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Product Description:
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."
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Average Rating : 
Rating :  - 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 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 humor 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 humor 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!
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