Old Friends and Other Broken Things by Leah Cohen is a thought-provoking collection of short stories. The titular Old Friends is about George, an insufferable aspiring author and artist, being visited by Alex, a friend he has not seen in eleven years. Their reunion highlights how emotional intelligence and prejudice shape friendships over time. All the stories are heavily character-driven. The other 'broken things' in the title seem to refer to tumultuous but important relationships. In Carnival of Limbs, Mr. and Mrs. Maus, Bernard at 50, and Embryo, the author highlights broken marriages. Visiting Speaker and Bookworm feature the same main character – Samantha Wildwood, an intriguing free spirit who defies society’s rules. In addition to the stories, Cohen added a bonus piece, specifically a comedic poem titled Audition for Divorce.

Leah Cohen’s Old Friends and Other Broken Things is an interesting read. I really liked how every story opens with a black-and-white picture that highlights an important theme in the story. The plots were all very intriguing to me. I enjoyed how easily I could connect and invest emotionally in most of the main characters. Some of them I disliked, some I really liked, and others I wanted to hug. Cohen’s work made me laugh and cry. I especially related to Susan’s workplace anxiety in Sharpen Up. Also, I strongly relate to the American Jew living and working in London, as someone who has been an immigrant worker myself. I highly recommend Old Friends and Other Broken Things by Leah Cohen to all readers.

Old Friends and Other Broken Things by Leah Cohen is a compilation of short stories that deal with the emotional and psychological effects of life and being in fragile relationships. In Old Friends, George, an artist, reunites with his old university friend Alex, and their meeting leads to an exploration of past failures and what success is all about. Carnival of Limbs is about Sheila, a woman who is stuck in a stale marriage. Crazy Joe is about a woman who becomes concerned about her mother's relationship with an abusive man. Meanwhile, Pigeon Holed centers on Marvin, a man caught between his dreary office life and his suffocating relationship. Mr. and Mrs. Maus experience a dramatic deterioration in their relationship after Mr. Maus’s promotion, a rebellious young woman disrupts a high-class literary society meeting, and an American expatriate struggles with loneliness in London. Bernard finds himself caught between desire and responsibility. Samantha, a woman who has been divorced multiple times and has had many life experiences, keeps chasing dreams, and Brian faces the harsh realities of debt collection in impoverished neighborhoods. Reflect on all these stories and more tales of childhood trauma, domestic stress, and work stress.

Old Friends and Other Broken Things is a collection that will make you think of the decisions we make and how they affect us and those around us. The characters Leah Cohen has created are people we know; we see them in our homes, at work, and in our communities. Readers will feel the pain of an exhausted housewife, a child who misses their mother, and a woman who gets lost in trying to find herself. The stories explore various universal themes, including loneliness, denial, and identity. I enjoyed that every story deals with a common, everyday experience, but puts a spin on it that will cause you to look at it from a different angle. The way the author builds the drama and characters will get you invested in their struggles and relationships. At their core, the stories show how societal pressures take people to their breaking point and how obsessing over purpose and identity can make you lose authenticity and prevent you from living in the present. Overall, this is an interesting collection, and I am glad I read this book and learned vital lessons from these characters.