I am not going to look back through my previous reviews to see how many books I have declared are the “best book I have read all year,” or “all-time top ten favorite,” but as I am prone to hyperbole, I think a lot of books share this “honor.” And when I declare it, I mean it, so I am not going to renege on any such title, but… I do not want to make these declarations diluted, or any less meaningful, so I might need to refine my rating skills. In the meantime, please trust me when I say that Catherine Newman’s book We All Want Impossible Things is one of the most well-written, heartbreaking and identifiable books that I have ever read.

Ashley (Ash) is the narrator, and her best friend is Edith (Edi). Ash and Edi have been best friends since childhood, and now Edi is dying of ovarian cancer. Circumstances lead to Edi leaving a hospital in New York and moving into hospice care in western Massachusetts, near Ash’s home. We get to know Ash’s family, as well as Edi’s family, but the book is truly a love letter from one friend to her best friend.

The entire novel takes place while Edi is in hospice, so it is unsurprising that the book will move you to tears as often as it does. What is surprising is how funny the book is; I was caught off-guard every time I laughed out loud while I was still wiping away tears. Beyond the content, the writing itself is brilliant. I do not know of many other authors who can so perfectly and succinctly express the beauty and heartbreak in poignant, everyday moments. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone; it should be required reading for anyone who reads.