A short but excellently written book by Cheryl Strayed. This was a touching tribute to her mother-in-law, reflecting on their complicated relationship, as she grapples with her impending death. Beautifully written.

5 Stars
A beautiful story of love in the face of death. I was very lucky to have a beautiful friendship with my mother-in-law. When she passed I truly lost a friend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this memoir.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was published January 1, 2024.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by this author. I like her honesty and writing style. This short memoir is a poignant tribute to her somewhat difficult mother in law.

#TwoWomenWalkintoaBar
#NetGalley

I have read a coúple of Cheryl's books before. This was a short buy heartwarming story of her mother in law dying days. Very touching to read.

There was something sad and beautiful about this short story. We hold on to so many things until the end: clothes, cookware, hard feelings. Never knowing exactly how they will impact us when the time comes.

Not at all what I was expecting. A love letter and a tear jerker. Thank you for sharing this essay, it was an excellent read with lots of perspective for writer and reader.

Thank you NetGalley for this!

I love Tiny Beautiful Things so much — so I picked this up. It was short yet incredibly heavy. I think this is helping me with a weird reckoning in generational differences on how to grieve those that you had weirdly complicated relationships with. Great for a small read on the train!

What a beautiful story from Cheryl about her mother in law. Having lost her own mother much earlier than she should have, Cheryl would never call this woman mom but still came to love and respect her. This shone through in this short story. It included so much in a short number of words. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This is a super adorable and heartbreaking short story about mother in laws and the relationship between Cheryl and her mother in law. While it was a fast read, it definitely made me think about my own relationship with my mother in law.

Thanks to Cheryl Strayed, Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for the copy!

This is a short story/amazon original that explores the complicated relationship between a mother in law and daughter in law. Very honest and easy to see similarities among our own give and take.

I absolutely loved this short story. Strayed describes the final days of her mother in law’s life while reflecting on the past. This would be excellent reading for people providing end of life care.

Cheryl Strayed is my comfort read when I need to think about the human condition. This short memoir is no different - she chronicles a difficult relationship dynamic (mother-in-law/daughter-in-law) that many of us have, in a way that makes us appreciate those who are present in our daily lives even if they are not those we’d naturally gravitate toward if we were choosing from scratch. I had all of the feels reading this, like a long comforting missive from Sugar.

Thanks to Netgalley, Amazon and Cheryl Strayed for the ARC.

This is a small glimpse into the last chapter of life. I felt it to be very moving and worth the read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e copy of this book.

Quick short memoir about the death of Cheryl’s mother-in-law, Joan.
Nice quick read that touches on love, family, secrets, and reconciliation. Recommended.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

A moving story about the impending death of her mother-in-law, Cheryl Strayed lets us see into the past twenty-one years of their relationship and the moments they share as Joan’s life is coming to an end. What lovely bits she shares with us and even though Joan seems a bit aloof and cold, Strayed sees Joan’s love in small unique ways. The family moves through the last few weeks with a beautiful sense of lightness, gentleness and caring. Thank you #AmazonOriginalStories and #NetGalley for the DRC of #TwoWomenWalkintoaBar.

This is a short memoir by Cheryl Strayed about the relationship with her mother-in-law Joan. It quickly delves into the at times, complex relationship they share. There are funny moments as well as a few that will bring tears. I have really enjoyed Strayed's other novels and this one did not disappoint. It's a super quick read but very contains a lot of substance. Highly recommend.

Cheryl Strayed is one of my favorite non fiction authors (I read and loved Wild a couple of years ago, and also enjoyed the “Dear Sugar” format in Tiny Beautiful Things), so when I saw this title I was excited to read it.

Two Women Walk into a Bar is a short memoir in which Strayed writes about her relationship with her aging mother in law as she entered hospice. As always, her writing painted pictures in my head and I was immersed in the story immediately as if I was there. I really related to the struggle she and her husband faced with how to navigate the end of his mothers life, as my parents are getting older now too and I worry sometimes about what the future might hold. The topic of this book is sad, of course, but it is not a sad read and left me with a feeling of peace.

This is a short piece, and is a great choice if you have a short amount of time to read, such as on a flight or while waiting for a delayed appointment. I was going to say that I wished the book was longer, but thinking about it, it is just the perfect length as it is. 4 stars from me!

Thank you to netgalley for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Got this story from #netgalley (thank you!!) because I know the author and I loved the cover. I had no idea what it was about and was expecting something more cheerful, but it's a story about relationships and about the end of life. Very easy to read and more importantly, very honest.

Two Women Walk Into a Bar by Cheryl Strayed
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Genre: Nonfiction (Adult), Novellas & Short Stories, Parenting & Families
Published: January 1, 2024

Two Women Walk Into a Bar is a standalone memior by Cheryl Strayed. This quick read was enjoyable. It made me consider how my life will be as my parents age. I thought it told a good story and I look forward to reading other books by the author.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

For a short memoir, Two Women Walk Into a Bar really packed a punch as the author explored her relationship with her now-deceased mother-in-law. The reflections balance the toxic and tragic with the enduring and hopeful and share some poignant thoughts on living and dying. Overall, this is a short read that speaks of the humanity and the complications of relationships we don't directly choose but still need to manage.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories for gifting me with this ARC! All opinions are my own.