Critics select 'Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?' for best-of-the-year lists
Roz Chast鈥檚 illustrated memoir about taking care of elderly parents received critical praise upon its release and was nominated for a National Book Award. Now it鈥檚 finding a place on many best-of-the-year lists.
Chast鈥檚 book 鈥淐an鈥檛 We Talk About Something More Pleasant?鈥� was released this past May. Upon its publication, many critics were impressed by it, with , , and all giving it starred reviews. 鈥淧oignant and funny,鈥� PW wrote. 鈥淪he brings her parents and herself to life in the form of her characteristic scratchy-lined, emotionally expressive characters, making the story both more personal and universal. Despite the subject matter, the book is frequently hilarious鈥� this is a cartoon memoir to laugh and cry, and heal, with 鈥� Roz Chast鈥檚 masterpiece.鈥�
Michiko Kakutani of the also received it positively, writing that the author 鈥淸writes] with a new depth and amplitude of emotion鈥� by turns grim and absurd, deeply poignant and laugh-out-loud funny鈥� Ms. Chast reminds us how deftly the graphic novel can capture ordinary crises in ordinary American lives, how a mixture of cartoons and photographs and text can create a family portrait with all the intimacy and emotional power of a conventional prose memoir.鈥澛�
鈥淧leasant鈥� was then nominated for a National Book Award in the nonfiction category this year. According to the , Chast is the first cartoonist to be selected for an adult category (graphic novels had been nominated in the young people鈥檚 literature category before).聽
And now 鈥淧leasant鈥� is being brought up again as reviewers compile their best-of-the-year lists. critic Maureen Corrigan chose it for her list, writing that the book is 鈥渢he most profound meditation yet written on the trials of caring for aging parents鈥� Chast's memoir is a masterpiece鈥� Brava!鈥� also chose 鈥淧leasant鈥� for its best-of list, with the books section editors writing that the work is 鈥渄evastating and sublime鈥� No one has perfect parents, and no one can write a perfect book about them. But Chast has come close.鈥� And also selected 鈥淧leasant鈥� for its list of best 2014 nonfiction titles. 鈥淵ou wouldn't expect a book about dealing with elderly parents to be hysterically funny, but this one鈥� certainly is,鈥� EW critic Tina Jordan wrote.
