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Rosie Ferguson #2
Crooked Little Heart
With the same winning combination of humor and honesty that marked her recent nonfiction bestsellers, Operating Instructions and Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott presents an exuberant novel about a family for whom the joys and sorrows of everyday life are magnified under the glare of the unexpected.
Rosie Ferguson, in the first bloom of young womanhood, is obsessed with tournament tennis. Her mother is a recovering alcoholic still grieving the death of her first husband; her stepfather, a struggling writer, is wrestling with his own demons. And now Rosie finds that her athletic gifts, once a source of triumph and escape, place her in peril, as a shadowy man who stalks her from the bleachers seems to be developing an obsession of his own.
Crooked Little Heart asks big questions in intimate ways: What keeps a family together? What are the small heartbreaks that tear at the fabric of our lives? What happens to grief when it goes underground? And what road must we walk with our flawed and crooked hearts?
Brilliantly written, inhabited by superbly realized characters, funny and human and wonderfully suspenseful, Crooked Little Heart is Anne Lamott writing at the peak of her considerable powers.
Rosie Ferguson, in the first bloom of young womanhood, is obsessed with tournament tennis. Her mother is a recovering alcoholic still grieving the death of her first husband; her stepfather, a struggling writer, is wrestling with his own demons. And now Rosie finds that her athletic gifts, once a source of triumph and escape, place her in peril, as a shadowy man who stalks her from the bleachers seems to be developing an obsession of his own.
Crooked Little Heart asks big questions in intimate ways: What keeps a family together? What are the small heartbreaks that tear at the fabric of our lives? What happens to grief when it goes underground? And what road must we walk with our flawed and crooked hearts?
Brilliantly written, inhabited by superbly realized characters, funny and human and wonderfully suspenseful, Crooked Little Heart is Anne Lamott writing at the peak of her considerable powers.
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
260 people are currently reading
2969 people want to read
About the author
Anne Lamott
90 books10.2k followersAnne Lamott is an author of several novels and works of non-fiction. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, her non-fiction works are largely autobiographical, with strong doses of self-deprecating humor and covering such subjects as alcoholism, single motherhood, and Christianity. She appeals to her fans because of her sense of humor, her deeply felt insights, and her outspoken views on topics such as her left-of-center politics and her unconventional Christian faith. She is a graduate of Drew College Preparatory School in San Francisco, California. Her father, Kenneth Lamott, was also a writer and was the basis of her first novel Hard Laughter.
Lamott's life is documented in Freida Lee Mock's 1999 documentary Bird by Bird: A Film Portrait of Writer Anne Lamott.
Lamott's life is documented in Freida Lee Mock's 1999 documentary Bird by Bird: A Film Portrait of Writer Anne Lamott.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 350 reviews
March 11, 2023
I liked discovering that the title originated from a line in a poem by W.H. Auden, which the author quoted on p. 181
O stand, stand at the window
As the tears scald and start;
You shall love your crooked neighbour
With your crooked heart.'
It was late, late in the evening,
The lovers they were gone;
The clocks had ceased their chiming,
And the deep river ran on.
"Expectations are resentments waiting to happen" (185).
Found this quote in a journal from Jan 25, 1998. My child was not yet 2 years old, and I was already feeling the frustrations of expecting my ex to do certain things to help around our home and with our child. Just one of the million times a book held clues... and relief.
"...so easy to make something beautiful out of her life with little acts of goodness and attention" (211).
“The older part of the moon was showing” an eerie circle of shadow at the base of the full moon, as if the shining crescent were holding the missing part of itself in its own arms” (222).
O stand, stand at the window
As the tears scald and start;
You shall love your crooked neighbour
With your crooked heart.'
It was late, late in the evening,
The lovers they were gone;
The clocks had ceased their chiming,
And the deep river ran on.
"Expectations are resentments waiting to happen" (185).
Found this quote in a journal from Jan 25, 1998. My child was not yet 2 years old, and I was already feeling the frustrations of expecting my ex to do certain things to help around our home and with our child. Just one of the million times a book held clues... and relief.
"...so easy to make something beautiful out of her life with little acts of goodness and attention" (211).
