> Skip to content
[]
  • Published: 12 September 2023
  • ISBN: 9781529177220
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 240
  • RRP: $28.00

We All Want Impossible Things



'One of my favourite books ever' Marian Keyes; 'Dazzling' Rachel Joyce; 'You'll devour every word' Katherine Heiny; for fans of Nora Ephron and Sorrow and Bliss, a heart-wrenching, laugh-out-loud celebration of friendship at its imperfect and radiant best.

Discover the powerful Richard & Judy Book Club pick

'Gorgeously tender and so deeply loving' NUSSAIBAH YOUNIS, bestselling author of Fundamentally

'Nora-Ephron-style wit...comforting, so funny, moving... one of my favourite books ever' MARIAN KEYES

'Newman writes loss and laughter in equally brilliant amounts.' BONNIE GARMUS

'Dazzling, heart-wrenching, snorty-hilarious... An utter joy to read' RACHEL JOYCE
_______

Who knows you better than your best friend? Who knows your secrets, your fears, your desires, your strange imperfect self?

Edi 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.'

So 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.

Because 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.

Deeply moving yet laugh-out-loud funny, We All Want Impossible Things is a jubilant celebration of life and friendship at its imperfect, radiant, and irreverent best.

To read more by CATHERINE NEWMAN, discover the NYT bestseller, SANDWICH, and her new novel WRECK: 'Beautiful, funny, wry, relatable and uplifting… I LOVE her work' Marian Keyes
_______

Praise for We All Want Impossible Things:

'A beautiful, candid and uplifting testament to female friendship that will make you laugh and cry' WOMAN & HOME

'This tale of love and friendship is a tender, funny, life-affirming joy' MARIE CLAIRE, 'Best Books of 2023'

'Devastatingly funny ... handled with compassion and courage in elegant prose lightened by honest humour' MAIL ON SUNDAY

'A treat' THE SUNDAY TIMES

Remarkable ... A whip-smart, funny, beautifully observed and exquisitely characterised novel' OBSERVER

'Utterly life-affirming and joyful' RED

'One of the best novels on friendship I've ever read' AJ PEARCE

'An absolute masterpiece in characterisation... utterly beautiful.' JOANNA CANNON

  • Published: 12 September 2023
  • ISBN: 9781529177220
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 240
  • RRP: $28.00

About the author

CATHERINE NEWMAN

Catherine Newman is an award-winning writer and columnist. She is the author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, and the children's books One Mixed-Up Night, Stitch Camp, How to Be a Person and What Can I Say?. She edits the non-profit kids' cooking magazine ChopChop, writes the etiquette column for Real Simple magazine, and is a regular contributor to the New York Times, The Washington Post, O The Oprah Magazine, The Boston Globe, and many other publications. We All Want Impossible Things is her debut novel for adults. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family.

Also by CATHERINE NEWMAN

See all

Discover more

Article
Sicilian Lemon Polenta Pound Cake

A delicious sweet treat that pairs perfectly with the book it was inspired by – straight from the author's kitchen.

Article
Staff summer reading recs!

Want some insider intel on the best books to read this summer? Read on for recommendations from the Penguin Random House New Zealand team!

Article
Scorching summer reads

Whether you’re chasing shade on the beach, or sheltering in a bach during a surprise rainstorm, a good book is a summer holiday essential. On this list you’ll find some 2022 scorchers that you may have missed the first time around, and some awesome new releases which we highly recommend.