5 Stars – A Raw and Beautiful Memoir
You Can Never Die: A Graphic Memoir by Harry Bliss is a masterful, one-of-a-kind memoir that had me laughing, crying, and feeling deeply seen. This book is visually and emotionally captivating with stunning watercolor paintings and witty cartoons.
Bliss shares his life with an honesty that’s raw, unapologetic, and deeply relatable. This memoir speaks to anyone who has ever loved a dog, experienced grief, or struggled with the complexities of caring for aging parents. His love for his dogs and the pain of their loss hit me right in the heart. Equally moving were the reflections on his parents, their deaths, and the impact those experiences had on him as both a son and an artist.
Bliss seamlessly weaves art history, personal stories, and his creative journey into a narrative that feels intimate, yet universal. I learned so much about other illustrators and the craft of illustration and painting, yet never felt like I was reading a textbook—it’s storytelling at its most vibrant and human.
This is a book for dog lovers, for those grieving, for anyone who loves cartoons and illustration, and especially for those who find meaning and solace in art. I’m incredibly grateful to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance. You Can Never Die will be released on April 29, 2025—and I highly recommend it.

I enjoyed the stories of Harry's dog, Penny, in You Can Never Die. I picked this book up as a fellow dog owner and lover. I, personally, didn't enjoy the other stories enough to really enjoy the book as a whole.

If you are familiar with Harry Bliss' illustrations or enjoy short essays with many about a dog, you may enjoy this book!

Sitting here with my own senior dog pressed against my side, this was a book I went into with both anticipation and trepidation. I first encountered Bliss, I'm sure, via his cartoons for The New Yorker magazine and though I enjoyed his artwork, never really paid much attention. That changed when I discovered he'd illustrated books for writer/comedian/actor Steve Martin. I recall then being taken by appearances of a dog called Penny but was never sure if Penny was real and, if so, who she belonged to.

Penny was Bliss' much adored dog. While this book would seem on the surface a memorial to her, I mean, that's her sweet face on the cover, it's really as much about Harry Bliss and his life and the people in it as his dog. Penny gets star billing, of course, which is only right. Originally more his then girlfriend, now wife's dog, we learn how she ultimately wiggled her way into his heart, but we also get to know the human side of Bliss, his career path, and those who've mattered to him, family, friends, and, yes, pets. So, it's really his memoir, the path made clearer by Penny's presence. Nor is it the tear jerker the title may suggest although, be prepared, Bliss shares his emotional goodbyes to not just Penny but his own family. In the process, therefore, we learn about the human behind the frequently humorous artwork, as well as the role one dog played in his life. And, yes, Steve Martin does make a couple appearances including mentions of his own bond with his dog Roger. Martin, who's rarely serious in public statements, turns thoughtful. In the process of reading, we get to enjoy countless drawings, many of Penny, as well as photos of family and friends throughout Bliss' life.

Bottom line, while focused on loss, the book is really about bonds we share as we live, yes, live. It's about life. His grief had me reaching out without really realizing it at moments for my own furry girl, but then he'd backtrack and share a real, usually humorous moment and I'd smile as I realized what I'd done. Don't let anyone tell you cartoonists can't write, in other words. I thought of a line I've heard used at frequent memorial services. To paraphrase, as painful as our loss in now, would you trade it for never having the chance to know them? Of course not. Bliss gets this and although his anguish over losing a beloved furry family member of some 15 years resonates loudly, so to does the theme of life goes on. He even introduces us to his new dog, Junior, still seemingly in puppy mode as the book was written. Somehow, I think Penny would approve. My sincere thanks to #CeladonBooks and author #HarryBliss for gifting me this meaning introduction to all things Penny and life. As long as we have our memories, "You Can Never Die".

A lovely and heartfelt memoir sharing the author’s life, along with some family stories as well as stories of friends, but while he shares stories of friends and family, this feels like a lesson in love and the grief that will undoutedly follow.

For those who prefer illustrated books, this memoir is illustrated, which adds to his story, at times.

As I sit here thinking about this story, I am surrounded by dogs, and am trying to separate this story from the lives of other dogs that I’ve had over my lifetime. We fall in love with an animal, a dog, a cat, etc., and forget for a while how briefly they live compared to us, and typically by then, we can’t imagine our lives going forward without them.

There is more to this story, the grief of watching an elderly loved one who is alive, as well as sharing his life and the lives of some of the illustrators he’s known who have also passed away.

A lovely and very touching story of life, grief, family, friends, and the animals who love us and depend upon us.


Pub Date: 29 Apr 2025


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Celadon Books

I must admit that I was intrigued to read this memoir based on the cover and the promise of the author discussing his life with his beloved dog, Penny. What Harry Bliss delivers in You Can Never Die is so much more than an ode to his sweet dog. Bliss describes the family and friends and other artists who helped shape who he has become. This memoir is an intimate look at Bliss's life, including many personal sketches that accompany his stories. A nice change of pace from my usual readings.

I absolutely loved this book. I cried with the stories of Penny because a year ago I lost my dog, and the pain is still there. I still miss her and the words he described about that pain mirrors my own. I loved hearing about Steve Martin.

This illustrated memoir is interspersed with Harry Bliss's trademark New Yorker single panel cartoons. It starts with his ailing 17 year old dog Penny. Some diary entries are added to relevant essays. This memoir is about grief as it leads up to Penny's death, but then Bliss takes account of his life and all the other illustrators he's admired anf met who have passed away. He talks abut his family, his kids, and his marriages until talking about his aging parents who then pass away. I found the ruminations on mortality perfectly cut with illustrations and illustrated diary entries. It was touching but I had to stop and collect myself as I came close to crying a few times.

Look at this cover! That’s a five star cover right there!

This was an interesting, meaning unusual book and I had to steel myself to read it, knowing that it dealt with “New Yorker” cartoonist Bliss’s writings about his life, especially about his relationship with his beloved dog, Penny and losing her.

Actually, though, the book is the author’s memoir, that he just happened to write while grieving Penny, so she was at the forefront of his mind. There’s lots more than just Penny, though, and Bliss has had an interesting life. In fact, he comments that he’s telling much more than the author of children’s books ought!

Naturally the illustrations are gorgeous, especially the many studies of Penny. Those were sometimes tough to see, and were also a big part of the reason this was a five star read for me, though it won’t be for many others. Last December we lost our dog Cutch at age sixteen and he looked so very much like Penny, especially when sleeping. The book made we cry more than once. And the book is also about age and grief of all kinds, so it’s tough, but it’s lovely. There are some hand-written portions that were hard to read in my digital copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest opinion.

I requested this for the beautiful drawing of the dog on the cover. I wish Bliss took commission requests because I would pay good money for a drawing like that of my dog!! I love old dogs, and my husband and I have been rescuing elderly and special needs dogs from shelters for more than 5 years now. We have lost 8 so far and it never gets easier. So I really enjoyed the stories and drawings of his dog Penny. I will say that the summary of the book made it sound like it was ALL about his dog, so I was thrown at first by the other stories. However, I also found the bits about caring for his parents particularly moving. I do wish the galley had included captions for each drawing as I found his handwriting a little difficult to read - maybe the published copy will include that!