54 Comments
User's avatar
Chris's avatar

Well, I just finished We All Want Impossible Things, opened email to distract myself from all the feelings I’m feeling from the book and here’s your post. I don’t know whether to thank you, ask for a peppermint brownie cookie or just sit here and think dang how glad I am that I stumbled upon you and your writing, both your books and Substack. Your writing makes me feel seen, understood, not alone, it makes me want to be the flawed, funny, weird deeply caring, oftentimes judgmental and cranky person I am, letting go of the person I think people want me to be. Thanks to you, therapy and a whole lot of self discovery it’s happening. Enough fan girling, I’m happy to be here, even if you’ve made me cry and question everything about my life. 😊

ann lewis's avatar

Wasn't that a great book? I couldn't stop crying for about a week. Maybe more.

Catherine Newman's avatar

Chris, thank you. I'm sorry it's taken me a month to respond to your lovely comment--jaysus. xoxo

mauraeverything's avatar

You summed up my 2025 AND 2026 POV perfectly in this phrase..."given how disinterested I tend to be in men and what they are saying to each other". I FEEL SEEN.

Sarah Feit's avatar

I am loving your new book, Wreck. I am laughing and crying. Its the perfect holiday read. Thanks for making the adult children so well formed. They could be any of our kids and Rocky's love for them is just like our big, messy, full love for our kids. You nailed it.

Catherine Newman's avatar

Thank you so much, Sarah!

Angela Weisser Moore's avatar

You had me at peppermint brownie cookies.

Krista Steele's avatar

Umm I’m so into those lil paintings for thank you notes.

Fiona Gibson's avatar

I love how you all sit painting together, and how messy your paint palettes are (like mine!). Excited that you're doing a Scotland event in February. Happy New Year!

Catherine Newman's avatar

Fiona, are you coming?

Fiona Gibson's avatar

Yes! Very excited. Have read your novels & now on Catastrophic Happiness, even though my kids are 28, 28 & 25!

Elizabeth Berget's avatar

Listers was probably the high point of my year.

Keris Fox's avatar

What is the stand-up special pls, the link doesn’t work here (cos we don’t have HBO). Also we played Priorities following your rec and it was fun and enlightening (turns out the creator of many an awkward silence hates an awkward silence!). Happy New Year! Xx

Rocky's avatar

It's Hannah Einbender.

Keris Fox's avatar

Thank you!

Catherine Newman's avatar

I'm glad someone less delinquent stepped in JAYSUS.

Jill McGarr's avatar

OMG - Catherine... that birdwatching documentary was done my friends of my daughter's friend and it is absolutely UPROARIOUS! I have watched it 3 times! Just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to meet you in CLE.... thank you for being you! Happy New Year.

Catherine Newman's avatar

That's so fun, Jill! OMG! Yes, a true joy. Thank you! xo

Meghan Burke's avatar

OMG! The birding documentary! You made our NYE --such a fun watch! Thank you!

Andrea Cuene's avatar

I love your strategy for charitable giving🥰going to pitch it to my hubby right now!

Emily Everett's avatar

This was my exact reaction to Hamnet! It was heavenly.

Heather Johnson Durocher's avatar

Me, too! What a gorgeous, heartbreaking movie. I loved seeing Maggie O'Farrell was so involved in the making of it, too!

Mea's avatar

This was such a lovely read! Love the water color idea and going to try the spin dip.

Emily Sansom's avatar

I love your glasses! Where are they from? <3

Catherine Newman's avatar

Thank you! They're from that hella cheap place. What's it called. Jesus. With the blue cases. Zenni! But they don't make that style any more so I may switch to Warby Parker.

Cathy's avatar

I’m reading Wreck to distract myself from all the impossibly awful news that I can’t help reading about and I just want to call my daughter (age 42) and her best friend since they were babies, and her mom (same, at least we looked like cute babies in our early 30s) and read them passages just about every other page. Reading it verrry slowly so I don’t have to leave this family you’ve created so soon.

Catherine Newman's avatar

Ahhh, thank you, dear Cathy!

Shell Mcb's avatar

I am in the middle of reading WRECK and savoring it. Sandwich was my favorite read of 2024 so I anticipated loving this too. I enjoy the detailed and realistic language of everyday life. The conversations we have in our heads. Thanks for sharing your gift of writing.

Catherine Newman's avatar

Thank you so much, dear Shell!