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    <id>216031</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Karen]]></name>
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  <id type="integer">39872</id>
  <isbn>1400080460</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781400080465</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">310</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.96</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1182</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[&quot;I have not survived against all odds. I have not lived to tell. I have not witnessed the extraordinary. This is my story.&quot;  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 &quot;bizarre, haphazard arrangement&quot; 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 (&quot;Every. Single. Solitary. Time I go to get gas I have to lean out the window to see which side the tank is on&quot;), to  witnessing her son's accident (&quot;I saw with front-row-seat clarity, just how quickly, randomly, and mercilessly your child can be taken away&quot;), 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, &quot;Evolution of this Moment&quot;--a timeline tracking her growth as a writer from her first word (&quot;more&quot;) 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 &quot;survived against all odds&quot;--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, &quot;Here is someone I think you should meet.&quot; ]]>
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    <author>
    <id>21674</id>
        <name><![CDATA[Amy Krouse Rosenthal]]></name>
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    <average_rating>4.08</average_rating>
    <ratings_count>2921</ratings_count>
    <text_reviews_count>883</text_reviews_count>
  </author>
  </authors>  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Apr 19 06:08:32 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Apr 19 06:09:45 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Very easy to read, humorous, insightful book.  Ordinary, yet revolutionary.  The perfect book for a long flight.]]></body>
    
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