“The older part of the moon was showing” an eerie circle of shadow at the base of the full moon, as if the shining crescent were holding the missing part of itself in its own arms” (222).
August 3, 2022
Read it a long time ago...young tennis player and a shadowy figure I liked it then a lot.
July 22, 2011
I actually can't say I have read this book. I have read 36 pages and I cannot stand to read one more word. I feel horrible about it but I can't do it. I adore Anne Lamott and her non-fiction but I can't stand her fiction. Truthfully I don't think I should even be giving the book 1 star since I only got 36 pages in and couldn't stand it.
What did I hate? The overuse of descriptive words - I felt like I was reading the Thesarus that had some words written in between the descriptives. The lack of plot - there was NO plot at 36 pages in which tells me there isn't going to be one at all. The yawns it gave me - it was the most dull story I have read in a long long long time.
I felt like I was wasting my life and time by reading any more of this book. So I had to give up on it. It pained me because, like I said, I love Lamott's non-fiction. I really think Lamott should stick to non-fiction. Reading the 36 pages I felt like yelling, "Anne! Where is your voice? Where are you?" Her non-fiction is so funny and real and so...great. Her fiction? Complete opposite. It lacks everything that I love about Anne Lamott as an author. A friend of mine agrees with me about Lamott's fiction. In fact she read 3 of Lamott's fiction works, this title being one of those three, and told me to give it up because Lamott's fiction works weren't worthe the time. Anne, I love you and your voice in your non-fiction works...stick with that, please! :)
What did I hate? The overuse of descriptive words - I felt like I was reading the Thesarus that had some words written in between the descriptives. The lack of plot - there was NO plot at 36 pages in which tells me there isn't going to be one at all. The yawns it gave me - it was the most dull story I have read in a long long long time.
I felt like I was wasting my life and time by reading any more of this book. So I had to give up on it. It pained me because, like I said, I love Lamott's non-fiction. I really think Lamott should stick to non-fiction. Reading the 36 pages I felt like yelling, "Anne! Where is your voice? Where are you?" Her non-fiction is so funny and real and so...great. Her fiction? Complete opposite. It lacks everything that I love about Anne Lamott as an author. A friend of mine agrees with me about Lamott's fiction. In fact she read 3 of Lamott's fiction works, this title being one of those three, and told me to give it up because Lamott's fiction works weren't worthe the time. Anne, I love you and your voice in your non-fiction works...stick with that, please! :)
August 7, 2012
Okay, I should have listened to the reviews. I trusted after reading Bird by Bird that Anne Lamott would write wonderful fiction. Little did I know that her fiction would drag and drag. I couldn't wait to finish this book. If you like tennis (which I do), you'll enjoy the description of play. Otherwise, there is NO plot. What happened in the hundreds of pages? Nothing. And there were absolutely no surprises. My only surprise was that all the sad characters did not kill themselves. Each went over whatever was troubling them ad nauseum. Even the dying character died forever! I must say I was terribly disappointed.
I'm not always driven by plot, but I do like a little. . .
I'm not always driven by plot, but I do like a little. . .
March 20, 2007
Anne Lamott should have taken the advice offered her in her previously published 'Bird by Bird' and given up on writing novels before she started.
November 21, 2007
This book is the sequel to Rosie, and they are two of my mom's favorite novels of all time, so when I read them I couldn't help looking for her in them. I found her, but I also found that I really loved Crooked Little Heart far more than Rosie. Rosie, especially the ending, didn't really push my thinking. Crooked Little Heart did. I'm glad I read it now, since starting roller derby - so much of the book focuses on a competitive sport (Tennis, my mom's favorite) as a metaphor, and it really helped that I can now identify with competitive sports.
The problems of the young teenage Rosie resonated with me far more than the ones of the 7-year-old. And the Elizabeth that was grown into her marriage was less obnoxiously self-obsessed and seemed like a more well-rounded character. And one of the conversations between her and Rae regarding what they did and did not have in life is sticking with me and probably will for quite some time.
