Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

by Roz Chast
Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? cover
Good Books rating 4.25
Biography and Memoir
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Paperback • £16.99
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  • ID: 8962
  • Added: 2025-12-22
  • Updated: 2026-01-05
  • ISBN: 9781620406380
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
  • Published: 2014-05-06
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 4

In her debut memoir, Roz Chast uses her signature wit and cartoons to navigate the challenging journey of caring for her elderly parents. The book spans the last years of their lives, blending four-color cartoons, family photos, and personal documents to create a narrative that is as laugh-out-loud funny as it is tear-jerking. Chast's unique perspective offers both comfort and comic relief to anyone experiencing the life-altering loss of elderly parents. /n/nThe memoir delves into universal themes such as adult children taking on parental roles, managing logistics, and dealing with uncomfortable physical intimacies. Through her idiosyncratic lens, Chast portrays the end of her parents' lives and her own struggle to cope, showcasing her talent as both a cartoonist and a storyteller. This book is a poignant and relatable exploration of aging, family, and the complexities of love and loss.

Reviews
Graphic Medicine · 2026-01-04
revealing 4.25

The memoir is noted for its striking portrayal of the fraught relationship between the author and her mother. It's a deeply personal and revealing work that explores themes of aging and death.

The reviewer highlights the fraught relationship between Chast and her mother as the most striking aspect of the book. They appreciate how the memoir delves into the complexities of this relationship, which never reaches full reconciliation. The reviewer finds the exploration of aging and death to be both poignant and revealing, making it a deeply personal and impactful read. They also note that the memoir's ability to capture the raw emotions and experiences of the author's journey is particularly noteworthy.

Quick quotes

    Perhaps the most striking part of the book is Roz's fraught relationship with her mother, which never reaches full reconciliation.

    It's a deeply personal and revealing work that explores themes of aging and death.

    The memoir's ability to capture the raw emotions and experiences of the author's journey is particularly noteworthy.

Kirkus Reviews · 2025-12-24
revelatory 4.25

This memoir is a revelatory and occasionally hilarious exploration of the dying process and family dynamics. It adds a new dimension to the author's work and is a top-notch graphic memoir.

Kirkus Reviews praises this graphic memoir as a top-notch addition to the genre, highlighting its revelatory and occasionally hilarious exploration of the dying process. The memoir offers a unique perspective on family dynamics and the challenges of aging, making it a compelling and emotionally resonant read. The illustrations are a standout feature, enhancing the storytelling and making the emotions palpable. It's a book that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on your own family dynamics.

Quick quotes

    A top-notch graphic memoir that adds a whole new dimension to readers' appreciation of Chast and her work.

    A revelatory and occasionally hilarious memoir by...

    The most striking part of the book is Roz's fraught relationship with her mother, which never reaches full reconciliation.

Cannonball Read · ElleSFena · 2022-09-05
delightful 4.50

The book is a quick and engaging read, filled with humor and heart. The author's illustrations are a delight, adding a unique charm to the narrative.

ElleSFena found this book to be a delightful and quick read, finishing it in one night. The humor and illustrations make it a standout, with moments that will have you laughing out loud. It's a heartfelt exploration of family and aging, presented in a way that is both engaging and emotionally resonant. The blend of text and illustrations makes it a unique and memorable read.

Quick quotes

    I really enjoyed this book and finished it in one night.

    Roz Chast's writing and illustrations are funny, and I laughed out loud several times.

    I wish we had been closer.

The Guardian · 2016-11-23
touching 4.00

The memoir is a poignant and humorous exploration of aging and family dynamics, with a raw honesty that resonates deeply. The illustrations add a unique layer to the narrative, making it both engaging and emotionally impactful.

This graphic memoir is a heartfelt journey through the author's experiences with her aging parents. The blend of humor and despair makes it relatable and touching, as it captures the complexities of family relationships and the challenges of aging. The illustrations are a standout feature, enhancing the storytelling and making the emotions palpable. It's a book that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on your own family dynamics.

Quick quotes

    Bold and honest, hilarious and despairing, this graphic memoir from the New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast carefully chronicles the demise of her parents.

    It's also dead funny, writes Rachel Cooke.

    The New Yorker cartoonist's account of her parents' final years is sobering stuff.

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