Canadian Author Miriam Toews' Novel ALL MY PUNY SORROWS is Soused in Despair

Miriam Toews (b. Canada) is a writer of stunning depth & intelligence.  She has received numerous literary awards including the Gov General's Award for Fiction.  ALL MY PUNY SORROWS is the story of 2 very devoted sisters, Yolandi (Yoli) the younger sibling to Elfried (Elf) the piano prodigy.  They are raised in a small religious Mennonite community where free expression & willfulness are discouraged.  Nevertheless, Elf thrives as an int'l concert pianist until she is overrun with despair & attempts to take her own life. Their father committed suicide when the girls were young.  Now as a married woman with a highly regarded performance career, Elf wants to end her sorrowful life.  Elf tries to enlist her sister in her desire to travel to Switzerland where euthanasia is legal.  "She wanted to die and I wanted her to live and we were enemies who loved each other."  Toews' staggering writing illuminates the anguishes of loving, particularily when your loved one chooses death over life.  "It sounded naive to me now and selfish and fearful to say you must live, you must want to live, you have to live.  That's your one imperative, the single rule of the universe."  Oftentimes oppressive, this brilliant  & heartfelt novel is suffused with love. There are strong familial bonds & joys derived from friendship and parenthood.  The novel examines the compassion & wisdom derived from grief and knowing the release of grief is also mourning.  This brave & disturbing novel is "about the grace you require in order to accept the gift of life."