The problems of the young teenage Rosie resonated with me far more than the ones of the 7-year-old. And the Elizabeth that was grown into her marriage was less obnoxiously self-obsessed and seemed like a more well-rounded character. And one of the conversations between her and Rae regarding what they did and did not have in life is sticking with me and probably will for quite some time.
November 20, 2016
I love Anne Lamott and was lucky to pick up this autographed copy at a library sale. It's been on my shelf too long....time to dig in.
WOW! What an amazing book, yet SO typical of Anne Lamott. Her language use is rich and varied. Her synonyms and similes are always spot on and thought provoking. Nobody describes her characters' feelings and inner thoughts more effectively. Her stories are true to life and so real they jump out at you and grab your attention.
The plot of the story isn't the key. It's simply a few months in the lives of Elizabeth, her 13 year old daughter Rosie, who plays competitive tennis and a rich cast of supporting family and friends.
Of course things happen, but they are the everyday calamities and tragedies we all navigate. Anne helps us see and cope and understand.
Two of her other books are both in my "All Time Fav" category ( "Bird by Bird" and "Plan B " ).
I'm still digesting this book, so in time it might also reach that lofty pinnacle.
If you have never read an Anne Lamott book, please treat yourself.
WOW! What an amazing book, yet SO typical of Anne Lamott. Her language use is rich and varied. Her synonyms and similes are always spot on and thought provoking. Nobody describes her characters' feelings and inner thoughts more effectively. Her stories are true to life and so real they jump out at you and grab your attention.
The plot of the story isn't the key. It's simply a few months in the lives of Elizabeth, her 13 year old daughter Rosie, who plays competitive tennis and a rich cast of supporting family and friends.
Of course things happen, but they are the everyday calamities and tragedies we all navigate. Anne helps us see and cope and understand.
Two of her other books are both in my "All Time Fav" category ( "Bird by Bird" and "Plan B " ).
I'm still digesting this book, so in time it might also reach that lofty pinnacle.
If you have never read an Anne Lamott book, please treat yourself.
July 22, 2016
Nothing much actually happens in this story. Just the everyday life of a particular family through the spring, summer, and fall of one year. And everything happens.
Rosie Ferguson is having a tough year the summer she is thirteen. She and her tennis partner, Simone, are highly rated in their local tournament circuit. They begin well. But things are changing. Simone has started to draw interest from boys, while Rosie has begun to feel unattractive and depressed. Also, there is this strange older man, Luther, whose attention on the girls when they play is scary. And their tennis pro, whom Rosie mostly adores, takes off in the middle of the summer with other players for more important tournaments and doesn’t return for a long time. Simone turns up pregnant. And, to top it all off, Charles, an older neighbor and friend of Rosie’s parents since she was little, dies.
Rosie tries various ways to cope. She cheats ever so slightly on some of her singles games when nobody – except Luther, of course – appears to be watching. She tries injuring herself once or twice. But these remedies only seem to make matters worse.
Rosie’s mother, Elizabeth, is, at the same time, becoming slowly paranoid. She is worried that Rosie is shutting her out of her life. She, along with her husband and most of the other tennis parents, fears that Luther is a potential child molester, and she is especially freaked out when she thinks she has seen him watching her from behind the empty house across the street. When she goes to visit Charles in his last days, it brings up memories of previous losses, especially of her first husband, Rosie’s father, who was killed in a car accident when Rosie was about four, and of the time immediately afterward she spent as an alcoholic. As the disastrous summer progresses, Elizabeth appears to have a minor nervous breakdown triggered by her incessant irrational fears.
The rest is a story of how Elizabeth and Rosie must pull themselves together again with the help of Elizabeth’s husband, James, and their friends, Rae and Lank, and even Simone. And each other. And Luther, who turns out to be the most help to Rosie, instead of being the sinister character they had all thought he was.
Rosie Ferguson is having a tough year the summer she is thirteen. She and her tennis partner, Simone, are highly rated in their local tournament circuit. They begin well. But things are changing. Simone has started to draw interest from boys, while Rosie has begun to feel unattractive and depressed. Also, there is this strange older man, Luther, whose attention on the girls when they play is scary. And their tennis pro, whom Rosie mostly adores, takes off in the middle of the summer with other players for more important tournaments and doesn’t return for a long time. Simone turns up pregnant. And, to top it all off, Charles, an older neighbor and friend of Rosie’s parents since she was little, dies.
