What Comes Next and How to Like It: A Memoir

Takes my breath away. The writing is brilliant - and yet appears to be simple. I think what I love about Abigail Thomas is even though she has been through hell, with her late husband's accident and then years in the hospital - and her youthful trauma's of love and early marriage with pain - she writes as if she were looking at her life a bit from the outside - and she draws me in and I truly feel as if I'm holding my breath all the way though this book. Her daughter's betrayal with Abigail's best friend and then her daughter's cancer - her love of her grandchildren and her description of the comfort her dogs bring. I simply love this book - I will come back to it again and again. Oh Abigail may you live long enough to one day be there for me to meet you and also, if I am ever suddenly rich - I will send you enough money to take your whole family away on an island - where there is sun, and sand, and everyone is safe.

Love this style of expression. Feels very honest and true to life. I read her 2nd & 3rd books first, then went back & read the first one. Didn't plan it this way, but turned out more meaningful reading the first one knowing what was coming down the road in the years ahead for her.

I went by the known author's recommendations and bought the book, I was sincerely disappointed not only with the reviews on the cover but the writing was less than inspiring and was just one woman's ramblings of no consequence not worth the 18.00....sadly it was actually disagreeable.

I raved about her science-writing father decades ago, so was not too surprised when I "discovered" the daringly introspective voice of this author a couple of months ago in "A Three Dog Life." (My instinct was to read [posthaste] everything she'd ever had published, but I decided against this gluttony of the spirit in favor of something-to-look-forward-to moderation.) Since then, I have only read this, her latest---and that was in anticipation of her appearance at a local bookstore. (I'd love to be able to expand on what she was like in person, but unfortunately [shrieks and foot stomping---just an imagined tantrum] I was too ill to attend. I'm not sure I would have gone anyway, as I'm also grieving the death of my beloved chihuahua, Petey [P-Pie], whom I know I will be with again. I bring this up not only because he is foremost in my thoughts, but because Abigail Thomas does not seem to believe she'll ever see any of her DEAD (she doesn't like euphemisms) two-legged OR four-legged loved ones, and it bothers me. (It's probably best that I couldn't attend that book-signing. What if I had shouted [Tourette style] "You've gotta have faith!"---"Listen to stories by reincarnated toddlers!"---"Go see Theresa Caputo--you're practically neighbors!") Don't get me wrong---I accept and support the rights of people of all religions---AND those who deny all Gods. I just want this amazing woman to know what she has to look forward to: Perhaps Madagascar Bourbon vanilla---if not by the twelve ounce bottle, at least in the form of a Haagen-Dazs cone. There might be an assembly line producing her "Inaction figures" (complete with wings, since God knows they'd never get anywhere, otherwise). There would be all the "dusky purple plums" she could ever want to leave as a joy-giving offering to the deer, and her Rich would still utter beautifully enigmatic lines like "I thought a bird had come detached from its shadow"---only THERE they would sigh, and share a knowing smile.

This book is actually written in the way that when I see a book categorized as a memoir--it's in this way

The author writes in little snippets, almost like a diary but not dated, they're titled

She writes about good times, bad, jobs , family,aging,many many topics but what stands out most is her 30+ year friendship with Chuck. He's mentioned in most all the stories, yet they remain friends through everything. There was a period in time they had their little "spat" but they managed to get past that too, by sitting & talking like the adults they were , & their friendship eventually came back

She also puts stories of her glass painting in between her life happening stories & I believe they're well placed as to how she's feeling at time of the stories. She's not only creative as a writer, but also loves to paint. Loves her family , & her dogs but writes that she's not sure she could share her life again with a man living with her. She seems very content with the way her life has gone & although there were illnesses, animosities, fights, general bad times --she was able to see through it all & take something from all her experiences both good & bad

Recommend this book if you enjoy memoirs, a fast read but also a very deep read, considering the stories are short. The length of the stories might easily be read, but it's sometimes more about what she may not have written in that story!! Well put together

Thank you to Simon & Schuster/Scribner for the contest giveaway!

This book is just too frustrating to read. If you enjoy reading books that often have chapter 2 or 3 sentences long, this book is for you. It's difficult to get involved when chapters start & end in a short paragraph or at best 2-3 pages. I feel like I was swindled the money the spent on the "book".

I love reading memoirs when they're good and this one's very good. Written by an older woman my age who's successful in the literary field and what she and other women her age go through, from romance, loneliness, tiredness, etc. told with a sophisticated, quirky sense of humor. The details she shares regarding conversations with her daughter, friend, and male best friend and their particularly literate, funny back and forths are very entertaining. I'm sure what she writes about regarding her dogs being such good company will resonate with many people too, although I don't share that enthusiasm, it's interesting. Her book gets more and more honest as it goes along, finally divulging just how strongly she was and still is addicted to alcohol and the funny excuses she makes for drinking. Sorry; they ARE funny excuses. Her best friend of many years is male, platonic, and her shares of his metaphorical strings of thought are interesting as well as what's happened through the years to them both. She makes you feel for her without ever being sappy about things and she's gone through a lot including having a daughter diagnosed with cancer. She's able to intertwine events in ways that are amazing.

Abigail Thomas is brilliant. She gently and fiercely draws us into her beautiful and painful world, making us nod in agreement like of course we understand, because she is talking about everyone’s life on earth. She casts a remarkably wide net with her attention to the daily details of life and death. Read this book.

After reading and enjoying A Three Dog Life (a memoir) by Abigail Thomas, I was anxious to read her latest book.

