Unraveling the Dark Comedy of Mortality: Why Annabelle Gurwitch’s New Memoir Will Change How You See Life and Death
Funny cover notwithstanding, the book isn’t about a Pollyanna-ish approach to cancer. Among the “tsunami of decisions” she contends with upon diagnosis, the one that Gurwitch takes most seriously is to adopt a “cancer persona.” When she meets her “angel,” a mentor in the cancer journey and a cancer patient like herself, Gurwitch tells her that she intends to shun the ribbon, religion, and runs. Nor does she want to be a warrior or a survivor, or even a sexy cancer vixen.
She vows to become a cancer slacker instead, which is to say, she wants to eschew any kind of “performative indefatigability,” and the only criterion for the “after life” (as in after diagnosis) is to make choices out of her comfort zone. One outcome of that mindset is this book, which is as funny as it is serious and is chock-full of practical advice offered through a detailed and unsentimental recounting of her experiences. It is an ode to patient advocacy and showcases her gifts as an activist, public speaker, humorist, and writer. Gurwitch is no slacker when it comes to telling a good story. As a bonus, she tells this like a friend, albeit a whip-smart and well-read one. Parts of it might make you cry, but you are sure to guffaw your way through it, just like she intends to do on this journey.
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