Rosie tries various ways to cope. She cheats ever so slightly on some of her singles games when nobody – except Luther, of course – appears to be watching. She tries injuring herself once or twice. But these remedies only seem to make matters worse.
Rosie’s mother, Elizabeth, is, at the same time, becoming slowly paranoid. She is worried that Rosie is shutting her out of her life. She, along with her husband and most of the other tennis parents, fears that Luther is a potential child molester, and she is especially freaked out when she thinks she has seen him watching her from behind the empty house across the street. When she goes to visit Charles in his last days, it brings up memories of previous losses, especially of her first husband, Rosie’s father, who was killed in a car accident when Rosie was about four, and of the time immediately afterward she spent as an alcoholic. As the disastrous summer progresses, Elizabeth appears to have a minor nervous breakdown triggered by her incessant irrational fears.
The rest is a story of how Elizabeth and Rosie must pull themselves together again with the help of Elizabeth’s husband, James, and their friends, Rae and Lank, and even Simone. And each other. And Luther, who turns out to be the most help to Rosie, instead of being the sinister character they had all thought he was.
April 4, 2012
Another coming-of-age story -- this time of a 13 year old tennis player named Rosie. Not much to say about this book. As always, Anne Lamott's writing is beautiful, with many many passages that beg to be reread and copied out. She writes, too, with the humor and sensitivity that are hallmarks of her writing.
BUT, the characters are stereotypes, not anyone you'd care about, except for the two girls, Rosie and Symone. Rosie's mother, Elizabeth, is absurdly immature and angst-ridden; I just wanted to yell at her, "well, grow up!" There is way too much tennis-talk in the book, with terms not explained and therefore meaningless to many of us readers. And I thought the relationship between Rosie and her mother was unrealistic -- how many 13 year olds crawl onto their mother's laps, or climb into bed with mom and dad, or spend so much time just the two of them.... If there had been a major tragedy, sure, but not during normal times.
So, a good book to read for the descriptions and language, if you don't really care about character or realistic plot.
BUT, the characters are stereotypes, not anyone you'd care about, except for the two girls, Rosie and Symone. Rosie's mother, Elizabeth, is absurdly immature and angst-ridden; I just wanted to yell at her, "well, grow up!" There is way too much tennis-talk in the book, with terms not explained and therefore meaningless to many of us readers. And I thought the relationship between Rosie and her mother was unrealistic -- how many 13 year olds crawl onto their mother's laps, or climb into bed with mom and dad, or spend so much time just the two of them.... If there had been a major tragedy, sure, but not during normal times.
So, a good book to read for the descriptions and language, if you don't really care about character or realistic plot.
July 22, 2013
Everything about this lush book reminds you of being loved. Somehow the relationships between characters aren't just evocative and contemplative, making you wonder how love works and if the redemption of small, ordinary things by love is what makes the world go 'round... they're literally a transformative journey that you take with the characters. I've never wanted a teenager daughter but Anne makes me feel like I have one; I've never (really never) wanted a smart but slightly self-absorbed and highly whimsical husband who is continually immersed in his own dramas, but the author makes the relationship between Elizabeth and her husband real, and touching, despite that. Summer tennis and the vagaries and idiocies and idiosyncrasies of young girls growing up, and adults growing into their comfortable relationships... these are the outer subjects of the book. the inner subject is pure love.
July 6, 2008
Anne Lamott is one of my favorite authors. This is the first novel I read by her and was a bit disappointed.
This story is about a 13-year old girl who plays tennis and her mother who struggles with depression and is a recovered alcoholic. The mother is remarried but still grieving for her first husband who dies in a car accident. There are some interesting minor characters too.
Maybe it was because there was too much 'tennis talk' for my liking. I can't even keep score in tennis so reading pages of descriptions about matches is tedious for me. Maybe it was just too heavy to read by the pool. I need to give another one of Anne Lamott's novels a chance. Glad I didn't buy this one!
Can anyone can recommend a better Lamott novel?
