End of My Life Is Killing Me

ANNABELLE GURWITCH is an actress, activist, and New York Times bestselling author of six books and a two-time Thurber Prize finalist. Her essays and satire have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post amongst other publications. Her books include the New York Times bestseller I See You Made an Effort and You're Leaving When? a New York Times “Favorite Book for Healthy Living.” Annabelle co-hosted the fan favorite Dinner & a Movie on TBS and was a regular commentator on NPR. She is a Jewish mother, lung cancer survivor and patient advocate, a terrible ukulele player, and an unrepentant cat lady who lives in Los Angeles.

“Annabelle Gurwitch's The End of My Life Is Killing Me has wit sharp enough to cut through sentimentality and honesty that refuses to look away. Part memoir, part meditation on the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary, part laugh-out-loud commentary on the absurd and irritating realities of life and death, it’s a reminder that even in our darkest hours, we can choose what to notice, what to celebrate, and how to live.”—Gretchen Rubin, author of The Four Tendencies“Gurwitch at her most fearless—witty, skeptical, and wide awake to the absurdities of being alive. With her singular blend of humor and insight, here she juggles the comically tragic and the tragically comedic, writing with vulnerability and verve as if her life depends on it. And, it does.”—Lori Gottlieb, author of Maybe You Should Talk To Someone“You will fall in love with Annabelle Gurwitch’s smart, affirming, funny, and wise approach to embracing life fully in The End of My Life is Killing Me. A delight to read that will also leave you deeply moved.”—Susan Orlean, author of The Library Book“Annabelle is laugh-out-loud hilarious about the things we’re all terrified to say out loud. Every chapter is a reminder that life is a tragicomedy, and we can curl up in a ball and hide under the covers or better yet, we can curl up with this brilliant book.”—Molly Jong-Fast, author of How to Lose Your Mother“Resilient, hilarious, unfiltered, and honest, just like the author herself. The principal thing that great writing can do is remind us that we are not alone, that someone else has been there and understands. In that moment of connection it feels like we have a friend. How lucky we are to have such a friend in Annabelle Gurwitch—adversity's greatest foe is her singular wit.”—Steven Rowley, author of The Guncle"Annabelle Gurwitch's The End of My Life is Killing Me is a Trojan Horse of sorts: a hysterically funny page-turner that is packed throughout with practical advice and timeless wisdom."—Will Schwalbe, author of The End of Your Life Book Club "Annabelle Gurwitch's hilarious, witty, moving, powerful book, The End of My Life Is Killing Me, killed me."—E. Jean Carroll, author of Not My Type“With wit and wisdom and more wit again, Annabelle Gurwitch’s The End of My Life is Killing Me is a beautiful book about living boldly in the face of the impossible and having the last laugh.”—Bess Kalb, author of Nobody Will Tell You This But Me"This book is hilarious and helpful. We don’t tend to think of cancer narratives as hilarious, and we don’t tend to think of humor as helpful, but I promise you, this book is both. On the page, Gurwitch is a wise-cracking, unflinching, insightful heroine and like your best friend who you never want to get off the phone with. This book is a gift.”—Sarah Ruhl, author of Smile: The Story of a Face“Brilliant, funny, and an absolutely necessary read. To survive being human is the elemental existential crisis, and that, friends, is the stuff of comedy."—AM Homes, author of The Mistress's Daughter“In this extraordinary account, Annabelle Gurwitch trains her masterful blend of humor, insight, and pointed social and political critique on her own experience with cancer. The result is one of the most generous books I've ever read. Gurwitch lights the way not only for those dealing with illness, but for anyone who wants to know how to live, against any odds, filled with passion, a sense of adventure, and kindness.”—Marisa Silver, author of Mary Coin“With this hilarious and poignant book, the great Annabelle Gurwitch proves that inspirational literature can be spiky and fun and prone to sentences like ‘Juicers are the Waterford crystal bowls of the newly diagnosed.’ What doesn't kill her makes her funnier. All hail!”—Henry Alford, author of How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People"Her warm, conversational delivery evokes the feeling of listening to an honest, witty friend. A life-affirming, entertaining listen that finds comedy and meaning even in the darkest moments."—Kirkus Audiobook Review"An animated, engaging, and deeply honest memoir about the good, the bad, and the ordinary of living with stage-4 cancer. Gurwitch’s words spark deep empathy and hope in a world consumed by misinformation and negativity."—Booklist Audio “A very funny writer tackles the ultimate unfunny topic: lung cancer. Sure to be warmly embraced and appreciated by those dealing with cancer close to home.”—Kirkus"Inspiring and hopeful . . . [Gurwitch] discovers the ability to be true to herself while fighting through the daily challenges she is faced with, taking them one at a time, and finding an optimistic perspective for the future."—Booklist“Overflows with humor and good cheer . . . A heartwarming testament to our capacity to transcend the precariousness of our finite existence, to receive and offer kindness to ourselves and others with intentionality, to cultivate our own heretofore unknown resilience, and to learn—at any age and any stage—how to live and die well. The essential lessons Gurwitch teaches with such generosity and grace are timeless precisely because we are not. Her memoir serves as a most welcome balm for despair, an endorsement of small victories, and a clarion call for the life-affirming and quality-of-life-saving powers of radical optimism and radical curiosity.”—The Post and Courier