Still Life With Remorse

Pick it up: If you love visual storytelling (if this is your first encounter with Maira Kalman, we assure you, you will fall in love with her work). If you generally enjoy memoirs that blend family history and cultural exploration. If you want a unique lens through which to reflect on the human condition.

In this memoir in Words and Paintings, Kalman blends her signature whimsical paintings with introspective prose, creating a visually and emotionally rich narrative. The book is a collection of vignettes, reflections, and observations, woven together by Kalman's distinctive art. Kalman's paintings often feature everyday objects, from shoes and hats to furniture and flower, which are rich with symbolic meaning. The book is less a linear narrative and more a series of contemplative explorations, inviting readers to join Kalman on her personal journey.