Rating: 
Summary: One of Lamott's best
Review: I'm a Californian, I'm a writer (Baby Catcher, Scribner 2002), I'm a mother and midwife, and I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Anne Lamott fan - and Operating Instructions is one of Annie's very, very best. With wit, humor, and brutal honesty, she chronicles the pregnancy, birth, and 1st year of her son Sam's life. At the same time, she shares the illness, decline and death of her best friend, Pammy. Written with her usual inimitable and quirky take on Life and populated by her usual quirky cast of characters, Operating Instructions will stand the test of time.
Rating: 
Summary: Hilarious, honest account of emotional frailty and strength
Review: This book is a pleasure to read. Fast, nervous, searching--it's a great reassurance to any woman experiencing the very real demands of pregnancy, childbirth, and mothering. Lamott is a self-confessed non-superwoman--preoccupied with Sam in the early months of his life, it is as much as she can do to brush her teeth, let alone get out of bed. Writing, her life's work? She obviously misses it, but for a few difficult months, even as she is sole-breadwinner for her little family--she just can't get up the energy to do it. The reader knows that she finished this book, that she kept on writing--but the reader also understands that for a certain time period Lamott was paralyzed by her new experience. The book is very obviously adapted from a real journal--prior to Sam's birth, she worries about the fact that he is male. She worries about his alien genitals, and goes for circumcision because it's obviously what she likes in a man, as much as it is for any health reasons. These worries fade once Sam is born, replaced by the reality of colic, poop, and struggle for a balance between "Sam-time" and "Mom-time." It shows Lamott's talent as a writer that this sequential experience of changes in her baby's life comes as a strength, not a weakness.
Rating:
Summary: I have 2 copies!
Review: I wore out my first one, rereading it so often. I read it for the first time while I was pregnant, and have read it again a couple times a year since. I have given it as a gift to new mother friends at least a dozen times, and they have all loved it. Lamott has a magical way with language, a turn of phrase that makes me jealous of her talent. But I love her most for her honesty, that new motherhood is not all sweetness and light - and that on rare occasions one might truly wish to sell the baby to Gypsies and go to sleep for a week. And her willingness to let us into her heart and mind as she deals with the impending death of a dear friend is painful but so touching that it reminds me how much I value those closest to me. You will probably not like this book if you are politically or socially conservative, but readers with an open mind will likely be delighted with Lamott's wry and witty observations on life.
Rating:
Summary: Better than all my girlfriends put together
Review: My mother and my best friend each gave me a copy of this book a week after my daughter was born. I read it as I nursed, savoring each section and not wanting it to end. Since none of my girlfriends were mothers, I felt entirely alone in the world except for Anne Lamott; I depended on her to voice my rage, joy, fear, and love. I wished to God that I'd had a support system like she had. I'll never forget driving to the store a week after my daughter was born; in about 20 minutes, the "jungle drums" that Anne wrote about began pounding in my brain -- gotta get home!!! It was so fresh and real and clear, and helped get me through the most difficult period of my life. Thank you, Anne, from the bottom of my heart.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful book!
Review: My partner bought this book for me just days before our son was born. I read it during the idyllic yet anxious days following his birth. I admit that although I had heard of Anne Lamott, I had never read any of her work. I soon found that I'd been missing out! I am totally in awe of her writing ability and her unflinching honesty about the joys and difficulties of being a new parent. Another reviewer called her writing "self absorbed," but I would strongly disagree with that judgment. I believe it is a gift to know yourself as well as Anne Lamott obviously knows herself. It takes a great deal of courage to bare your soul to the world without fear or embarrassment as Ms. Lamott does in this book. If more people approached life with this kind of self-knowledge and honesty, I think we would all be a lot happier with each other and ourselves. This is a beautiful book, not just for new parents but for all parents. I highly recommend it.
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Summary: A Real-Life Mom
Review: I am the mother of a 3-year-old son. I remember thinking I was the only mother who was going crazy, the only one who didn't crave having a child, immediately bond with him, and then effortlessly know exactly what to do. I read magazine articles by women who loved the smell of their babies. I saw ads with peaceful, serene mothers sleeping with perfect babies. Anne Lamott gives us a little more reality -- the happiness and joy along with the conflicting feelings on bad days. Wonderfully refreshing! Thanks, Anne.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious, touching--never schmultzy--look at a single mom
Review: If you're in the mood for a joyous celebration of the birth of a newborn--and the sometimes hilarious, sometimes frustrating, always life-changing aftermath--Operating Instructions will be a delightful read. Written as a daily journal, it takes a brutally honest look at the good, the bad, the ugly and the scary of pregnancy and single parenting. You'll truly appreciate Anne's candid discussions about her paranoid pre-motherhood thoughts, her joy at the discovery of little things her son can do, her fear and frustration of feeling alone and exhausted with an infant who won't stop crying, and the disbelief brought on by the sudden news that her lifelong friend has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer.
This book will make you laugh, and make you think about what's really important in life...without being schmultzy. Recommended for all parents-to-be, people thinking about becoming parents, or just for anyone who appreciates the excitement a new child can bring into a life.
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Summary: A Five Star Mother
Review: I absolutely loved this book!! It was so sweet, and yet so honest that you almost felt like you were going through the first year of motherhood with the author. Sam is a lucky little boy to have Anne for a mommy.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read For New Moms
Review: A friend sent me this book when I was pregnant, but I didn't get around to reading it until after my son was born. I have savored each and every little bit of reading I've been able to fit in between feedings and sleeping. I am sad that I've finished it, so I've started reading it again! Like most new moms, it's nice to get reassurance that you're not the only one feeling like you're losing your marbles. It's also nice to know we are having the same thoughts. I pray every night that the universe takes care of my son. I'm frightened to death some stupid teenager is going to run him over, I'm frightened of all of the things I have no control over. Anne has a way of taking all of the fears and spinning them with such wit and humor, I found myself laughing at the absurdity of it all! This book has helped me cope with those dark fears.
Rating:
Summary: For those who are expecting... an unexpected treat
Review: My mother gave me this book recently, when I learned I was pregnant. I really enjoyed it, although some parts of it alarmed me (especially Lamott's description of her baby's months of colicky, sleepless nights).
(...) She is unflinchingly honest about both the highs and lows of motherhood. There's nothing sentimental or sappy about this book, yet she makes it clear that she considers her (unplanned) pregnancy to be the greatest blessing of her life. It made me more excited about having my baby... and reassured me that even oddballs like myself can make good mothers.
I don't think you have to be a mother or mom-to-be to enjoy this book, but it probably helps. And it's definitely not a good choice if you're at all prudish or conservative. Otherwise, though-- highly recommended. Guaranteed to bring you lots of laughs and a least one good cry.
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