What's Next? discussion

Poignant, quick read from one of famous Ephron sisters that recounts the loss of her beloved sister, Nora (of “When Harry Met Sally” fame) and her husband, Jerry, to cancer within 3 years, only for Delia herself to succumb to a vicious cancer after they are both gone. She vividly details all the ailments, diagnoses, and tireless support from her expansive network of friends and family, using her trademark humor to provide the occasional comic relief while talking about leukemia. The book is partly first-hand manual for anyone going through or watching a loved one suffer from debilitating effects of cancer. It is also a story of friendship and second chances (especially in love) during a person’s twilight years. For readers looking for these specific elements, the book is likely to be very impactful. While I appreciated Delia’s usual comic flair, I found the story to be somewhat disjointed and the many friends (more power to her!) that make up the secondary cast of supporting characters were very hard to keep straight. I also subconsciously compared it to Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart, another cancer-related memoir, which for me succeeded in touching my heart when Ephron’s book didn’t. Rating this 3.5, rounded down to 3 stars of 5.