Anne Lamott's poignant first novel, reissued in an attractive new edition.Writer (and sometime housecleaner) Jennifer is twenty-three when her beloved father, Wallace, is diagnosed with a brain tumor. This catastrophic discovery sets off Anne Lamott's unexpectedly sweet and funny first novel, which is made dramatic not so much by Wallace's illness as by the emotional wake it sweeps under Jen and her brothers, self-contained Ben and feckless, lovable Randy. With characteristic affection and accuracy, Lamott sketches this offbeat family and their nearest and dearest as they draw ever closer in the intimacy Jen prizes "among the other estimable things: good music, good hard laughter, good sex, good industry, and good books."
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Lovely, Funny, Comforting... my favorite book ever.:
I could not believe some of the negative reviews I read about this book. I normally never write reviews but I had to put in my two cents to counter the negativity. I do believe that this book is not for everyone, but for me, it resonates with such truth and clarity that it makes me smile every time I think of a passage. True, there is less in the way of plots than most books, but the plot that exists is very similar to real life, and the characters are like my own family. It is witty and well-timed, and... more info
Real life just is what it is...:
Ok...so Lamott's approach might be a little "random" here, but I value her candid honesty. Most of us would never get that transparent and reflective about our most important relationships and how what happens in them shapes our lives - not only because of them, but in spite of them. I appreciate how this author lets us see, through her gifted prose, how she thinks and evolves from this very first write to her very latest. She was a disaster waiting to happen, but has much to teach us (further evidenced in... more info
Anne doesn't disappoint:
I'll admit, I'm a huge Anne Lamott fan, but this was the only book of hers that I hadn't read until now (I know, I'm about 20 years late). But I wasn't let down, even though it was her first published novel. I've had my share of family medical scares, including one of my own, and it was amazing at how dead-on Anne illustrates the emotions that people go through in times of crisis. My family is similar to the one in the book, in that we truly exercise the "laughter is the best medicine" mantra. But... more info
She makes me laugh:
I had missed reading this book by Lamott for some reason and when I saw it on the front cover of her new book ordered it to catch up. I am so glad I did as the insights are so fun and even though the material is heavy and my life is "heavy" right now...I find a smile on my face and some laugh outloud moments....I am so glad I ordered the book and dove right into it's story.
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