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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780865472808
ISBN number: 0865472807
Label: North Point Press
Manufacturer: North Point Press
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 304
Printing Date: April 15, 1979
Publishing house: North Point Press
Sale Popularity Level: 141804
Studio: North Point Press
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Product Description:
Anne Lamott's poignant very 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 very 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.'
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Rated by buyers 
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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 gives those of us who sometimes question our sanity an answer: yes, there are others out there like you. The main character, Jen, copes with her father's illness in a very real and human way. All too often characters in books that are faced with a life altering situation such as a father's cancer face it in ways you can never imagine yourself doing: being full of grace, honorable, constantly patient. Jen faces it just the way I would: full of terror, trying to maintain a normal life in the meantime, and with as much humour as she can muster. It is a beautiful story, and I wish I could be friends with the characters. The verses are as comforting to me as a bible is to a devoutly religious person. It reminds me of the good things in life "love, laughter, sex, music and avocados", as one of the characters writes. The sweet, funny interactions between the family members remind me of my own family and give me the urge to call them. The anecdotes seem like something out of my own life, but told with a great deal more humour and perfect timing. I cannot recommend this book enough. It was moving and fun and I re-read it at least once every couple of months. Definitely the best of Anne Lamott's so far. I encourage everyone to read it!
Rated by buyers -
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 very first write to her very latest. She was a disaster waiting to happen, but has much to teach us (further evidenced in her subsequent books) about a God who is there, is not silent, and works with us right where we really live. Her wacky poignant out-of-the-box humour filters for us the tough stuff of real life so we too might look at it more thoughtfully - or so that we might be able to look at it at all."
Rated by buyers -
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 very 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 sometimes you just can't laugh at the face of a horrible disease like cancer ... and sometimes you have to just to survive. That's what this book is all about.
Some people might read this and think, "What was the point?" I read it and thought, "Wow. Anne just gets human emotion and writes about it superbly." This book is basically a commentary about life and death, why bad things happen to good people, etc., told through stories about the family in the book, and it's very autobiographical.
It's not my favorite Lamott book, but it's definitely at the top of the list.
Rated by buyers -
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.
Rated by buyers -
Great light reading for late at night. Some good gems, examples; "I knew by 10 years old that life would be happier if only I were quite stupid and devoutly religious.." or, "Happy work is as gratifying as sex or hard laughter or love or good drugs." Or about boys, "I wonder if they will grow up to be adult males who are led by their penises and wallets, or if, at thirty, they will visit sad friends." And, "Your looks start to go about the time you start growing up, about the time things are starting to gel.."
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