This Is Not the Story You Think It Is: A Summer of Letting Go, Loving from Afar and 21 Jars of Tomato Sauce

When Laura Munson's essay was first published, the New York Times was so flooded with responses that they had to close down the comment feature on their website. Readers sent it to their friends and therapists gave it to their clients. What did Munson write that caused such a fervour Laura detailed what happened when her husband of more than twenty years told her he wasn't sure he loved her anymore and wanted to move out. Laura's response to her I don't buy it. In this poignant and funny memoir, Laura recounts the time her faith in her marriage was put to the test. Shaken to the core after the death of her beloved father, not finding the professional success that she had hoped for, and after much therapy, Laura, aged forty, realised she had to stop basing her happiness on things outside her control and commit to an 'End of Suffering'.

When Laura Munson’s essay appeared in the “Modern Love” column of The New York Times, it created a firestorm. Readers sent it to their friends, therapists gave it to their patients, pastors read it to their congregations. People everywhere were struck by Munson’s wisdom. But how was she able to implement this strategy? How was she able to commit herself to an “End of Suffering” in such a critical time? Poignant, wise, and often exceedingly funny, This Is Not The Story You Think It Is recounts Munson’s journey. Written as she experiences her crisis, moment by moment, sometimes breath by breath, This Is Not The Story You Think It Is is raw and searingly honest in the very best sense. Munson takes listeners by the hand as they embark, together, on a journey – one in which the outcome is not known. Filled with wisdom, truth, and heart – and a great tomato sauce recipe – it is a candid, powerful, and unforgettable memoir.