“Everything is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss” By Stephanie Wittels Wachs

I would rather go to the dentist than drive a long distance in my car, and this is saying a lot because I do happen to drive quite a fancy car. I find driving very stressful, and one of the things I do to calm my nerves while on the road is to listen to audio books. If the book is truly a great one, I find that when I arrive at my husband Jeff’s house, I do not want to get out of the car. “Everything is Horrible and Wonderful” by Stephanie Wittels Wachs is one of the best car books I have listened to in a long time because it is both tragic and poignant, as well as funny and heartbreaking. Harris Wittels was a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer and musician who died at the age of 30 on February 19, 2015, alone in his home of a heroin overdose. This is his story as told through the eyes of his sister Stephanie, herself an acting teacher and voice-over performer. A writer and executive producer of the television series “Parks and Recreation” as well as the “Sarah Silverman Program,” Harris had found success in Hollywood earlier than most comedy writers could ever dream. Friends with Silverman as well as Aziz Ansari and Amy Poehler, Mr. Wittels had finished work on “Parks and Recreation,” and was starting to launch Ansari’s new series “Master of None,” when he died. His sister uses this book to comb through his story, from his childhood in Houston to his life in Hollywood, looking for answers and meaning. She knew he struggled with drugs, and both she and her parents had championed him through more than one stint in rehab. Yet his true comedic talent was no match against the strength of heroin.  People grieve in many different ways, and I think this honest memoir by a sister for her brother is not only well written, but also very inspiring for people looking for answers on how to handle the death of a loved one. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.