The Goodbye Process by Mary Jones

The Goodbye Process by Mary Jones

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.

“The stories of The Goodbye Process are startling, haunting, and originalMary Jones captures the eerie light that transfuses those often-forgotten and overlooked corners of the heart. These stories shape shift and beguile, offering up their remarkable insights with wit and genuine style. A brilliant book of stories.” —Brandon Taylor, author of The Late Americans “Mary Jones builds enormous depth in direct clear sentences—over and over again, I found myself moved and wowed by how much she packed into a moment, how swiftly she could conjure a person. And she pulls us in, too—her words have these subtle magnets in them, drawing a reader close. Thrilling abundance here.” —Aimee Bender, author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake “Mary Jones’s delightful story collection, The Goodbye Process, is full of surprises; sometimes funny, often heartbreaking, always memorable.” —Jill McCorkle, author of Old Crimes: and Other Stories "Keenly felt and observed, always humane, the stories in Jones’s debut begin where all the best stories do: the end of one thing, the start of the next. The Goodbye Process introduces an arresting new voice." —Taylor Koekkoek, author of Thrillville, USA "In these exquisite and emotionally distilled stories, Jones illuminates the mysterious corners of grief and grace with poignancy and spiky humor. While wholly original, Jones’s prose shares literary DNA with Mary Gaitskill, Aimee Bender, and Amy Hempel. Her explorations of sex, sorrow, and wonder are transfixing and brilliant. This is a must-read collection." —Mary Otis, author of Yes, Yes, Cherries “All of the stories speak to some kind of loss, and they range from typical slice of life to surreal fever dream . . . With 28 stories, some just a paragraph long, readers can stay engaged through the entirety of the collection or find their favorites to reread over and over. Short story fans might just discover their new favorite author in this arresting collection, a must-have.” —Library Journal (starred review)

Mary Jones’s work has appeared in Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading, Subtropics, EPOCH, and The Best American Essays, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Originally from upstate New York, she lives in Los Angeles.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781958506622
ISBN 10	1958506621
Title	The Goodbye Process
Author	Mary Jones
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Zibby Books
Year published	2024-07-30
Number of pages	256
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.