I'm always looking for memoirs that will shine a light on ordinary people's lives who are different than me and The Art of Leaving is one of those. Tsabari has experienced a lot in her life and she shares this with us in tidbits and memories. Recommend for anyone memoir lover. ( )

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

The Art of Leaving struck me as being a woman version of On the Road, except the Tsabari tells infinitely better stories than Kerouac does, and her story contains a profoundness that I just never found within Kerouac’s work. Tsabari goes in-depth with recounting her life, leaving bare all the struggles and hurts she’s had with her father’s death, the oppression she felt since a small child living in Israel as a Mizrahi Jewish person, and her endless search for a place where she could stay for longer than a year or two.

This book is emotional and is the best type of memoir where you feel as though you’re hanging out with the author, hearing her tell you stories from her life. While some were extremely far from my own field of reference–in which case I enjoyed learning more about how different people live in different places–others were all too relatable and familiar and made me reflect on my own life after reading. One of my favorite moments is when Tsabari is trying to get her grandmother to recount family stories; her grandmother was a fierce, strong woman (much like Tsabari herself). The life stories she shares are gripping, and I am in awe of Tsabari’s whole family for what they’ve gone through and the cheer and contentment they have found for themselves (that includes the author as well)!

Aside from the profundity of the stories, the level of humor within the book is what kept me turning those pages. The main difference, really, between Tsabari and Kerouac is that Tsabari is able to take a look at herself and laugh–she doesn’t take herself too seriously, and her recollections about her stubbornness and bold adventures have a hint of laughter to them, which I absolutely loved. This created a nice balance within the narrative itself; a lot of the stories are serious and heartbreaking, but they’re sprinkled in with some fun stories or fun moments, and this creates a wholly realized reflection on life that is so satisfying and readable.

This book is everything; it contains complex explorations and thoughts about growing up, becoming an adult, and finding yourself; experiences that anyone can relate to. And it is BEAUTIFULLY written. Tsabari is a rockstar writer, truly. The way she crafts sentences is beyond compare, and there were quite a few times when I just had to pause reading this to soak in the way she conveyed an image or a thought. If you’re at all a fan of memoir, I highly recommend this to you. It’s a wonderful read.

Also posted on Purple People Readers. ( )

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