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33rd out of 124 books
—
90 voters
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life
by
Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Goodreads Author)
If you're looking for quotes from newspapers and magazines, NPR, book reviews, endorsements from thousands of readers and bloggers, google Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life and just see for yourself how people everywhere are responding to this book.
In Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, Amy Krouse Rosenthal has ingeniously adapted the centuries-old format of the encyclopedia...more
In Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, Amy Krouse Rosenthal has ingeniously adapted the centuries-old format of the encyclopedia...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
December 6th 2005
by Broadway
(first published January 1st 2005)
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10/6--Kim, are you out there? Are you listening?
You're Amy Krouse Rosenthal, aren't you?
Me, too!!!
10/10--In a brief half hour of stillness, I open my book. And my breath is stolen by the entry on Dying. A sudden snap, and life as we know it is over. And not so much by our own death, but by the death of someone we love or of someone we don't even know. This entry tells me that Amy Krouse Rosenthal has a hole in her heart that can't be filled by all the funny encyclopedia entries in the world, no...more
You're Amy Krouse Rosenthal, aren't you?
Me, too!!!
10/10--In a brief half hour of stillness, I open my book. And my breath is stolen by the entry on Dying. A sudden snap, and life as we know it is over. And not so much by our own death, but by the death of someone we love or of someone we don't even know. This entry tells me that Amy Krouse Rosenthal has a hole in her heart that can't be filled by all the funny encyclopedia entries in the world, no...more
I was listening to NPR one rainy day in my car and there was, I think, a This American Life segment that mentioned this and it stuck... Amy Rosenthal gets it. And I hate her for it. I hate her and I love her. I should BE her… but that would require motivation and inspiration and for me to go back six years and kick her butt into NOT writing this so that I could.
Just from the cover… ’I have not survived against all odds. I have not lived to tell. I have not witnessed the extraordinary. This is my...more
amy krouse rosenthal writes with the exact same flair and random brilliance as every single one of my friends -- perhaps why this book wasn't as unusual and unique as i expected. though there were some passages i was compelled to read aloud to anyone who'd listen, i mostly had the nagging feeling that i already know amy from somewhere, maybe chicago where i too grew up. she mentions names of people i'm familiar with like greg allen of the neo-futurists, and the whole concept and brevity of the c...more
I rarely give a book a perfect 10 on the ratings scale, but I have to do so in this case. It’s not that the book itself is perfect, nor the author extremely engaging in her own right, but I found the experience of reading it to be a magical one. I was thoroughly inspired at every sitting, my creativity just bursting upon reading each entry. I want to create an encyclopedia of my own life! And for that boost I applaud Rosenthal. I am viewing my world with new eyes and a notepad in hand. No other...more
This small book is Amy Krouse Rosenthal's commentary on life, specifically hers, organized alphabetically. Which means it's all about Amy.
It was OK. I'm not complaining about her writing skills; she has nothing to blush for. But the book itself--the content--did not work for me.
There were a few times where I said Yes! That is exactly how I feel! But mostly it was a study in not-like-ness. Oh, there were a few times when I said Ewww! or (eyebrows raised, eyes half-closed, mouth scrunched up) You...more
It was OK. I'm not complaining about her writing skills; she has nothing to blush for. But the book itself--the content--did not work for me.
There were a few times where I said Yes! That is exactly how I feel! But mostly it was a study in not-like-ness. Oh, there were a few times when I said Ewww! or (eyebrows raised, eyes half-closed, mouth scrunched up) You...more
I discovered this author through her children's books, which display her sense of humor. In this book, she shows us her truly unique take on the world with Seinfeld-like observations.
