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.

Thank you to Cheryl Strayed, Amazon Original Stories, and Netgalley for this free advanced reader copy of "Two Women Walk Into a Bar" for an honest review.

A long ago, but very staunchly pro, fan of "Wild", I jumped at this one when I saw Strayed's name on it. I'm uncertain how I feel coming out of this readthough. I'm not really sure I loved it, but I think that's more because I'm beginning to head into the dicey waters of these circumstances with my aging stepfather & it's set my off into the murky waters of leave-taking, reflection, and taking time for goodbyes.

This narrative is heartwrenching and yet deeply beautiful.

This is such a beautiful short story about a relationship that really feels lived in. Cheryl has such a talent for making what may seem like small moments really significant and relatable. Two Women Walk Into a Bar is a story about a relationship between a mother and daughter in law, and it is just really touching.
Highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the copy!
5 stars

I really enjoyed "Wild" but haven't read anything else by the author since. I thought this would be a great short read to dive into my New Year's reading goal. The story is brief but poignant and very relatable for anyone who has lost a close relative - especially one they have a fraught relationship with. It's emotional but also scattered with funny moments that strike a great balance. The author clearly has a way with memoirs!

Thanks to NetGalley for the read!

Although I have not read anything else from this author, I did watch the tv series of Tiny, Beautiful Things and love it. This novella was very beautiful. It tells a story of the love and loss of many different loved ones to the author and her confusing feelings of loosing her Mother-in-law whom she had a an interesting relationship with. I enjoyed how real and vulnerable this story was to share.

I loved "Tiny Beautiful Things" by this author so I assumed I would love this one as well. It was definitely different than what I was expecting (it's a super short novella) so a quick read but shared some really interesting insight into her relationship with her MIL. While I do not have a MIL, this book is really about healing, the exploration of life and the ties that bind us.

4.5 stars!

I received this book on NetGalley, and it was also an Amazon Kindle First Reads pick for December 2023.

I really enjoyed this short story by Cheryl Strayed (full disclosure: I have not read any of her other famous novels) about the fraught relationship between herself and her mother-in-law. Strayed reflects on their relationship as her MIL's life is coming to a close and she is placed in hospice care.

"Sometimes I felt sorry for her that, of all the daughters-in-law in the world she could've had, she'd ended up with me."

Overall, this was a poignant story about family ties through marriage, navigating terminal illness, and helping a family member transition into the last phase of their life.

"Two Women Walk Into a Bar" by Cheryl Strayed is a poignant memoir that beautifully captures the complexities of love, family, and reconciliation. In this short yet powerful narrative, Strayed delves into her relationship with her mother-in-law, Joan, as she grapples with Joan's imminent passing. Reflecting on two decades of a relationship marked by love, distance, and hidden sorrows, Strayed paints a touching portrait of connection amidst complexities. Through humor and heartfelt introspection, she navigates the challenges and differences, ultimately finding solace and healing in bidding farewell. Strayed's ability to weave together emotions and insights makes this memoir a touching exploration of life, love, and the ties that bind us.

I'm a big fan of author Cheryl Strayed and her best-seller "Wild" has stayed with me for years, so I jumped at this new short story, which is a memoir about losing her MIL to COPD many years after the loss of her own Mom which is what put her on the PCH. Short & poignant read, well worth the time. My thanks to Net Galley & Amazon short stories for the complimentary "read now" DRC - my pleasure to review ...

Thank you to NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read, 'Two Women Walk into a Bar' by Cheryl Strayed. A super short look into Chery's life as her Mother in law is on her death journey. No substance; don't waste your time!

Cheryl Strayed doing what she does best: capturing the humanity in those important moments that are also by their universality mundane. Through the story of her mother in law’s death she explores motherhood, ancestry, family, and what we owe each other. It may be short, but also engrossing. I read it without stop, and cried at the end. Just what I expect from Cheryl Strayed.

I love the title! This is the story of Cheryl and her relationship with her mother-in-law. She details her first encounter with Joan in the bar with a one in three chance of guessing which one of the women was the mother of her then boyfriend. Of course, she guesses her correctly on the third guess (sounds like my gambling)! The accounting of their relationship is beautifully detailed and as the mother of a son, I can relate with Joan to an extent. Mother and mother-in-law relationships are tough and I applaud Cheryl for all that she did for Joan, especially at the end. This was a wonderful short story.

After reading (and loving) Strayed’s past work, I looked forward to this short. Touching and poignant, this lightly touches on the complexities of wife / mother in law relationships, and the many layers of humans.

Would recommend to fans of the author.



Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for the DRC

Bravo! Love love love this book.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I was thrilled to find this piece by Cheryl Strayed as I knew whatever she had written would be well worth my time. My own mother-in-law passed a few months ago, so I doubly appreciated this bitter and sweet story detailing the sharp and soft points of their relationship. Beautiful. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Read this for the prose and the unique way the author can self reflect and write a bio of her subject. Reveals a lot, fairly in the context of
familial relationship. of course there is Dear Sugars…as is simple preference I really always come back for the articulation of thought and fact while never really relating to the subject/object.

As a huge fan of Cheryl Strayed, I was thrilled to receive a copy of "Two Women Walk Into a Bar". New and loyal readers alike will love this!