Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast

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This is a stunningly, sometimes painfully, honest graphic novel about what it means to be the child of aging parents.  Sounds fun, huh? 

Chast recounts her own trials and tribulations (of which there are many) of being the only child of two stubborn, senile, and generally falling apart parents.  That’s not entirely true.  Her father was senile.  Her mother was falling apart.  Her mother was the stubborn one and her father was stubbornly supportive of her mother.  The storytelling is vivid and real; the illustrations add both humor and depth; and the overall sentiment is of both love and frustration. 

If you’re looking for a light and fun graphic novel, pass this by.  But, for anyone in this situation or soon to be in this situation, it’s helpful reading.  Chast writes of the things most of us don’t want to think about, let alone reflect on after the fact.  You might even learn a thing or two.  It is a heartbreaking love letter.

Reviewed by Ashley

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