This story is about a 13-year old girl who plays tennis and her mother who struggles with depression and is a recovered alcoholic. The mother is remarried but still grieving for her first husband who dies in a car accident. There are some interesting minor characters too.
Maybe it was because there was too much 'tennis talk' for my liking. I can't even keep score in tennis so reading pages of descriptions about matches is tedious for me. Maybe it was just too heavy to read by the pool. I need to give another one of Anne Lamott's novels a chance. Glad I didn't buy this one!
Can anyone can recommend a better Lamott novel?
March 8, 2012
In Crooked Little Heart, Lamott writes something more to poetry-prose or an extended character sketch than a novel. She is unarguably an exceptional writer, with a talent for including just the right unexpected, seemingly inconsequential detail that ultimately illuminates the qualities of a character; however, characters alone don't make a novel, and although there are the story arcs of Rosie's cheating, her friend's pregnancy, and her grieving mother, they all seem to be more sub-plots than driving forces for the novel; none of them stand strong enough to hold the rest together cohesively.
Bottom line: it's a beautifully written book, and if you're in the mood to amble through a book, this is a good choice. If you're looking for something stimulating, however, try elsewhere.
Bottom line: it's a beautifully written book, and if you're in the mood to amble through a book, this is a good choice. If you're looking for something stimulating, however, try elsewhere.
May 3, 2012
Despite my cynicism, I found myself falling for Lamott's portrayal of all the gooey supportive love and understanding in the unconventional relationships between teenage daughter Rosie, her recovering alcoholic, widowed mother Elizabeth, and the myriad satellite stand-in parental figures for Rosie. I was so beguiled by the atmosphere Lamott creates through her beautiful language, that I kept yearning to pick up the book again simply to be back in the haunting world she had created. I was certainly not lured back by the slow-moving plot, punctuated with excitement from the play-by-play of Rosie's tennis matches (yawn).
December 1, 2011
There were things I liked about this one, but also a lot I didn't care for. I didn't like it anywhere near as much as "Rosie," though it didn't end up being a saccharine al-anon tract at the end like "Imperfect Birds." I'm sure some people dig some of the stuff that bothered me, but I just didn't dig it. It felt overly sentimental, maudlin even at times. Besides the fact that it sometimes became muddled whether Rosie or Elizabeth was thinking, I think my biggest problem was that Rosie sometimes seemed more like what a Chicken-Soup-For-The-Whatever type mother imagines a thirteen year old girl would think instead of a real thirteen year old girl. In the end, I just didn't care for this one as much as I have some of Lamott's work, though I did like it better than "Imperfect Birds."
February 1, 2009
Although the story held my attention, I felt the writing at times was self conscious as though she was searching for the perfect simile or metaphor instead of focusing on just telling the story. She does do a good job of developing character. I really felt like I knew these people, although at times they seemed less than real. It was hard to imagine a 13 year old girl sitting on her mother’s lap and calling her mommy. I liked Elizabeth’s tolerance and willingness to let Rosie be her own person even though she feared for her. And I liked the character of Luther who turned out to not be the boogey man after all.
February 7, 2013
Couldn't finish this book. Read some of Lamott's previous books (the non fiction) which I really liked.
It's a good thing I didn't buy this book,and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
While I don't identify myself as a Republican, (i am a conservative, libertarian -small l ) I found offense with the offhand remarks made against such. They were not excessively cruel like most things you read on twitter and media, but I couldn't continue reading because of them.
They were not necessary for the story, it came from the author, not the charachter speaking them.
The charachters were unbelievable.
It's a good thing I didn't buy this book,and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
While I don't identify myself as a Republican, (i am a conservative, libertarian -small l ) I found offense with the offhand remarks made against such. They were not excessively cruel like most things you read on twitter and media, but I couldn't continue reading because of them.
They were not necessary for the story, it came from the author, not the charachter speaking them.
The charachters were unbelievable.
December 10, 2018
When I first started reading this I found I didn't really love it. I read a couple reviews and found someone else felt the same and they had bailed out of it after 30 some pages. I stuck it out because I love Lamott's books normally and I am immensely glad I did. This was wonderful read. The characters were all flawed and yet they were perfect at the same time. The character of Luther is inspired. He's their savior who just passed through right when they need him when they didn't realize they needed saving. I recommend this book highly and if those who want to bail early see this, do yourself a huge favor and stick it out, for it will reward your perseverance.
