Rating: 
Summary: An unedited, simplistic journey of faith
Review: Anne Lamott shares with us her haphazard stumble upon faith. A simplistic honest example of her struggle with her own self-reliance and eventually her release of her life to God. She points out that the beauty in life is also found in the most unexpected of places. "There are two things in life that pierce the human heart: beauty and affliction." You can't experience one without the other. A great exploration of the human soul.
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Summary: A conversion like no other.
Review: Since the time of my own conversion experience - at age 38 - I have had a special place in my heart for others with similar experiences and Lamott's is one of the most beautifully described conversions I have ever read. A week after an abortion she finds herself one night, drunk and losing lots of blood. She's terrified and when the bleeding finally stops she turns off the light and tries to go to sleep only to become aware of someone in the room with her - first assuming it was her [dead] father. She turns on the light to find, of course, no one in the room. "But after a while in the dark again, I knew beyond any doubt it was Jesus. ... And I was appalled. I thought about my life and my brillant hilarious progressive friends. I thought about what everyone would think of me if I became a Christian, and it seemed an utterly impossible thing that simply could not be allowed to happen. I turned to the wall and said out loud, 'I would rather die.' I felt him sitting there on his haunches in the corner of my sleeping loft, watching me with patience and love, and I squinched my eyes shut, but that didn't help because that's not what I was seeing him with."Thanks be to God.
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Summary: Only for those with a wry sense of humor
Review: I can't fault this book, only praise it. For who else has written in such a unique way about a faith journey? Lamott makes it real (for someone of her age [middle-aged] and from a definitely Californian point of view.) But, her observations and the way she writes about them are universal. And funny. If you can't laugh at yourself, your foibles, and even at God, don't read this--you'll start feeling self-righteous and will be quickly entering a "how dare she?" review. You will, of course, have totally missed the point. Everyone can learn something about the way LIFE has a sneaky way of surfacing painful and joyous memories and feelings. These emotions are triggered by life's details, which Lamott expertly captures. She finds the most unassuming triggers to release a flood of feelings about various topics. The stories she tells are God-given, precious moments. Perhaps we don't "see" these moments and reflect on them enough in our lives. Is that why Lamott touches us? Thankfully, she remind us that they are there. Read and savor this book, if you are open to what makes someone an imperfect person--and a Christian.
Rating: 
Summary: Conflicted
Review: This book has some amazingly well written passages, especially the one that describes her father's condition at the end of his life. I am a writer and a follower of Christ, so this book left me conflicted as to what to think of it because of how flippant she is with the name of Jesus. At one point she talks about wondering if Jesus would want to drink a bottle of gin, and although there are probably a lot of you reading this who think "So what?", it really angered me that she claimed to be a follower of Christ but then threw his name around in disregard. She also says that she supports abortion theoretically and politically, and again if she is a true follower of Christ she would know how much he loves children and would never want to harm them, no matter how young they may be. There were several passages in this book that really inspired me to write, but all in all in this book she really is centered on herself to a fault.
Rating:
Summary: Faith - A Thing of Beauty, Often Unrecognized
Review: Anne Lamotte has given us a book about faith that is greater than any I've ever read. She shows us how her faith grew through the drawing into a community of an alcoholic and drug addicted young lady with dreadlocks. She shows us that people of faith are humans with all the flaws of humans, and that there is not "miraculous event" that occurs to "cure" all out ills or our sinful nature and actions. As a person suffering from depression and alcohol addiction recovery, and struggling with my faith and my relation to God and his or her relation to me, I find myself seeing visions though the words of this wonderful woman that I've never seen before. Those visions are helping me to find my way back to a path of emotional and faithful contentment. Thank you Anne Lamotte for your ragged and blatent honesty! If more people would be so honest, the world and the church would be a better place.
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Summary: Far Under Par
Review: I was told by a classmate that this book was inspirational, funny, and a great read. Also, former raving reviews caused me to buy it. However, I was very disappointed and did not even finish the whole text because I couldn't stand one more cheesy metaphor about her haphazardous life.
Rating:
Summary: more than we deserve to know about Anne Lamott
Review: In this quirky insightful memoir, Lamott reveals a remarkable range of emotional aptitude. Ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime, her spiritual flounderings might be amusing were it not for the deeply painful or exuberantly gratifying circumstances under which her understanding of her place in the universe steadily evolves. Anne Lamott is a mother who prays. She says, "Here are the two best prayers I know:"Help me, help me, help me," and "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She then tells us that ,"A woman I know says, for her morning prayer, "Whatever," and then for the evening, "Oh, well,".........When all of the theology and dogma are rinsed from the muddied waters of religion, those four prayers (help me, thank you, whatever, and oh, well) will be visible in the sands below for anyone snorkeling by to celebrate. Funky faith stories whose author courageously tells us more than we deserve to know about Anne Lamott will continue to circulate this book from one spiritual seeker to another.
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Summary: Honest, Unpretentious, & Unabashadly Unorthodox
Review: I like The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's description of Lamott best (perhaps because Lewis is my favorite author and, furthermore, because I agree with them): "Compares with the witty and moving Christian apologetics of C.S. Lewis....[A] fine writer who combines theology with humor, compassion, and practicality." Undergirding the nononsense sort of faith that a new era demands, Lamott proudly and profusely shares her experience of knowing God and trusting Him. Her irreverent reverie is reminiscent of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. It is an autobiographical collection of prose that demands a more God-centered approach to faith and life. She is both honest, unpretentious, and unabashadly unorthodox; And, she is as true or moreso to the essence of Christ's call and nature as the most apostolic of believers.
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Summary: Religion not a pre-requisite
Review: What a neat little book! Lamott's charming account of her experiences in finding and living the Christian faith is neither too preachy nor too flippant. She simply tells her story in her own voice. And, that voice is often hysterically funny, occasionally poignant and sometimes shocking. But, it is always honest. To those of you who have complained that the book is self-obsessed, what did you expect? Of course it's self-obsessed; it *is* a memoir for pete's sake! You don't have to be born again, or even very religious (I'm neither) to enjoy this book. Begin it with an open mind, you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: the road less travelled
Review: this is an amazing book; riot funny and knife twisting painful at the same time, written in a "no water being tread" pace that leaves you breathless. I read it in one sitting and promptly bought four copies to "distribute". It is a true lesson in faith, an illustration of a workable, compassionate relationship with God, and an assurance that, yes, everything will be alright....
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