With or Without You: A Memoir

NEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLER•NAMEDONEOFTHETENBESTNONFICTIONBOOKSOFTHEYEARBYENTERTAINMENTWEEKLYAhaunting,unforgettablemother-daughterstoryforanewgeneration—thedebutofablazingnewlyricalvoiceDomenicaRutagrewupinaworking-class,unforgivingtownnorthofBoston,inatrash-filledhouseonadead-endroadsurroundedbyariverandasaltmarsh.Hermother,Kathi,anotoriouslocalfigure,wasadrugaddictandsometimesdealerwhoselifeswungbetweenwelfareandriches,andwhosehighbrowtastewasatoddswithherhardscrabblelife.Andyetshemanaged,despitethechaosshecreated,toinstillinherdaughteraloveofstories.KathifrequentlykeptDomenicahomefromschooltowatchsuchclassicsastheGodfathermoviesandeverythingbyMartinScorseseandWoodyAllen,tellingher,“Thisismoreimportant.Ipromise.You’llthankmelater.”Anddespitethefactthattherewasnotabooktobefoundinherhousehold,Domenicadevelopedaloveofreading,whichhelpedherbelievethatshecouldtranscendthislifeofundyinggrudges,self-inflictedmisfortune,andthecrookedmoralcodethatKathiandhercohortslivedby.WithorWithoutYouisthestoryofDomenicaRuta’sunconventionalcomingofage—adarklyhilariouschronicleofamisfit’90syouthandthenecessaryandpainfulactofbreakingaway,andofovercomingherownaddictionsanddemonsintheprocess.Inabrilliantstylisticfeat,Rutahaswrittenapowerful,inspiring,compulsivelyreadable,andfinallyredemptivestoryaboutlovingandleaving.PraiseforWithorWithoutYou“Aluminous,layeredaccomplishment.”—TheNewYorkTimesBookReview“Asingularnewcoming-of-agememoirtracesonegirl’stwistingpathupfrommeanstreets(andparents)tothereflectivelifeofawriter....Theburgeoningcanonofliterarymemoir...begetsanotherwinnerinDomenicaRuta’ssearingWithorWithoutYou....[A]gloriouslygutsymemory-work.”—Elle“Stunning...comesacrossasableaker,funnier,R-ratedversionofTheGlassCastleandmarksthearrivalofablazingnewvoiceinliterature.”—EntertainmentWeekly“Valiantandheartbreaking.”—Bust“Powerful...Rutafoundanunconventionalvoice,ascarygoodmixtureoferuditionandhardenedstreetsmarts.Herwritingisalso,astheysayinDanvers,wickedfunny—thoughinhercasewickedismoreanadjectivethananintensifier....[WithorWithoutYou]humswithjangledenergyandbristleswithsharpedges....Rutawriteswithunflinchinghonesty.”—Slate“Bracinglyfunnyandpoignant.”—TheBostonGlobe“Exceedinglypowerful.”—Booklist,