Small Pieces: Memoir Of Loss And Consolation, A

Description: The suicide of Joanne Limburg's beloved brother Julian left her shattered. When her mother dies too, Joanne pulls herself from the depths of grief by embarking on a journey of salvage, collecting up those scattered fragments of memory from her childhood. With love, wit and wisdom, she begins piecing together a bright mosaic of a brother that left her behind, and of a family coloured by the conflicting influences of literature, science and religion.

Review: Brave, witty, intelligent, wise, and honest, it is the story of a lifelong battle with neurosis, but it transcends pathology, uncovering the extraordinary underside of all our 'ordinary' consciousness. Her unremitting candour liberates us all. * Raymond Tallis on THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT TOO MUCH * Judicious and elegant, lucid and spry, Joanne Limburg uses her uncommon gifts to anatomise an all-too-common disorder. She brings a sort of glee to the process: for all the unhappiness she describes, this remains a joyous read. * Kate Clanchy on THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT TOO MUCH * [Limburg] brings the clear, unsentimental poet's eye to her personal history... Moving and compelling, full of dark humour and insight. * Sunday Business Post on THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT TOO MUCH * A painstaking account of life dominated by debilitating anxiety... Exceptional... [with] rare poetic insight, her candid narrative evokes both pity and admiration. * Metro on THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT TOO MUCH * Sharply self-aware... An articulate guide to the workings of the tormented mind. * Daily Telegraph on THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT TOO MUCH * Can a writer be too honest? At times you want to close this book to protect its subject. -- Hilary Mantel * Guardian on THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT TOO MUCH * Touching... Joanne describes the events surrounding the deaths of her brother and mother with extreme pathos. * Jewish Telegraph * powerful memoir... a courageous piece of work and a valuable contribution to our understanding of mental health issues, and indeed suicide. * Jewish Chronicle * With startling insight and humour, she weighs the peculiar burdens and joys of family and faith. * Marina Benjamin * Talented and thoughtful * Hilary Mantel on Joanne Limburg * Gripping, heart-breaking, challenging - this memoir about a family in crisis is a must-read. * Sophie Hannah * Small Pieces is beautiful, incredibly moving and, at times, extremely funny. -- Christina Patterson * Guardian *





Author Biography: Joanne Limburg was born and grew up in London, at the northern end of the Jubilee Line, but now lives in Cambridge with her husband and son. She has published several collections of poetry; The Woman Who Thought Too Much, a memoir about OCD, anxiety and poetry; and the novel A Want of Kindness which was longlisted for the HWA debut novel award 2016.