As she says in the foreword, "I was not abused, abandoned or locked up as a child. My parents were not alcoholics, nor were they ever divorced or dead. I am not a misunderstood genius, a former child celebrity, or the child of a celebrity. I am not a drug addict, a sex addict, or recovered anything. If I indeed had...more
As she says in the foreword, "I was not abused, abandoned or locked up as a child. My parents were not alcoholics, nor were they ever divorced or dead. I am not a misunderstood genius, a former child celebrity, or the child of a celebrity. I am not a drug addict, a sex addict, or recovered anything. If I indeed had...more
Nov 18, 2008
Ciara
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
boring people, boring people who think they're interesting because they're privileged & sheltered
Shelves:
autobio-memoir,
read-in-2008
i don't know why i read this. i am annoyed by people who claim to have had "ordinary" lives due to the fact that they aren't abuse survivors or homeless or drug addicts or whatever. hey jerks, newsflash: living through a bunch of really difficult consitions & situations doesn't make a person "interesting," & having been nestled in the bosom of everything that is ozzie-&-harriet white bread middle-class american dream americana doesn't make a person "ordinary". it's pretty fucking EXT...more
i LOVE this book! I cannot emphasize that enough- it is one of my all-time favorites and earns a rarely awarded 5th star. At once light-hearted and insightful, this innovative concept had me giggling all the time. This seemingly simple book left me feeling unified, part of a whole I didn't know existed, and completely identifying with Rosenthal, the author. The small, though not insignificant details of her 'Ordinary Life' illustrate humanity in a touching, real and endearing way. In my opinion,...more
Are you a person who loves reading, but doesn't particularly enjoy reading memoirs? If so, then Amy Krouse Rosenthal's Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life is for you. The best way I can describe it is as a non-memoir memoir. Her life organized as an encyclopedia, starting with A for Amy and ending with Y for You (Z is just a blank page). The alphabetized anecdotes are laugh-out-loud funny at times, poignant at other times, and thoughtful throughout. Whenever I re-read the book (which is great becau...more
THINK OF IT, WHY DIDN'T I
This book's conceit is rather novel. Clever author creates own encyclopedia of everyday things, dropping in her own thoughts on same. It seems easy. It seems to reward anyone willing to keep a journal. It seems it's too late to try the same trick, now that it's been ruined.
VOICE
This book has this in spades because boy, howdy, if you don't know Amy Krouse Rosenthal's every little notion by the end, you're thicker than Jimmy Hoffa's last pair of cement shoes.
AGREEMENT
Many...more
This book's conceit is rather novel. Clever author creates own encyclopedia of everyday things, dropping in her own thoughts on same. It seems easy. It seems to reward anyone willing to keep a journal. It seems it's too late to try the same trick, now that it's been ruined.
VOICE
This book has this in spades because boy, howdy, if you don't know Amy Krouse Rosenthal's every little notion by the end, you're thicker than Jimmy Hoffa's last pair of cement shoes.
AGREEMENT
Many...more
I just finished reading "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. It took me awhile to understand the format because it literally IS written like an encyclopedia but then it hit me. Hey! This is just like a bunch of blog entries in one book! In some senses, I totally related to her such as under the entry of LOVE: "If you really love someone, you want to know what they ate for lunch or dinner without you." I was cracking up as I read this because every single day when Matt gets...more
Amy is very creative - I loved her idea (and follow-through experiment) of leaving some spare change in different locations with a note and a postcard: The note said something like, "You don't have to leave your name, but if you could, please just let me know something about how you spent the money." And the already-stamped postcards were left along with the money and note. Want to know what kind of feedback Amy got? Read the book!
Also, if you like "coincidences," you'll enjoy many snippets of...more
Also, if you like "coincidences," you'll enjoy many snippets of...more
I read this book before, maybe four years ago, and just loved it. The encyclopedia form fascinated me, and I liked learning about the author through the various entries. As I was reading this time, there would be a description or an anecdote that I realized I'd been carrying with me since the first time I read the book.
But this time, however, the book felt a little too self-gratuitous. Maybe this is because I read the entire thing in a day this time, but I found myself carrying less and less, an...more
But this time, however, the book felt a little too self-gratuitous. Maybe this is because I read the entire thing in a day this time, but I found myself carrying less and less, an...more
The remarkable thing about this unique autobiography is that the author's life has been mostly unremarkable. Krouse details her life, opinions and pet peeves in authoritative encyclopedia-style entries about such subjects as flight habits, strawberries, gloves, fears, and more, prefaced by a chronology covering birth to book publication.
