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Summary: Shame on Anchor Books!
Review: Unsuspecting people will buy this book because it appears to be a memoir of a troubled woman's journey to religious faith. Anchor Books promotes this impression by (a) on the cover, putting the title of the book on a signboard in front of a church -- as if it were the title of a sermon, (b) subtitling the book "Some Thoughts on Faith", (c) on the back of the book, classifying the book as "Memoir/Spirituality" and stating that the book "shows us the myriad ways [Lamott's] faith sustains and guides her", and (d) on the publishing information page, encouraging such card catalogue entries as "1. Lamott, Anne -- Religion" and "3. Christian biography -- United States".This is false packaging. There is very little about religion or spirituality in this book; it is much more about gaining faith in one's self than it is about gaining religious faith. So what is this book? It's part Fran Leibowitz, part Annie Dillard, and great dollops of self-indulgence. If you are looking for a book about faith, spirituality, or religion, then you have come to the wrong place. If you seek an "irreverent" book about growing up drug-addled, having a child without benefit of marriage, being obsessed with hair and cellulite, and how to come to terms with these assorted conditions, then this is your book.
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Summary: Superb Account of one woman's struggle and ultimate victory
Review: An adventure story, beautifully written and hilarious. This is a superb account of one woman's struggle and ultimate victory in finding spirituality, and with it herself. Refreshing frank, Lamott writes for a male audience as well as a female one. Her truths resonate with human frailties, human strengths, and the human comedy. A book you read and then want to buy copies for everyone you know!
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Summary: AN EXCELLENT BOOK TO BE SURE.
Review: I found this to be an excellent book! It helped me in many ways to deal with the illness in my own life. . .If you want to another read a book that goes straight to your heart, read Stolen Moments by Barbara Jeanne Fisher. . .It is a beautiful story of unrequited love. . .for certain the love story of the nineties. I intended to give the book a quick read, but I got so caught up in the story that I couldn't put the book down. From the very beginning, I was fully caught up in the heart-wrenching account of Julie Hunter's battle with lupus and her growing love for Don Lipton. This love, in the face of Julie's impending death, makes for a story that covers the range of human emotions. The touches of humor are great, too, they add some nice contrast and lighten things a bit when emotions are running high. I've never read a book more deserving of being published. It has rare depth. Julie's story will remind your readers that life and love are precious and not to be taken for granted. It has had an impact on me, and for that I'm grateful. Stolen Moments is written with so much sensitivity that it made me want to cry. It is a spellbinder. What terrific writing. Barbara does have an exceptional gift! This book was edited by Lupus specialist Dr. Matt Morrow too, and has the latest information on that disease. ..A perfect gift for someone who started college late in life, fell in love too late in life, is living with any illness, or trying to understand a loved one who is. . .A gift to be cherished forever.
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Summary: The Type of Book You'll Want to Read Again ...
Review: Anne Lamott provides us all with the comforting touchstone that lets us know that we are not alone in this world. She portrays an insight that enables us all to view our own uncertainties and missteps as the necessary precursors to faith, freedom and ultimate happiness. A book that will stay with you long after you have read it.
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Summary: excellent read
Review: Anne's honest self-reflecting is inspirational. This is a great book for anyone who is experiencing a life-struggle. Also a great read for recovering individuals. Thanks Anne.
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Summary: I loved this book!
Review: This is the sort of book that one nibbles at, instead of devouring in great gulps, because there is so much on every page - indeed, in every paragraph. I'm on my second go-round and have moved from yellow hilighter to red pen to mark favorite passages. This will be a colorful read if I can part with it to pass it on to someone else. These "essays" are little glimpses into a very human life and one comes away with - among other mantras - "Thank you, thank you, thank you" for the gift of life and faith.
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Summary: I see the Christianity police have been here....
Review: Almost funnier than this wonderful book by Anne Lamott are the people who claim to be "true" Christians and prove it by picking up a handful of sharp stones to throw (anonymously, of course) TRAVELING MERCIES is powerfully poignant and hilarious - self-deprecating and adroitly drawn stories of a faith that I for one can definitely believe in. Pay no attention to the people who would have been first in line to string up you-know-who a few centuries back. Jealousy is so sad, some people really need to take a few cleansing breaths and perhaps some Sam-e. It's funny, but don't let it get in the way of enjoying this great and pure-hearted book. Annie, I hope you are laughing your head off.
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Summary: I laughed....I cried.
Review: I happened to catch the Rosis show last week and saw this very strange charismatic woman. Annie started to speak and.....she blew me away. I went out and bought the last copy of her book at my local bookstore. Read it in two days. She is everywoman....every person. I took my copy and lent it to a friend with written instructions to pass it on. I want it to get all the way to Anne and have her come and have a cup of tea with me.
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Summary: The best book I have read in a long time.
Review: This is definitely one of the best books I have read in a really long time. Anne Lamott had a great sense of humor and a razor-sharp wit. As someone who is funny, thoughtful, intelligent, well-read, emotional and religious she is a great role model for anyone who struggles with questions of religion and faith.
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Summary: You already know Anne Lamott...
Review: She's that girl you knew back in high school who walked around constantly saying, "I'm so fat," despite being skinnier than nine-tenths of the female population and loudly worrying that she was going to get a B on that French test we took yesterday when everyone knew she was going to get an A. This sort of behavior is nauseating enough in teenagers; in a middle-aged woman, it makes for bad memoirs. Her treatment of Christianity is so superficial in these pages as to be insulting to those of us who believe that God is something other than a Santa Claus who dispenses wishes. This book has little to do with faith; it's mostly a compilation of how the world has somehow wronged Anne Lamott. Perhaps some people find her privileged whine amusing, and I might have looked more kindly on the book if it didn't purport to be about "faith." But there are better memoirs by bulimics out there, and Anne Lamott's sophomoric "humor" gets on my nerves.
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