{"title":"Books by Catherine Newman","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781529177220","title":"We All Want Impossible Things","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDiscover the powerful Richard \u0026amp; Judy Book Club Pick, perfect for fans of Nora Ephron and \u003ci\u003eSorrow and Bliss\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Nora-Ephron-style wit\u003c\/b\u003e...comforting, so funny, moving...\u003cb\u003e one of my favourite books ever\u003c\/b\u003e' MARIAN KEYES\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Newman writes loss and laughter in \u003cb\u003eequally brilliant amounts\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003cb\u003e' \u003c\/b\u003eBONNIE GARMUS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'\u003cb\u003eDazzling, heart-wrenching, snorty-hilarious\u003c\/b\u003e... An utter joy to read' RACHEL JOYCE\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWho knows you better than your best friend? Who knows your secrets, your fears, your desires, your strange imperfect self? \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEdi and Ash have been best friends for over forty years. Since childhood they have seen each other through life's milestones: stealing vodka from their parents, REM concerts, marriages, infertility, children. As Ash notes, 'Edi's memory is like the back-up hard drive for mine.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo when Edi is diagnosed with cancer, Ash's world reshapes around the rhythms of Edi's care, from making watermelon ice cubes and music therapy to snack smuggling and impromptu excursions into the frozen winter night.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBecause life is about squeezing the joy out of every moment and building a powerhouse of memories, about learning when to hold on, and when to let go.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDeeply moving yet laugh-out-loud funny, \u003ci\u003eWe All Want Impossible Things\u003c\/i\u003e is a jubilant celebration of life and friendship at its imperfect, radiant, and irreverent best.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eDISCOVER SANDWICH\u003c\/i\u003e, the joyful new novel from Catherine Newman and the perfect summer read\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eWe All Want Impossible Things:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFull of humour, warmth and eye-popping honesty ... a \u003cb\u003ebeautiful, candid and uplifting\u003c\/b\u003e testament to female friendship that will make you laugh and cry - \u003ci\u003eWOMAN \u0026amp; HOME\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis tale of love and friendship is \u003cb\u003etender, funny, life-affirming joy\u003c\/b\u003e. - \u003ci\u003eMARIE CLAIRE\u003c\/i\u003e, 'Best Books of 2023'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWe All Want Impossible Things\u003c\/i\u003e is a thing of \u003cb\u003erare beauty\u003c\/b\u003e: sweet and sharp, to be devoured, then remembered and loved life-long. – \u003ci\u003ei\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDevastatingly funny ... handled with compassion and courage in elegant prose lightened by honest humour. - \u003ci\u003eMAIL ON SUNDAY\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA treat\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003ci\u003eTHE SUNDAY TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRemarkable\u003c\/b\u003e ... A whip-\u003cb\u003esmart\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003efunny\u003c\/b\u003e, beautifully observed and exquisitely characterised novel about how even the deepest of losses can be accompanied by a joyous affirmation of life. - \u003ci\u003eOBSERVER\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eImbued with \u003cb\u003elove and humour\u003c\/b\u003e ... this \u003cb\u003especial\u003c\/b\u003e book is in a class of its own. - \u003ci\u003eEVENING STANDARD\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNewman's clearsighted and bracingly \u003cb\u003efunny\u003c\/b\u003e first novel is a \u003cb\u003emoving \u003c\/b\u003ecelebration of friendship, love and cherished memories - \u003ci\u003eDAILY MAIL\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUtterly \u003cb\u003elife-affirming and joyful\u003c\/b\u003e – \u003ci\u003eRED\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'You'll stay up\u003cb\u003e late devouring every word\u003c\/b\u003e' KATHERINE HEINY\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'One of the \u003cb\u003ebest novels \u003c\/b\u003eon friendship I've ever read' AJ PEARCE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'An absolute masterpiece \u003c\/b\u003ein characterisation\u003cb\u003e...\u003c\/b\u003e utterly beautiful.' JOANNA CANNON\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'\u003cb\u003eI absolutely adored this\u003c\/b\u003e...what a beautiful, emotional novel' JILL MANSELL\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Shot through with whip-smart humour and boundless compassion. It's\u003cb\u003e one of the best debuts I've read in a long time\u003c\/b\u003e.' HANNAH BECKERMAN\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43204668915890,"sku":"9781529177220","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781529177220.jpg?v=1786022382"},{"product_id":"9781635861822","title":"How to Be a Person","description":"\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For the kid who leaves a wet towel wadded up on the floor or forgets to put a new roll on the toilet-paper thingy, witty parenting writer and etiquette columnist Catherine Newman provides the ultimate guidebook of essential life skills for kids.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Jam-packed with tips, tricks, and skills—all illustrated in an irresistible graphic novel–style—this book shows kids just how easy it is to become more dependable—and like themselves better, too! They’ll learn how to clean dirty rooms, care for pets and cactuses, stick up for somebody, and fold a T-shirt.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They’ll even get a crash course in using the kitchen (including how to turn a 33-cent package of ramen into dinner) and a boot camp for lending a hand outside the house (mowing, shoveling, and fixing something loose has never been easier).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This handbook to becoming beyond helpful promises that every kid can be a valuable member of the grown-up world.