Rosenthal has a clever spin on the world that is often humorous, but sometimes it seems a little forced. My favorite entries are about not being able to catch a...more
Rosenthal has a clever spin on the world that is often humorous, but sometimes it seems a little forced. My favorite entries are about not being able to catch a...more
I love most non-fiction books about ordinary life and common experiences. I did not like this book.
How do writers like Annie Dillard and Geoff Dyer make ordinary events extraordinary? Through detailed observation, through top-shelf writing, and through thoughtful analysis. How did Amy Krouse Rosenthal attempt to make ordinary events extra ordinary? Through gimmicks. Lots of gimmicks. From the format to the picture to the concept to the marketing to the book jacket: gimmicks. I can take one gimm...more
How do writers like Annie Dillard and Geoff Dyer make ordinary events extraordinary? Through detailed observation, through top-shelf writing, and through thoughtful analysis. How did Amy Krouse Rosenthal attempt to make ordinary events extra ordinary? Through gimmicks. Lots of gimmicks. From the format to the picture to the concept to the marketing to the book jacket: gimmicks. I can take one gimm...more
I love Amy Krouse Rosenthal's books for children (Little Pea, This Plus That, Yes Day!) so when I heard she'd written something for adults, I was intrigued. This book has a lot in common with her "Cookie" books of bite-sized lessons, because it is a life in bite-sized pieces. Not a complete portrait, with every inch of canvas filled in, but an appealing sketch of her life. Mostly consisting of random thoughts, pet peeves, loves, and memories, at various times while reading I said to myself, "yes...more
Who suggested this book to me? Thank you, whoever you are! This book was just so wonderful. The author is a woman who wanted to write a kind of memoir but didn't really like the traditional style, so it is instead written as lists, timelines, and a series of alphabetical topics.
Reading this book made me so happy because I felt like I was sitting down and spending time with friends and family. The section on magazines made me think of Leeann. The lists and the author's love of puns and wordplay...more
Reading this book made me so happy because I felt like I was sitting down and spending time with friends and family. The section on magazines made me think of Leeann. The lists and the author's love of puns and wordplay...more
Jan 29, 2011
Megan
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
favorites,
non-fiction,
original,
unique,
2005,
female-author,
underappreciated,
must-buy,
thank-god-for-this-book
Memoirs have been the hot thing for a while now and it seems as if they are all trying to one up the other. "I divorced my husband and traveled to India, Bali, and Italy and found myself AND a new husband!" "Well, I cooked every one of Julia Child's recipes for a whole year!" "Well, I was stranded with my arm chopped under a boulder for days and I finally decided to amputate it myself!" (Can you guess the books?) Although I'm poking fun at them, I truly enjoyed all of these books. They inspire y...more
Look! I finished reading a grown-up book! Of course it is by an author who writes kids books, including one of my favorites, Little Pea, but still... I found my way to this book via a blog and then to her youtube videos about her project for 8-8-08, which was amazing and inspiring and you should totally watch. And THEN I realized she wrote Little Pea! This is kind of like a memoir but set up with encyclopedia entries, so lots of random stuff - some funny, some beautiful, some poignant, some goof...more
Amy Rosenthal has sought to capture everyday life for our lifetime...and magnificently succeeded. Structurally, it's organized alphabetically, just like a proper encyclopedia. I laughed out loud on the very first page and on the very last page and probably about a hundred times in between those. Much like ordinary life itself, the book is lighthearted and poignant and thoughtful all at once. I'd like to buy a copy to keep out for guests to read, because you can flip to any section and be delight...more
An extra star for originality. Rosenthal says often that she doesn't like to read fiction, and she's created a very interesting memoir here. Her power as a writer, an observer and chronicler of an 'ordinary life' make the novelty of the material work...This is literally an encyclopedia...an incomplete one...a spotty one. Her title says it all...
