I was excited to get this after reading Tiny Beautiful Things last year, and it did not disappoint. However, it did not take the direction I might have expected based on the title alone.

I really appreciate Cheryl’s writing style and felt this was very relatable, even though I’ve not found myself in her shoes, so to speak.

This was a quick and easy read that was filled with emotion. The premise of the story is family relationships, which are typically complicated at best. That holds especially true for Cheryl and her mother-in-law. I really enjoyed following their journey.

The author shows us through her own interactions how fragile family ties can be, while simultaneously illustrating the amazing strength that can bond two individuals who are not bonded by blood.

I highly recommend this for anyone interested in family dynamics and human nature in general.

I received a ARC of this from NetGalley. Strayed is one of the great writers of our time and packs a more moving and interesting story in a handful of pages than a lot of authors do into a full book.

This is short story about Strayed’s relationship with her mother in law Joan, as Joan enters end of life care. I thought this was a really honest and raw look at this unique dynamic of a relationship that so many of us struggle with. In a lot of ways this had me reflecting on various familial relationships in my life. The story was well written, and I was not expecting to feel so much in so few pages, but grab your tissues!

Cheryl Strayed, renowned for her bestselling works like "Wild" and "Tiny Beautiful Things," delivers a poignant and emotionally charged short memoir in "Two Women Walk Into a Bar." In this brief yet powerful narrative, Strayed explores themes of love, family secrets, and reconciliation, weaving a compelling tale that revolves around her relationship with her mother-in-law, Joan.

The story unfolds two decades after Strayed embarked on the Pacific Crest Trail, seeking solace following the death of her own mother. Now faced with Joan's imminent passing, Strayed and her husband find themselves by Joan's bedside, navigating the complexities of a relationship that has been marked by distance and occasional humor.

Despite their not-so-close history, Strayed masterfully delves into the layers of Joan's life as they spend her final days together. The assisted living facility becomes a backdrop for revelations about Joan's past and upbringing, shedding light on the secrets and sorrows that shaped her. Strayed reflects on the challenges they've faced over the years, acknowledging differences and seeking a connection that transcends the barriers between them.

In this short but emotionally charged story, Strayed skillfully captures the essence of human relationships, the intricacies of family dynamics, and the transformative power of facing the inevitable. Her writing is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the potential for healing, even in the most challenging circumstances.

"Two Women Walk Into a Bar" is a quick yet impactful read that resonates with readers on a deep emotional level. Strayed's ability to infuse every page with raw, authentic emotion ensures that the reader remains engrossed from the first page to the last. The narrative serves as a testament to the author's storytelling prowess, offering a compelling exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of human connection.

I highly recommend this short story to those seeking a brief but profound literary experience. Strayed's narrative craftsmanship makes "Two Women Walk Into a Bar" a worthwhile addition to any reader's collection, leaving a lasting impression with its heartfelt exploration of relationships and the healing power of understanding and acceptance. Thanks to Net Galley and Publisher for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this short memoir by one of my favorite authors. I adore Cheryl Strayed. Just adore. This short memoir tells about her relationship with her mother in law Joan. As we know, Cheryl lost her own mom when she was young and it was an event that changed her whole outlook on life. Over the years she has formed a cautious but beautiful bond with her MIL and this memoir comes about after Joan is ill/passes away. It's very short but touching, beautiful and a great reminder of the special relationships that we can form with people in our life. I loved the title also, its connected to how they first met.

This was such a powerful read. As someone who has also lost their mom, this story had some added meaning as she tells this story with that similar loss of her own. Such a beautiful telling of this story. I love Cheryl’s writing. The words are always so intentional and painted such a crisp picture of this challenging experience and beautiful transition both through their relationship and in her mother-in-law’s life.

This was a heart touching story about a mother in law and daughter in law touching on what family means and what truly matters to mother in laws. This was a quick read but one that will stay with me for a while. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Twenty years ago the author met her future mother-in-law at a bar where she was a waitress. Now her mother-in-law is dying and she is there for the last days.

