Unexpectedly moving. My favorite quote: "Forgiveness is giving up all hope of having had a better past." ( )

Shees! I've been reading this book a little bit at a time over lunch and I walk back to the office everyday teary-eyed.Just like other stuff I've read by Lamott, this is irreverent (that may be an understatement), but for folks who appreciate a particular kind of honesty about having a baby, this book will give that in spades. ( )

I enjoyed this humorous, honest chronicling of Anne Lamott's first year of parenthood. It was very interesting to me to read this book out of sequence, to look back at the love and frustration of a new, single parent, already knowing how she struggled through her son's teen years. I first came to know Sam as a complex, almost grown young man and then got to know him as a beautiful baby learning to smile and make his hands obey his will. Long forgotten memories of my first year of motherhood and my amazing babies came back to me thanks to this book. I was most surprised by how deeply Pam's death affected me, since I knew the how and when of her loss from later books. What a tremendous loss for everyone in this touching journal of Sam's first year. ( )

A refreshing and true look at motherhood and it's ups and downs. Anne LaMott does not become instantly saintly as soon as she squirts out her son. She is still selfish, humorous, and struggling with issues that most of us struggle with (excluding addiction, maybe we don't ALL struggle with that). A wonderful read that flies by. ( )

Hilarious and true; one of the very best motherhood memoirs.