Read
May 18, 2009Didn't want it to end.
A book about a thirteen year old girl reminds you of being 13.
A book this accurate about a thirteen year old girl written by the mother of a boy in real life is remarkable.
I cannot imagine having this good a relationship with my mother or a stranger who comes to my games (in my case it would have been recitals) at 13. Although the girl's mother has flaws, she's a lot better than the mother I had. I think Anne created the mother she wanted to have in this character, at least the mother she turns out to be in the end.
Lamott rules the page.
A book about a thirteen year old girl reminds you of being 13.
A book this accurate about a thirteen year old girl written by the mother of a boy in real life is remarkable.
I cannot imagine having this good a relationship with my mother or a stranger who comes to my games (in my case it would have been recitals) at 13. Although the girl's mother has flaws, she's a lot better than the mother I had. I think Anne created the mother she wanted to have in this character, at least the mother she turns out to be in the end.
Lamott rules the page.
July 2, 2013
I really like Anne Lamott, but this book was just okay. I thought the story line was weak, and the characters just didn't spring to life for me. I loved her book "Rosie", but this just fell a little short. It's not a bad read, as there are lots of important questions being asked here. How do we deal with the death of loved ones, does making mistakes make us a mistake? It also explored that the real truth of people cannot be mistaken for their outer appearances. It is very well written, and as this is one of her earlier works, I love how she has progressed as an author.
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August 21, 2013A beautiful portrayal of adolescence, and the obstacles that life throws our way throughout our early years.
May 24, 2025
This was a fine read, but it really didn't do anything for me. I couldn't really get on board with any of the characters, I just didn't find them appealing enough or interesting enough. Enough is the important word here. The characters were interesting, and the plot was interesting, but both were just missing something. The most curious character, in my opinion, was Luther, and he really didn't get enough time on the page. It probably doesn't help that I don't know much about tennis, considering the playing of or the talking about tennis is the backdrop for a lot of this book.
Would I recommend this book? No, it's not a must-read, but Anne Lamott is a must-read author. I prefer her memoir work, Bird by Bird is a great book. That book most certainly is a must-read.
Would I recommend this book? No, it's not a must-read, but Anne Lamott is a must-read author. I prefer her memoir work, Bird by Bird is a great book. That book most certainly is a must-read.
July 28, 2021
احساس دلخوری گذشت. چارلز یک بار به او خاطر نشان کرده بود که د دلخوری باقی ماندن مثل این است که آدم خودش مرگ موش بخورد و منتظر باشد که موش بمیرد.
***
ما مثل خونواده هایی هستیم که آدم توی حراج انتخاب می کنه و دور هم جمع شون می کنه هستیم.
***
ما مثل خونواده هایی هستیم که آدم توی حراج انتخاب می کنه و دور هم جمع شون می کنه هستیم.
August 1, 2024
Anne Lamott is the queen of descriptive writing. She takes you back to all the fear, joy and sometimes turmoil of teenage years as well as motherhood. Great book!
July 15, 2024
I can’t get enough of Anne Lamott. I just love the way she writes and how it’s all about the characters. And I love their “garage sale” family. This book gives such valuable insight into the lives of new teenagers and the adults in their lives. It’s just so real and raw.
June 19, 2012
Anne takes us through the summer of Rosie Ferguson (age 13) and Elizabeth, her mom. You met them in a previous book when Rosie was 4 but that doesn't really matter. Rosie and her friends are "blooming like spring, budding, lithe, agile as cats.They wore tiny dresses and skirts so short that their frilly satin tennins bloomers showed....They were brown as berries, with feet as white as the moon." Rosie and her partner, Simone were good, ranked number one in the girls fourteen and under doubles in northern California.
