false <![CDATA[Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175576162m/532689.jpg 39872 6 "I have not survived against all odds. I have not lived to tell. I have not witnessed the extraordinary. This is my story." Amy Krouse Rosenthal, one-time Might magazine columnist and self-confessed hater of the segue has written a snappy, random, remarkable memoir--the first of its kind to give readers an honest flaws-n-all perspective of what it's like to be...ordinary. Initially inspired by the "bizarre, haphazard arrangement" of The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, Rosenthal has collected a lifetime of thoughts, observations, and decisions, and created an alphabetized personal encyclopedia, complete with cross-referenced entries and illustrations. Rosenthal reveals the minutiae of her life, from pumping gas ("Every. Single. Solitary. Time I go to get gas I have to lean out the window to see which side the tank is on"), to witnessing her son's accident ("I saw with front-row-seat clarity, just how quickly, randomly, and mercilessly your child can be taken away"), and in turns both playful and poignant, engages the reader in effortless and stimulating conversation. Whether you are laughing aloud or nodding along, reading Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Lifeis like being introduced to a new friend--one that you automatically connect with and feel compelled to share. Fans of Dave Eggers, David Sedaris, and shows like Arrested Development and Scrubs will appreciate Rosenthal's quirky, conversational humor and dead-on observations. Writers will see the book as a contemporary portrait of the fledgling artist, and should enjoy her aptly named, "Evolution of this Moment"--a timeline tracking her growth as a writer from her first word ("more") to publication of her fourth book. Modesty prevents Rosenthal from acknowledging herself as anything other than ordinary--that, and the fact that she has not "survived against all odds"--but that certainly does not mean she has nothing to say, or to share. Her delightful memoir is a reminder that life is not always an adventure, but it can be full of sad, silly, and important moments that make it worth living. Witness the generosity of an author who is willing to reveal so much of herself, not just as a writer, but also as a person--share this delightfully quirky, utterly enjoyable book with family and friends with a note, "Here is someone I think you should meet." 39574 6 12 2005 Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life total:1233|5:424|4:459|3:264|2:67|1:19| 1233 4901 1900 329 5 4 false false Sat Oct 11 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Apr 29 17:57:30 -0700 2008 Sat Oct 11 16:23:25 -0700 2008 1 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...more...]]> 5 5 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Fri Nov 23 00:21:32 -0800 2007 Fri Nov 23 00:21:55 -0800 2007 more...]]> 5 3 false false Fri Oct 26 12:55:56 -0700 2007 Thu Nov 01 07:02:15 -0700 2007 more...]]> 3 3 false false Mon May 07 15:58:09 -0700 2007 Mon May 21 22:35:47 -0700 2007 more...]]> 2 2 false false Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2006 Sun Jan 25 21:09:08 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 25 21:14:02 -0800 2009
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.

...more...]]> 2 1 false false Sun Nov 09 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Nov 09 11:05:18 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 18 13:29:25 -0800 2008 once more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat Oct 13 14:05:09 -0700 2007 Tue Oct 23 17:45:16 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Aug 10 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat Feb 21 09:34:17 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 21 10:59:24 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2005 Mon Nov 09 01:29:57 -0800 2009 Mon Nov 09 01:30:39 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Jan 21 10:00:17 -0800 2009 Wed Jan 21 10:44:50 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Dec 15 19:59:10 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 24 13:12:42 -0800 2008
As she says in the foreword, "I was not abused, abandoned or locked up as a child. My parents were ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Fri Jan 02 09:37:15 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 02 09:37:15 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Mon Jul 07 20:16:54 -0700 2008 Mon Jul 07 20:18:19 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Sat Feb 07 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 10 12:08:36 -0800 2009 Mon Feb 16 10:20:07 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2006 Tue Aug 21 19:28:28 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 21 19:30:23 -0700 2007 5 0 false false Tue Feb 24 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 24 12:24:45 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 24 19:28:56 -0800 2009
I loved it.

There were parts where I cracked up b...more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Sep 12 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Sep 12 17:56:41 -0700 2008 Fri Sep 12 18:21:05 -0700 2008 Things I Associate With the Month of April (an old friend's birthday, the sinking o...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Aug 17 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 19 13:20:38 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 19 13:28:30 -0700 2008 It taught me to celebrate and embrace my ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Aug 06 13:32:24 -0700 2008 Wed Aug 06 16:54:02 -0700 2008 On Dessert: "My kids keep aski...more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Nov 05 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Tue Jul 22 20:23:32 -0700 2008 Wed Nov 05 13:44:22 -0800 2008 ...more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=532689