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56302288437621,"sku":"9781635861822","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781635861822_55afeb7d-3e10-4827-a5c7-7f040ebad82a.jpg?v=1786023327"},{"product_id":"9781804993187","title":"Sandwich","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom the bestselling author of We All Want Impossible Things and Wreck, a brilliant funny, astute and emotionally relatable novel about family and how change it changes over time\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Sandwich is joy in book form.’ ANN PATCHETT\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Engaging, frank, funny and moving' Daily Mail\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘You’ll be screenshotting paragraphs of this heartbreakingly honest novel to send to your friends’ Real Simple\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A protagonist like Rocky is so necessary, because a whole generation will now be able to read this wise and exquisitely written story and say I know how you feel.’ Guardian\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne week by the beach in their favourite spot, the perfect family holiday. What could possibly go wrong?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape. The humble, quirky beach house they rent has been the site of sweet memories, sunny days, shared mishaps and memories. It is a place where her family comes together and Rocky wants to cling to every moment. Now, sandwiched between her children who are adult enough to be fun but still young enough to need her, and her parents who are ageing but healthy, Rocky wants to preserve this precious moment of balance for ever. But life is always full of surprises and this week will be no exception. With her body in open revolt and surprises invading her peaceful haven, the seesaw of Rocky’s life is tipping towards change…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for SANDWICH:‘If you are after a book to pack on your next holiday, look no further. Here is a novel which will go down as easily as a chilled poolside drink’ i Newspaper\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A wonderful book about how families love, disagree, fail one another - and endure’ Rachel Joyce, bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘I stand in awe… it’s just perfect’ Elin Hilderbrand, bestselling author of Swan Song and The Perfect Couple\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Astute emotional insight and an infectious sense of humour. A gem of a novel’ Observer\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘I adored this novel and am forcing it on everyone I know - Jenny Colgan, author of The Summer Skies\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Newman is truly a master of taking complex and chaotic human emotion and making sense of it’ Guardian\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘If you want to laugh out loud, tear up and rush to pull out a book in the 35 seconds between subway stops, this sweet, savory, tenderhearted Sandwich fits the bill, and goes down like (bread and) buttah’ New York Times\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDISCOVER THE NEW NOVEL BY CATHERINE NEWMAN - WRECK: 'The kind of book that pulls up a chair, pours the wine, and dives deep' Alison Espach, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding People New York Times bestseller, July 2024**Cover may vary**\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56307169755509,"sku":"9781804993187","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781804993187_47cda8a0-0c05-45e2-b100-bda77adc1381.jpg?v=1786028390"},{"product_id":"9781529959697","title":"Wreck","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe NEW YORK TIMES bestseller. A wonderful novel full of laughter and heart, about marriage, family and what happens when life doesn’t go as planned. 'The kind of book that pulls up a chair, pours the wine, and dives deep... like spending hours with the friend who sees your mess and loves you more for it.' ALISON ESPACH, author of The Wedding People'I LOVE her work... the antidote to these times' MARIAN KEYES'Gorgeously human, tender-hearted, and delightfully funny' NUSSAIBAH YOUNIS, author of Fundamentally\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRachel (Rocky) is seemingly living her best life as the irreverent, funny beating heart of her family. Her ageing father is his unique, adorable self; daughter Willa is prone to bouts of existential angst whilst berating the fact that her mother has zero filter; husband Nick is steady, logical, sometimes infuriating.   They are messy, they are flawed, they are completely, ridiculously normal.   And like most normal people, Rocky worries about what might happen next. So when a former classmate of her son Jamie dies in a seemingly random accident, Rocky becomes obsessed.   For if accidents can happen – and they do – is it truly safe to love anyone?Fresh, honest, laugh out loud funny and genuinely relatable, WRECK follows Rocky and her family through one rollercoaster year as they negotiate the unpredictable and beautiful messiness of life.   If you love the brilliant humour and observation of Elizabeth Strout, Norah Ephron or Katherine Heiny, you will love Catherine Newman, who reminds us what it is to be beautifully messily human!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReaders say:'Wreck feels like Newman was writing directly to me. And what's so impressive is, I think many, many, many readers will feel like it was just for them too.'Feels like meeting up with old friends'It’s like Catherine Newman knows exactly how I feel'I feel seen every time I read [Catherine Newman's] words'There is just some kind of magic in Catherine Newman’s writing that makes me want to dog-ear every page'Reviews say:'Hugely enjoyable, absolutely real and thoughtful...Newman has an Ephron-esque gift for blending the sharp and the sad and an ability to let us love her creations.’ Observer'Darkly funny, achingly emotional' Woman \u0026amp; Home‘Insightful and totally relatable’ Good Housekeeping‘The new queen of the bittersweet novel’ Independent\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57682838520181,"sku":"9781804997505","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":56369010180469,"sku":"9781529959697","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781804997505_06ad3a9f-1fcb-4ff0-aff2-60085c3b2f2e.jpg?v=1792511766"},{"product_id":"how-to-break-your-own-heart","title":"How to Break Your Own Heart","description":null,"brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57680235331957,"sku":"9781809921840","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781809921840.jpg?v=1792423512"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-catherine-newman.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}