I liked the tables, the lists, the chronologies. I liked the illustrations...But I don't feel like I know much about Rosenthal now that I'm finished. Her...more
I liked the tables, the lists, the chronologies. I liked the illustrations...But I don't feel like I know much about Rosenthal now that I'm finished. Her...more
I love books that attempt to try something new. This is one of those books. Rosenthal writes snippets of her life that are categorized around entries that could be found straight from Britannica. Some entries detail list-like favorites of her past, while others are more serious and detail particular moments of her life. She claims that she lived an ordinary life and had nothing special happen to her. She was not a drug addict, her parents never divorced and she never got into any major wrecks. A...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the writing style and layout. The author basically gives you exactly what the title says, a memoir of her life in an encyclopedic (is that a word?) structure. I'm drawn to these kinds of books (like books told in poems, that kind of thing) and this one did not disappoint. It was one of those titles you can pick up and put down without feeling totally lost about where you left off. I had so many moments where I said, "that's my life" or "I know exactly h...more
What an interesting way to write a memoir/semi biography. Rosenthal's encyclopedia can be intensely personal (such as in The Orientation) to incredibly relatable (see Slow/Fast). The fantastic Forward sets the tone right away explaining that her life has been intensely ordinary almost challenging you to find a reason to read the book. It is then set up like an encyclopedia with entries in alphabetical order that give glimpses into her very normal life. Some of the entries are mundane or make you...more
Until I read this book, Amy Krouse Rosenthal was known to me only as a children's book author (the really funny, talented author of such gems as Duck! Rabbit! and Little Oink). When I found out she'd written a book for adults, I thought it would probably be as irreverent, amusing and creative as her books for young people. I was right!
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life is unlike most other memoirs. It's a reference book about Amy's existence made up of very short entries of completely random Amy-r...more
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life is unlike most other memoirs. It's a reference book about Amy's existence made up of very short entries of completely random Amy-r...more
From the time I read early, skeletal versions of the entries in the book, to the time I heard bits of it read aloud by the author, to the time I finally got my own copy of the whole thing, I've been enchanted with this lovely little book. Every time I return to it, I like it more.
I adored this book and I've been writing this review in my head for days, but I do not think it will appeal to everyone. Instead of writing why I loved it, I think it is best to describe the type of reader to which this will appeal. First, AKR is the author of 'Duck, Rabbit' a quirky, hilarious, charming children's book. So this book will appeal to adults who like to read children's books and are themselves quirky, hilarious and charming. Also creative. Adults whose favorite movie is 'Amelie' wi...more
I love this idea for a memoir--I am going to start making my own encyclopedia, actually. Rosenthal has become one of my favorite writers--she wrote two of our favorite children's books. In Encyclopedia, she makes observations about herself and the world. I also loved reading a book by a woman who's happily married, has three children, and works as a writer--I think I needed her example right now.
A fun, quick read, and an inspiring idea for anyone who wants to start a journal or memoir.
update: I...more
A fun, quick read, and an inspiring idea for anyone who wants to start a journal or memoir.
update: I...more
I LOVED this book at first, and gave it a preliminary 5 stars. I loved that the author shares some of my crazy minor neuroses, things that I'd never think to tell anyone. (Example: when at a concert and the band invites you to clap along, I become completely obsessed with my clapping, I worry that I'm clapping too quickly, too long, too loud ... I can't enjoy the song.) But after a while, I kind of started to not really like the author any more - obviously, a memoir-type book is going to be all-...more
I love her picture book Little Pea. I read it for the first time during my storytime. She is funny. So when I saw that she did a book a book of life and everyday observations I jumped right in. Made me laugh at loud at some of the enteries and then some of them made me ponder. Loved to find out how she eats potato chips (thought that I was the only one in search of the "perfect" chip inside the bag! Weeped when she entered the meaning of profound and ended with Pueblo verse:
Hold on to what is go...more
Hold on to what is go...more
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“I am a slow reader, and fast eater; I wish it were the other way around.”
—
9 people liked it
“To get a true sense of the book, I have to spend a few moments inside. I'll glance at the first couple pages, then flip around to somewhere in the middle, see if the language matches me somehow. It's like dating, only with sentences......It could be something as simple yet weirdly potent as a single word (tangerine). We're meant to be, that sentence and me. And when it happens, you just know.”
—
4 people liked it
More quotes…
Oct 11, 2008 06:14pm
I still pick this up and read an entry about once a week. Then I get pisse...more
updated Oct 13, 2008 04:48am