This book made me feel more normal and stable than my usual method of putting my life into perspective, which is talking a walk down Telegraph in Berkeley. I alternated between amazement, horror, and awe while reading this book. How anyone could emerge from a childhood like that and still be able to string together coherent sentences is a mystery to me.

This is one of my favorite books on writing (and life). I especially like the advice about writing a novel being compared to driving in the dark – you can only see what your headlight illuminate right in front of you, but you can make the whole trip that way. All of Anne Lamott’s non-fiction books are refreshing and honest.

I have been on a travelouge kick the past couple months. Perhaps with the upcoming trip to Alaska I want to boost my appetite for adventure, even though we’re going the cushy route (cruise) and all the adventures will have a guide, I like hearing about other people’s adventures and mishaps. It gives me courage to think maybe I can do it, too.