Small Pieces: A Book of Lamentations

by Joanne Limburg

SHORTLISTED FOR THE JQ WINGATE, 2017My mother, my family and Judaism are nested inside each other. I am Jewish and always Jewish; it's analogous with family, however hard it is, and however strained, it can never be disavowed... I remain, as my therapist put it, 'enmeshed', all tangled up in the family hoard. This book has been both a continuation of my conversations with them, and an attempt to untangle myself.This is Joanne's account of coming to terms with her brother's suicide and through that process, the entirety of her family life. In Small Pieces Joanne explores her childhood, her Jewishness and her mother's death as well as that of her brother.The life and family Joanne describes is a complex combination of conflicting influences - both scientific and literary; Jewish and humanist impulses; and middle America and North London settings.Small Pieces is a beautiful and searingly honest meditation on family and faith.

Genres: Memoir, Grief, Nonfiction

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 6, 2017

Reviews

[Vimbai Mufunde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joanne Limburg has written a magnificently honest and heart wrenching memoir that takes you on her journey following her brother's suicide. This book gives such an honest account of what it has been like for her of accepting the painful circumstances life has thrown at her. It gives a poetic insight into death, suicide, and so much loss tied in with her battle of her Jewish faith and complicated sibling relationship is so eloquently written and somehow packed into 290 pages. This book will make you cry. It will make you consider therapy and it will make you want to hold your loved ones extra tightly. I am grateful to Joanne for this courageous and gripping memoir. I am now a fan and am looking forward to reading some of her poetry works.

[AJ Foiret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this all in one sitting. So raw and honest. So beautifully well written. A great read for people who have lost someone to suicide. There aren't many books for those who have lost a sibling so I'm glad this exists. Thank you Joanne for writing it.

[Raksha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, although it discusses a heavy topic such as sibling suicide, felt relatable in many ways.

The questions about faith, and the author's questioning of her faith were honest, raw, and moving. This led to a unique yet suitable form which I appreciated.

I have always had a critical approach to religion despite my religious upbringing, and it was nice to read about someone else who believed in that approach too. I was surprised by how much religion influences our decisions and choices, perhaps even relationships.

The various timelines were brilliantly crafted and complemented the narrative like an elegant tapestry of emotions and thoughts.

Another thing I loved: the complexity of parent-child relationships. Parents, due to their focus on providing for children, often forget how much their behaviour impacts their kids. The author has artfully illustrated the length of those effects without fingerpointing.

If you are looking for a memoir about grief, death, and religion, this is the one. Not a word was wasted.

[Joanna Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so much about the guilt we feel when someone dies and Joanne Limburg is open and honest about this when relating the death of her brother, the before and the after. I like the way the narrative arc of the book and appreciate the spareness of the writing.

[Medha Maudgil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanne Limburg has written a poignant reflection on the hurting and healing powers of faith and family, especially but not solely in the face of inexplicable loss.