All Three Stooges

• All Three Stooges by Erica S Perl on Amazon

Well written, sensitively expressed, yet fun to read, All Three Stooges opens with and later intersperses some backstory leading to a parental suicide, follows up with the impact of Gil's suicide on his sons, his elder son's best friend, the religious community they belong to, and the larger society.

All Three Stooges' basic setting presents middle-class educated adults and their offspring in twenty-first century Maryland and District of Columbia, yet it's clear no one ever really knows how to discuss suicide, has little clue how many details to share with whom, what happens next in the lives of family members. Incorporating Hebrew school classmates' routine study and learning Tuesdays and some of their shenanigans in and out of synagogue reveals individual personalities and brings details to life. It's a religious setting, yet author Erica Perl integrates faith aspects of the characters' lives with their everyday, outside activities in the way biblical religion is supposed to come together into an undivided whole.

The title! Maybe you know about the extensive history of Jewish comedy and comedians? The Bar/Bat Mitzvah kids in the story decide on a celebration of comedy for their class project and benefit. Laughter means hope; hope means there's a future.

In addition to helping me wonder about and grieve even more over a close friend's suicide several years back, this book reminds me (as someone involved in organized religion) now is the time to begin repentance, forgiveness, restitution, redemption of situations in which my behaviors and attitudes haven't been ideal. Also, I love that Perl demonstrates religion as a living practice that helps shape and create righteous, considerate, moral individuals and that benefits all society. In addition, it's cool how synagogue professional staff of rabbis and cantor come across as multi-faceted humans rather than unfortunate stereotypes.

The ARC I received concludes with notes from Erica S. Perl related to her choosing to write a novel about suicide, acknowledgment of people and experiences that helped expand her vision and awareness, and a list of print and digital resources related to suicide, depression, loss, and healing.

• My Amazon Review: Insight-Filled and Helpful