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We All Want Impossible Things
by Newman, Catherine
Ashi and Edi have been best friends for over forty years, a bond so deep it feels more like a marriage than a friendship. When Edi is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Ashi moves into the hospice facility to be by her side for the final weeks. This is a story about the messy, unglamorous, and deeply tender reality of watching someone you love fade away. Newman avoids sentimentality, instead leaning into the sharp, irreverent humor that keeps friends afloat when everything else is falling apart. The pace is intimate and deliberate, mirroring the slowing down of a life nearing its end. It is a book for anyone who has ever held the hand of a dying loved one and found themselves laughing at the absurdity of it all, even through the tears.
10 Books similar to 'We All Want Impossible Things'
Since this story hits that rare intersection of raw grief and genuine hilarity, these suggestions were chosen to match its specific frequency. If you found solace in the way Newman explores lifelong female friendship, you will appreciate how titles like The Two-Family House and The Interestings navigate those same decades-long histories. For readers who want to stay in that space where humor and tragedy coexist, the works of Katherine Heiny and Fredrik Backman offer similar comfort. Each of these books respects the complexity of our most significant relationships while honoring the quiet, brave work of saying goodbye.
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by Nina Riggs
Like Newman's novel, this memoir tackles the profound weight of terminal illness with remarkable humor, grace, and an unflinching look at the beauty of living while dying. It captures the same specific, intimate, and often funny texture of friendship and family during life's most difficult transitions.
Readers who appreciated the blend of heartbreak and warmth in Newman's work will enjoy this story that balances the miraculous with the deeply human. It explores the enduring power of connection and the way our lives are shaped by the people we choose to love.
This novel delves into the complexities of long-term female bonds and family secrets, mirroring the intense, complicated, and deeply loyal relationships found in Newman's writing. It is a character-driven narrative that navigates the intersection of grief, love, and shared history.
by Brit Bennett
Fans of Newman's focus on the evolution of lifelong relationships will appreciate this exploration of how choices and paths diverge between two people who share an unbreakable history. It is a poignant, character-focused examination of identity and the enduring nature of the bonds we form.
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Heiny matches Newman's ability to find the humor in the mundane and the absurdity in difficult situations. This novel captures the messy, hilarious, and deeply touching reality of long-term relationships and the people who make life worth living.
by Sigrid Nunez
This book explores the raw, unfiltered experience of grief and the unique, often unexpected ways we find comfort in companionship. It shares the same poignant, reflective tone as Newman's work, focusing on the deep, quiet ways we support one another through loss.
by Ann Patchett
Patchett excels at weaving together the intricate, messy lives of families and friends over many decades, much like the history shared by the characters in Newman's book. It is a masterclass in capturing the bittersweet nature of time passing and the enduring weight of our past connections.
This novel tackles the process of moving forward after a devastating loss with a perfect balance of humor and heart. Readers who loved the honest, sometimes funny, and always raw portrayal of grief in Newman's book will find this protagonist's journey deeply relatable.
Backman is a master of blending comedy and profound human tragedy, creating stories where strangers become a makeshift family during a crisis. His narrative voice shares the same empathy, wit, and deep understanding of human frailty found in Newman's writing.
by Meg Wolitzer
This novel tracks the decades-long friendship of a group of people, exploring how their bonds shift, strain, and persist through adulthood. It captures the same nuance of long-term intimacy and the bittersweet realization of how our lives turn out compared to our youthful expectations.
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As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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