donation, kidney donation, complex romantic entanglements, forensic genealogy to find birth father, dealing with crazy elder care issues, funny complaining about living in DC. Yet it is east to read because it’s somehow upbeat?! Anyway if you liked Jeannette McKurdys I’m Glad My Mom is Dead, this is a good memoir to read.

Sounds kinda exhausting!

Somehow it wasn’t? Like it was a nonstop drama read, but at the same time the author did not linger on topics that I would perhaps have written an entire book about eg kidmey donation, it was like 3 pages??

[Anonymous]

I read it, and somehow wasn't impressed. I mean, after The Glass Castle, what is there to say? I also think that there is some key part of the story still missing - she thinks she figured out the financial piece, but it doesn't feel this way (my parents moved to NYC when I was a teen); some parts don't add up.