This is Elizabeth's first and only experience with a teenage girl and I feel for her. I think that both characters are Lamott. Paranoid and anxious, smart, serious and funny. I love the way Lamott presents the character by their own inner thoughts. Once Elizabeth goes out to her flower garden to think as well as work. "She noticed a little purple guy who seemed a bit dry, and as if pouring an old ancient mariner another rye at the bar, she gave him a little water, imagined him closisng his eyes and inhaling deeply with relief." I've imagined that myself sometimes!
I don't know how Lamott comes up with some of her thoughts. She must have journals full of them. Elizabeth is in the yard and finds a ruby-crowned kinglet, lying dead on leaves and weeds, and she bends down to study it. She remembers a conversation with her dead husband, "Do you know where you're suppoded to bury birds? In trees. High up as you can. So that they're closeer to the sky."
One last quote from the novel just because it's too good to not pass on. Elizabeth is havng trouble coping and her new husband is hoping that this "breakdown" will be a three or four day process but it goes on and on and it begins to wear him down. Rosie was worn out also and bored with it all but she is watching quite carefully. James is acting understanding and kind, and then amused, and then annoyed and guilty and mad. Elizabeth was lying down so much he often acted frustrated. Rosie's adult friend, Rae, asks, "Women are so much better at hiding despair, aren't they? Biting their nails, getting fat." Rae later tells Elizabeth to follow Wendell Berry's advice. "Practice Resurrection."
Maybe you'll just have to read the book to feel as good as I felt reading a story about someones summer.
This is Elizabeth's first and only experience with a teenage girl and I feel for her. I think that both characters are Lamott. Paranoid and anxious, smart, serious and funny. I love the way Lamott presents the character by their own inner thoughts. Once Elizabeth goes out to her flower garden to think as well as work. "She noticed a little purple guy who seemed a bit dry, and as if pouring an old ancient mariner another rye at the bar, she gave him a little water, imagined him closisng his eyes and inhaling deeply with relief." I've imagined that myself sometimes!
I don't know how Lamott comes up with some of her thoughts. She must have journals full of them. Elizabeth is in the yard and finds a ruby-crowned kinglet, lying dead on leaves and weeds, and she bends down to study it. She remembers a conversation with her dead husband, "Do you know where you're suppoded to bury birds? In trees. High up as you can. So that they're closeer to the sky."
One last quote from the novel just because it's too good to not pass on. Elizabeth is havng trouble coping and her new husband is hoping that this "breakdown" will be a three or four day process but it goes on and on and it begins to wear him down. Rosie was worn out also and bored with it all but she is watching quite carefully. James is acting understanding and kind, and then amused, and then annoyed and guilty and mad. Elizabeth was lying down so much he often acted frustrated. Rosie's adult friend, Rae, asks, "Women are so much better at hiding despair, aren't they? Biting their nails, getting fat." Rae later tells Elizabeth to follow Wendell Berry's advice. "Practice Resurrection."
Maybe you'll just have to read the book to feel as good as I felt reading a story about someones summer.
August 8, 2007
"Crying withheld feels sometimes like dying..."
I really loved this book, mostly because I could empathize with Rosie's middle school angst and insecurites. But I also admire (and envy) Lamott's writing in general - she creates beautiful phrases such as "it was so hot that the only things moving outside were the crickets and the anorexics" and "the sun smelled warm, like laundry in the dryer, like melting yellow crayons." Her writing startles me sometimes, so I have to stop and reread. I would never think to associate melting yellow crayons with the sun, for example...but the comparison makes perfect sense.
Simone, Rosie's best friend, wasn't one of my favorite characters at first, but her story turned out to be heartbreaking, and I was genuinely sad for her. I can still see her sitting on the bench with Rosie, waiting for Jason. Collapsed dreams, humiliation, and the double standard all follow - as usual, the male is not castigated by society. The male is not kicked out of the country club.
I liked Rae, Rosie's mom's best friend, the successful artist. When teased for her religious views, I was so proud of Rosie for defending her, reminding everyone that America "was founded on the principle of religious freedom," and no one should trivialize a woman's deepest feelings.
I also liked Luther, the mysterious observer at the tennis tournaments. I thought he was creepy at first, but he paid attention to Rosie when no one else did (her mother might be spacing out as she retreats into the past, and her stepfather might be checking his messages). Luther helped her, was there for her, so Rosie was never alone during a game.
