Scan barcode
scarletohhara's review
4.0
How can someone put such simple words together and weave magic? And tug at your heartstrings? And make you think of all the good things in life even in the middle of a sad story? And make you miss all your friends at once? And make you think of your parents very fondly?
All, while being a clearly flawed yet a very honest person, making you want to admit your flaws, chuckle at the not-so-good-to-feel thoughts at other people and make amends with all those you've been angry at?
Surely, it has to be a remarkable person who is able to write something this honest, refreshing, nostalgic and adorable a book, no?
Yes, am in love with Lamott and this will be an affair to remember.
All, while being a clearly flawed yet a very honest person, making you want to admit your flaws, chuckle at the not-so-good-to-feel thoughts at other people and make amends with all those you've been angry at?
Surely, it has to be a remarkable person who is able to write something this honest, refreshing, nostalgic and adorable a book, no?
Yes, am in love with Lamott and this will be an affair to remember.
mattlanta404's review
4.0
Solid essays overall. Not as together of a book and I am curious to check out her earlier stuff to see if I like it even more.
I love her perspective and so it was good to finally see what she was like. Had been meaning to read her for a while. She keeps it real and has some good honest thoughts.
I love her perspective and so it was good to finally see what she was like. Had been meaning to read her for a while. She keeps it real and has some good honest thoughts.
faerieminstrel's review against another edition
5.0
This book made me feel like I am not alone, that the way I see the world maybe isn’t so crazy and unique in the bad way. Anne Lamott gives me comfort, and laughter, and a feeling of companionship. If the roughness of things is getting to you lately, you should probably read this book. Or listen to it, because Lamott’s delivery really does make some of these essays even better.
lokroma's review
2.0
I'm usually a big Lamott fan, but here she often tries to be too cute and over the top Christian for my taste. Perhaps because the book is older and not as nuanced as her later books.
kamckim's review
3.0
Enjoyable memoir, but I just couldn't get through all of them in one go. The subtitle, "Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace," is fitting. The stories are at once humorous and profound. They will especially resonate with Christians who feel at times on the fringes of their faith. It's a work to come back to from time to time, maybe as a devotional study, as these stories are spiritual without being dogmatic.
trishadenise's review
4.0
"Don't get me wrong, grief sucks, it really does. Unfortunately, though, avoiding it robs us of life, of the now, of a sense of living spirit. Mostly I have tried to avoid it by staying very busy, working too hard, achieving as much as possible. You can often avoid the pain by trying to fix other people; shopping helps in a pinch, as does romantic obsession. Martyrdom can't be beat.
...The bad news is that whatever you use to keep the pain at bay robs you of the flecks and nuggets of gold that feeling grief will give you. A fixation can keep you nicely defined and give you the illusion that your life has not fallen apart. But since your life may indeed have fallen apart, the illusion won't hold up forever, and if you are lucky and brave, you will want to bear disillusion. You begin to cry and writhe and yell and then to keep on crying; and finally, grief ends up giving you the two best gifts: softness and illumination."
I didn't mean to read this on the 5th anniversary of my mother's death, but it happened to be next on my list and so I dove in without anticipating the content. I did not expect "spotting improbable moments of grace" to be so grounded in periods of grief, but it was a common thread throughout the essays.
Some parts, like the excerpt above, articulated precisely what I have spent five years learning. Others inspired me to soaring gratitude or rueful motivation.
Lamott's frank, funny, insightful writing, along with her skill for crafting uncannily apt metaphors, will always keep me coming back.
...The bad news is that whatever you use to keep the pain at bay robs you of the flecks and nuggets of gold that feeling grief will give you. A fixation can keep you nicely defined and give you the illusion that your life has not fallen apart. But since your life may indeed have fallen apart, the illusion won't hold up forever, and if you are lucky and brave, you will want to bear disillusion. You begin to cry and writhe and yell and then to keep on crying; and finally, grief ends up giving you the two best gifts: softness and illumination."
I didn't mean to read this on the 5th anniversary of my mother's death, but it happened to be next on my list and so I dove in without anticipating the content. I did not expect "spotting improbable moments of grace" to be so grounded in periods of grief, but it was a common thread throughout the essays.
Some parts, like the excerpt above, articulated precisely what I have spent five years learning. Others inspired me to soaring gratitude or rueful motivation.
Lamott's frank, funny, insightful writing, along with her skill for crafting uncannily apt metaphors, will always keep me coming back.
jlemke26's review
5.0
I am a little obsessed with this author--I love all her nonfiction! Another great read!