I love this author! I love her exquisite empathy, her way with words, her ability to communicate emotion and her wisdom. This short story had some of it, but was lacking in the abundance of humanness that Cheryl Strayed usually gifts us. While I enjoyed and could relate to her relationship with her mother-in-law, I felt Cheryl may have held back a little. I actually had to look up whether it was the same author who wrote the book, Wild, the one that changed my perspective on life and that I recommend to everyone who wants to listen.
I’m not say skip this book, devour all that this talented author writes. I’m saying I’m used to getting more and perhaps, I wanted a novel with this relationship highlighted!
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. I’m not rating using stars as I’m likely reviewing this expecting all the meat I’d want in a novel and that’s not entirely fair to this author. Edit- it won’t let me post to NetGalley without ⭐️ rating so I’m giving it 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Short, but powerful, this memoir by one of my favorites, Cheryl Strayed, explores the relationship with her mother-in-law as she's dying. Having lost her own mom years before, Cheryl faces this complicated relationship with grace, healing, and some humor, as she joins Joan at her bedside for her final days.
This explores not only family ties but how in-law relationships can sometimes be rocky, and how to find common ground even through differences.
Thank you to Amazon Original Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In her 20 years of marriage, a complicated relationship has blossomed between Cheryl and her mother-in-law, Joan. The two women couldn’t be any different, in values and lifestyles, their differences tending towards rifts but their shared love for her husband has kept them intricately woven.

Facing the imminent demise of a loved one is a universal struggle. Two Women Walk into a Bar is a poignant memoir exploring this emotional vortex in visceral detail. It explores the heartwrenching reality of advancing physical aging, mental disorientation, and the emotionally loaded wait in the final months towards the inevitable end. Sometimes you can howl at others you must quietly make peace with it, one apprehensive day at a time.

It brings tactile perception to the instinctive-primal needs: motherhood, longing for a parent’s love, losing a parent, ancestry, and familial bonds. With light humor, Strayed recollects the hurt of the past, permitting it to slowly morph into forgiveness and reconciliation. In the final moments, Joan begrudgingly allows the distance and differences to become insignificant.

Strayed captures life, love, and family in their soulful and healing power. This book bodes introspection. I recommend readers interested in these themes give this book a try.

Vibes: impending passing, grief, healing, making peace with death, family, ancestry.

I thank NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the e-ARC copy of this book. It was a thought-provoking read.

This short story was an easy 5 star for me. The relationship between the author and her mother-in-law was extremely multilayered. You could tell that both of them were trying in their own way but it was never enough for the other until the end. I loved seeing the dynamic between everyone and wished it was a longer. It feels like there is so much more to unpack here but what we got was beautiful, funny, and honest. Joan was never the villain, she was just doing her best the only way she knew how. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the copy. I really loved it.

The opening scene was delightful. I would have loved for this essay to be expanded into a full collection or even a memoir. I feel I only got a small taste of Cheryl's layered relationship with her mother-in-law. I wanted more.

This is a beautiful short story about a mother/daughter in law relationship. Cheryl, the author, and Joan, her mother in law, don’t have a very close relationship. Now that Joan is nearing her end of life, Cheryl is reflecting on their 20 years spent together.

This was really beautiful. I have a mother in law who doesn’t view life in the same way as well so I understood the relationship in this story quite a bit. Joan wasn’t evil. She just lived a much different life than Cheryl so they communicated and lived life in different ways. It’s interesting to get to know Joan through these quick snapshots.
This story is also about a person coming to the end of their life. No matter the relationship you have with someone I think we can all agree that everyone deserves dignity and respect at the end of their time on this earth. I loved that Cheryl and Joan both got to have a little bit of healing in their own relationship near the end.
This was a short story but it was perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this eARC. I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

An honest portrayal of Strayed relationship with her mother-in-law that is touching and honest. Strayed writes with a raw openness that made me nod my head throughout as she described the relationship and its growth through a time in life that everyone faces. Glad I read it.

I was enormously touched by this story, which looks so plain and simple in the telling.

First, Strayed has a gift for bringing us into her Northwest world. The “types” who populate it are recognizable but never cliched.

Strayed captures the pain and confusion and even the anger of losing a loved one - even a complicated someone - with clear-eyed compassion.

I would recommend everyone read this book both for its humor and as a model for facing up to unimaginable sorrow with good grace.
~Award-winning author G.M. Malliet

Thank you Netgalley for the electronic ARC of this short story by Cheryl Strayed

This touching short story is centered on love, loss and family. The author beautifully and honestly summarizes her relationship with her mother-in-law who is coming to the end of her life. I want more....

Short, moving story about the love between mother and son and mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Great quick read!

Poignant and thought provoking. Written in Cheryl Strayed signature no nonsense style. An examination of a complicated relationship, loss, and reconciliation

In the past I have found Cheryl Strayed writing style to feels grounded and human and Two Women Walk Into a Bar is no exception. With her thoughtful tale telling, Strayed paints a complicated picture of the unique relationship that we often have with out in laws. This short but impactful story honors our humanity and how we choose to embrace others into our personal bubble.