Things in Nature Merely GrowThings in Nature Merely Grow
What it's about
Novelist Yiyun Li and her husband had two sons and lost them both to suicide: Vincent in 2017, at sixteen, and James in 2024, at nineteen. In this short book, written in the months after James's death, Li refuses the usual language of grief, of healing and moving on, and instead tries to describe, as precisely as she can, what it means to live on with a fact that can't be changed or made sense of.
Why it's worth reading
It's among the most honest books ever written about grief, and it won the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir. It won't comfort in the usual ways, but readers who have lost someone often say it made them feel less alone.
You'll love it if you liked
When Breath Becomes Air
The Year of Magical Thinking
Liliana's Invincible Summer: A Sister's Search for JusticeGood to know
It's about the suicide of two children, and it's written plainly. It's under 200 pages but not a quick read emotionally; many readers take it slowly.
By the numbers
- Readers85 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics74 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller9 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #13 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #12 of the 481 new books we rank
- #67 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking, Moving
If you like this, read next
I'm Glad My Mom Died
King: A Life
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival, and Hope in an American CityExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Things in Nature Merely Grow worth reading?
Yes. It's among the most honest books ever written about grief, and it won the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir. It ranks #67 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 88.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Things in Nature Merely Grow about?
Novelist Yiyun Li and her husband had two sons and lost them both to suicide: Vincent in 2017, at sixteen, and James in 2024, at nineteen. In this short book, written in the months after James's death, Li refuses the usual language of grief, of healing and moving on, and instead tries to describe, as precisely as she can, what it means to live on with a fact that can't be changed or made sense of.
How long does it take to read Things in Nature Merely Grow?
About 5 hours (190 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Things in Nature Merely Grow won?
Pulitzer Prize (Memoir) winner (2026).
What should I read after Things in Nature Merely Grow?
If you liked it, try When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion or Liliana's Invincible Summer: A Sister's Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garza.