About this title: A journal that covers Lamott's pregnancy at 35 and the birth of her son, Sam, as well as the diagnosis and death of her best friend, Pammy, from cancer.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Date Published: 1994-05-01
ISBN-13:9780449909287ISBN:044990928X
Description: Very Good. Straight, tight, clean, gently used copy. Light tanning around edges. Gift inscription on title page. A whisper of edgewear on covers. All orders processed promptly & carefully. We love books! read more
"My lust for books that are about motherhood has led me to "Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year" by Anne Lamott. This book chronicles the experience of Anne's first year as a new mother. A single mother. Anne wries boldly. Possibly because she did not intend to publish her personal journal. However, I am glad that she did. Her innermost thoughts are right there on the page. Thoughts that all new mothers have but none will admit to. Anne admits these thoughts. She deliciously describes how wonderful and painful motherhood can be. You want to cheer her on, call her to offer advice, and wallow in her self pity. Clearly a skillful writer, Anne manages to develop the characters from her personal life as well as a plot within her journal. Although I shudder at many of her conventional parenting decisions, I still really enjoyed sharing the experience with her. I don't recommend looking to this book for parenting advice but rather when you are in misery and looking for company and comfort as you struggle through your own parenting hurdles."
"This is frequently my go-to book for expecting moms. I guess I should go back and change the tense of the previous sentence to "was." I'd always heard good things about this title, and am not familiar with any book covering similar ground. That said, it's way more focused on the spiritual-and the race of the people in her congregation-for my taste. I picked this up because "Bird by Bird" has been one of my favorite books this year. Lamott had a unique perspective and I really enjoyed her kooky nature. Here, it comes across as bi-polar and self-absorbed. Maybe this is par for the course for new parents, especially someone taking on single parenthood, for which I give her a boat load of credit. Also, as you can see by the rating, it wasn't that I thought it was a bad book, just a bit of a disappointment and somewhat dated (Who is Hoagy Carmichael?)"
"So I've enjoyed everything I've read by this author and have always laughed out loud, had tears come to my eyes, and folded corners to remember certain quotations. This one is even better! I was crying while laughing out loud. She tells the truth about motherhood in all its glorious mess, pain, and delight. It's not just relevant for parents of newborns (although most will feel incredibly understood and relieved) because the glimpses of grace she shares apply to life in general.
"It's so hard to get quiet enough, free enough of the bondage of self, to hear the voice in the whirlwind that Job heard. There's always so much shouting going on in here."
"Little by little I think I'm letting go of believing that I'm in charge, that I'm God's assistant football coach. It's so incredibly hard to let go of one's passion for control. It seems like if you stop managing and controlling, everything will spin off into total pandemonium and it will be all your fault.""
"I don't re-read any author's books like I re-read Anne Lamott's books. When I read her books, I really enjoy being a part of her life through her writing. I've read this book three times now--once when I first bought it, once during my first daughter's first year, and once during my second daughter's first year. Lamott's journal of raising her son Sam during his first year reveals the difficulty of a mother's task. She survives even though she has no husband, battles to stay sober, fights any number of neuroses, fears her dwindling savings, and handles a colicky baby who cries for four hour stretches at a time. I can't help but think, "If she can do it, I can do it!" and it helps me through the tough times of these early days with an infant. If you can't handle extreme anti-Republican sentiments and frequent use of the "f-word", you might want to avoid the book, though! (But I think it would be a shame to miss out on Lamott for that.)"
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
