Two Women Walk into a Bar Audiobook By Cheryl Strayed cover art

Two Women Walk into a Bar

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Two Women Walk into a Bar

By: Cheryl Strayed
Narrated by: Cheryl Strayed
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Cheryl Strayed, the bestselling author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things, finds humor and connection in a poignant short memoir about love, family secrets, and reconciliation.

Twenty-one years after Cheryl Strayed set off on the Pacific Crest Trail to heal from the death of her beloved mother, Cheryl’s mother-in-law, Joan, is given weeks to live. As she and her husband help see Joan through her final days, Cheryl reckons with their complicated relationship, determined to connect with a woman who both showed her love and (sometimes hilariously) held her at a distance. Cheryl reflects on their two decades together as she comes to a deeper understanding of the secrets and sorrows in Joan’s complicated past. At Joan’s bedside, it’s time to contemplate the challenges they’ve faced, to accept their differences, and to find some healing in goodbye.

©2024 Cheryl Strayed. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Grief & Loss Personal Development Relationships Women Heartfelt Witty

Critic reviews

“Author Cheryl Strayed traces her emotions in both the text and narration of her short memoir, which revolves around the death of her mother-in-law, Joan.… She covers a lot of ground in this short essay, both in feelings and time, as she writes of Joan's final days.… Strayed describes emotional distances and intimacies, and, most important, the healing that comes in final farewells.”—AudioFile Magazine
Compelling Storytelling • Raw Emotional Honesty • Author's Authentic Voice • Authentic Narration • Concise Writing
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Such a beautiful way to honor the complexities of love and relationships. I hope to have these kinds of conversations with family.

Wow!

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I have been a fan of Cheryl for a while. I love her writing style. In this essay, she shares about her relationship with her mother-in-law in a meaningful and authentic way.

Writing style and authenticity

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I liked hearing mild outrage change to laughter and understanding. I love Cheryl Strayed’s writing.

Compassionate handling of death of a mother-in-law.

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I love Cheryl Strayed and hearing her tell this story in her own voice added depth and dimension. Having been through this with my own parents, I appreciated her account of the transformations that can occur at these times. Thank you Cheryl!!

I’m so glad the author read this!

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Enjoyed the audio book. I found it entertaining and recommend it. Looking forward to the next book.

Good Story Line

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I resonated with so many thoughts and observations in this story about a woman’s relationship with her mother-in-law. Worthwhile read,

Relatable

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Wonderful character development. I would have had a very difficult time with Joan. She was very closed and seemed to have no self-awareness and no desire to become self-aware.
For these reasons, I would have disliked Joan, despite knowing how hard her life was.
But Cheryl somehow made peace with her and came to care deeply about her. That amazed me.
Very fine story.

Joan’s character - to know her is to wish you didn’t!

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I love the concise story telling. I get bored with books that spend two pages describing someone’s dress. Strade’s description of her mother-in-law is so honest and touching. It feels very much like my experience with my mother-in-law too. Well worth the time

Beautiful and Honest

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I’m so glad she narrated the book herself- her voice of her own words made it all the more interesting.

Cheryl tells a great story!

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The author does an amazing job of capturing the challenges of a relationship while also conveying a very believable love. The grey area is where the truth lies.

Beautiful

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