Short Synopsis
A heartbreaking but hopeful memoir of addiction, grief, and family, Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful will make you laugh, cry, and wonder if that possum on the fence is really your brother's spirit animal.

Full Synopsis
The space between life and death is a moment.

But it will remain alive in me for hundreds of thousands of future moments.

One phone call. That's all it took to change Stephanie Wittels Wachs's life forever . . .

Her younger brother Harris, a star in the comedy world known for his work on shows like Parks and Recreation, had died of a heroin overdose. How do you make sense of such a tragic end to a life of so much hilarious brilliance?

In beautiful, unsentimental, and surprisingly funny prose, Stephanie Wittels Wachs alternates between her brother's struggle with addiction, which she learned about three days before her wedding, and the first year after his death, in all its emotional devastation. This compelling portrait of a comedic genius and a profound exploration of the love between siblings is The Year of Magical Thinking for a new generation of listeners.

A heartbreaking but hopeful memoir of addiction, grief, and family, Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful will make you laugh, cry, and wonder if that possum on the fence is really your brother's spirit animal.

"Beautiful, funny, and epically poignant." ---Sarah Silverman


"Stephanie Wittels Wachs is honest, funny, moving, and so likable." ---Kerry Cohen, author of Loose Girl and Lush

"Incredible." ---Aziz Ansari

"A powerful debut that will resonate especially with readers who have loved and lost someone to addiction." ---Kirkus

"Harrowing, heartbreaking, and cathartic . . . Everything about this book is horrible, wonderful, timely, and not to be missed." ---Booklist Starred Review

Booklist Review