The Goodbye Process, Mary Jones
The Goodbye Process, Mary Jones
List: $19.00 | Sale: $13.30
Club: $9.50

The Goodbye Process
Stories

Author: Mary Jones

Narrator: Suzanne Elise Freeman

Unabridged: 7 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/30/2024


Synopsis

A National Bestseller!

Longlisted for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection

Longlisted for THE STORY PRIZE

A Library Journal Best Book of 2024!

A Most Exciting Debut Short Story Collection of 2024 by Electric Literature

“Short story fans might just discover their new favorite author in this arresting collection, a must-have.” —Library Journal (starred review)

What happens when you are forced to let go of the things you love the most? What are you left with?

In this stunning debut short story collection, Mary Jones uses her distinctive voice to examine the painful and sometimes surreal ways we say goodbye. The stories—which range from tender and heartbreaking to unsettling and darkly funny—are connected by the central theme of letting go.

A woman camps out on the porch of an ex-lover who has barricaded himself inside; a preteen girl caught shoplifting lands in grave danger; a man hires a professional mourner to ensure his wife’s funeral is a success. Time and again, Jones’s characters find themselves facing the ends of things: relationships, health, and innocence.

Arresting and original, The Goodbye Process packs a punch, just the way grief does―knocking us off our feet.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Tammy on August 01, 2024

I’ve only read a few books of short stories and was unsure about picking this up but seeing that it’s published by Zibby Books (always enjoyed) I borrowed the audio on Libby. Happy to say I found it unputdownable and flew through it. THE GOODBYE PROCESS is a collection of short stories that seamless......more

Goodreads review by Stephanie on July 07, 2024

Hold onto your hearts with this short story collection: The Goodbye Process by Mary Jones This is a book about goodbyes: to seasons of life, to relationships, to earlier versions of ourselves and much, much more. Raw and real, honest and deep and sometimes even darkly funny, this book will make you......more

Goodreads review by Davis on August 25, 2024

Oh wow…to be frank, I bought this book because the cover was charming. Unabashedly so, I enjoyed every story in Jones’ collection. Many of the stories illuminate the process of saying goodbye and to the many varied goodbyes we face throughout our lives: emotions, relationships, innocence, etc. Once......more

Goodreads review by Jamille on November 02, 2024

This book was like Mary Jones whispering, "It's okay," over and over again. It was beautiful and honest. I couldn't put it down most of the time, but other times, I had to take a reflective moment to think about my own goodbyes.......more