This is also a memoir, continuing on after A Three Dog Life in which she tells us about tragically losing her spouse. She writes about growing older and how older folks can relate and enjoy whatever life brings them. Specifically, she writes about what is going on in her life, both the good things and the bad things.

She again mentions losing her spouse and how her family, dogs, and friends have played so many important roles in her life. Her background has been as a writer, teacher, editor and agent so she had an interesting career (and still does) with lots of wonderful memories.

I love the way Ms. Thomas writes because she makes me feel as though I've known her for many years and we are friends who can discuss life's ups and downs. I hope she's able to write for many years to come.

Reading abigail Thomas spoils one for reading other less interesting and brilliant authors. Since I read Safekeeping I've worshipped the ground she walks on. With her new memoir she cements her place as one of our greatest living writers working in America today. This is a must have.

After reading a short article in the AARP Magazine I checked Thomas latest book from my local library . Having never read any of her work , but perused the reviews on some of her previous publications , I was looking forward to this read . I regret to say that this "did not do it" for me.
Writing is rather mundane , story line disjointed and perplexing . I could not figure out wether this was to be a memoir or a journal of random thoughts .
Being a good sport , I will check out another book in the hope of a better outcome .

I have enjoyed most of Abigail Thomas' work and eagerly sought this one out at the library. I give it at least two stars because I was compelled to read it all and also because I didn't like the book.

The book details Thomas' losing struggle with compulsive behavior---drinking, smoking and her enmeshment with a male friend that seems likely to have had a role in her daughter's affair with him while he was married. The book reads like a confessional -- Thomas tells us she was possessive of her friend in front of his wife, angry at her daughter's lack of boundaries (while frequently relishing her own in the memoir) and prone to scrounging cigarette butts and gorging on vanilla for its alcohol content. There isn't a single author spouting accolades about this book on the cover who seems to consider that what Thomas may need is less praise and, instead, one true friend who advises her to get some help.

If wrestling unsuccessfully alone with life-damaging compulsions, being enmeshed with a male friend and insulating oneself with a destructive and demanding herd of dogs is "What Comes Next," the book failed to deliver for me on "How to Like It."

Another jarring bit in the book is the writer's disconnect between adoring her dogs and eating other animals which she lists as meals--lamb, pork, chicken, fish. The idea that a plant based diet contributes to better health or that other animals, like dogs, are sentient beings with their own social behaviors, is lost on Thomas. She just keeps serving up high fat, low fiber and low nutrient food to her daughter who is fighting a deadly form of breast cancer. (Forks over Knives, The China Study, Dr. McDougall and Dr. Esselstyn's work are all available here on the store).

I couldn't help hoping that by the time Thomas was pushing 80, she'd have more insightful things to share: instead we read about her dogs regularly tearing her house apart and the depression that has her sleeping half the day away. (There might be some dots to connect there).

Much of the book consists of ramblings about the author's craft of painting old windows and other glass, the rest is replete with musings that sometimes don't make sense: i.e. neurosis belongs to the young (?) and the author's relationship with the man who had an adulterous affair with her daughter is built on trust. (Huh?)

If you like reading about denial, this is your book.

It is easy to love Abigail Thomas writing style, she has worked in the publishing industry for most of her adult life, has written several books, and is now in her 70's. She is mother of four, twice divorced before she became a widow after the death of her third husband Rich. Thomas new memoir: "What Comes Next and How To Like It" is a quick read divided into three parts, each titled brief vignette recalls her observations of her lifelong friendship with her best friend Chuck, parenting and motherhood, her love of her dogs, ageing, writing, and love of oil painting on glass. There are a few of her abstract creations shown on her blog, she doesn't consider herself a painter/artist.

Thomas recalls meeting her best friend Chuck in 1979, while she was a "slush reader" for a publishing house. Chuck took her job when she was promoted to an editorial assistant. Chuck was happily married (his son was born in 1983), Thomas, a single twice divorced mother of Sarah, Jennifer, Ralph, and Catherine. Highly supportive of one another professionally and otherwise, they became lifelong friends. Their friendship went through rough time, rocked by betrayal of her trust, they didn't communicate for three years. Thomas doesn't reveal if she and Chuck were ever at any time romantically involved, neither wanted to loose their friendship permanently, they reconnected; their strong friendship endures today.

There are a few subjects Thomas briefly discusses in addition to betrayal, these hint of depression, involve widowhood, a cancer diagnosis of her daughter Catherine; her care and treatment. Dog lovers will identify with her experience of loosing beloved pets. Thomas was particularly challenged to stop smoking, after she quit drinking alcohol. It seems to me another writer could write a heavy book about any of these subjects alone. With Thomas lighter easy going style, none of her observations are depressing, nor of any intense emotional depth. There is obviously so much more to her stories then revealed, yet, I couldn't help but appreciate this good book.

I was expecting something with more insight something on the order of the 1998 book by Carolyn Heilburn, The Last Gift of Time: Life Beyond Sixty...now there was a book that made me want to seize the day!! Glad I previewed the library copy of Thomas' book before I purchased it (or in this case did not purchase it).

Ms. Thomas has long been considered the master of memoir writing, and this book will not disappoint. The format is unusual because many chapters are less than a full page long, but her life and feelings are shared so honestly that readers will clearly understand why she has such a fan base.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Some parts I really enjoyed and some parts I wanted to skip over. The setup was a little weird for me. I think you will either like this or not. I'm in the so-so category. It just didn't move me.

This is a collection of outlooks by the author. Some I enjoyed, especially the ones about her dogs (she has a lot); some not so much. Most of the book is about her friend, Chuck. I liked this book somewhat. I would say it is worth reading to be sure.