"Too bad about the hair.." - when Rosie's coach said this to her (upon seeing Rosie's newly shorn head), it only confirmed my belief that he's sexist, that his voice echoes a society which regards hair as something that defines women, gives them value, forms stereotypes. Alas, Simone had glorious hair, and look what happened to her...her value appeared to decline in the end.
When a woman chops off most of her hair, it is one of the most liberating things in the world. I wish I'd gotten rid of mine when I was Rosie's age, instead of waiting until I was 24.
I really loved this book, mostly because I could empathize with Rosie's middle school angst and insecurites. But I also admire (and envy) Lamott's writing in general - she creates beautiful phrases such as "it was so hot that the only things moving outside were the crickets and the anorexics" and "the sun smelled warm, like laundry in the dryer, like melting yellow crayons." Her writing startles me sometimes, so I have to stop and reread. I would never think to associate melting yellow crayons with the sun, for example...but the comparison makes perfect sense.
Simone, Rosie's best friend, wasn't one of my favorite characters at first, but her story turned out to be heartbreaking, and I was genuinely sad for her. I can still see her sitting on the bench with Rosie, waiting for Jason. Collapsed dreams, humiliation, and the double standard all follow - as usual, the male is not castigated by society. The male is not kicked out of the country club.
I liked Rae, Rosie's mom's best friend, the successful artist. When teased for her religious views, I was so proud of Rosie for defending her, reminding everyone that America "was founded on the principle of religious freedom," and no one should trivialize a woman's deepest feelings.
I also liked Luther, the mysterious observer at the tennis tournaments. I thought he was creepy at first, but he paid attention to Rosie when no one else did (her mother might be spacing out as she retreats into the past, and her stepfather might be checking his messages). Luther helped her, was there for her, so Rosie was never alone during a game.
"Too bad about the hair.." - when Rosie's coach said this to her (upon seeing Rosie's newly shorn head), it only confirmed my belief that he's sexist, that his voice echoes a society which regards hair as something that defines women, gives them value, forms stereotypes. Alas, Simone had glorious hair, and look what happened to her...her value appeared to decline in the end.
When a woman chops off most of her hair, it is one of the most liberating things in the world. I wish I'd gotten rid of mine when I was Rosie's age, instead of waiting until I was 24.
September 22, 2015
"Today she looked in the mirror and could see the worried beauty of both the girl she had been and the marvelous crone-- God willing-- she would become one day."
"Charles's amazing agile mind was now a moth trapped in a jar, and every time it tried something vigorous, more powder fell off."
She had cheated. She wasn't a cheater.
"She went directly to James's office to tell him how great it had been to be out in the sun, trying to be of help. She had excused herself for interrupting and begun to tell him about all she had seen, but he had looked at her almost wearily, and she ended up feeling that all of her excitement was going into a drain around her feet."
"She relaxed into his body, and they began making love for comfort, not looking for the transports of sex where you want to lose yourself in the ether of it all. What they wanted was to find each other again and, in doing so, find themselves."
"If marriage was a comforting garment you could wrap around you, a fight could rip it loose and leave you standing bare and alone in high wind, the high wind of the messes of your marriage, all that was frayed and grubby. Too many harsh words spoken, and too much unsaid, too many compromises snatched at the garment, leaving it grubby and frayed. It was so hard, though, after a fight, because one hardly had the strength or desire even to bend down and pick up the garment at your feet. But then when you did, it would feel warm and heavy and have the smell of your beloved, which is so incredible and familiar and also a little rank, with the mammalian essence of life and the sweat of the battle."
Crooked little Heart
There was always that feeling in her soul that the bottom could drop out of their marriage. There were so many areas were things could go irreparably wrong. And the jacket was always waiting in the closet, the jacket of being a martyr and a bitch, the jacket she was now wearing.
"Charles's amazing agile mind was now a moth trapped in a jar, and every time it tried something vigorous, more powder fell off."
She had cheated. She wasn't a cheater.
"She went directly to James's office to tell him how great it had been to be out in the sun, trying to be of help. She had excused herself for interrupting and begun to tell him about all she had seen, but he had looked at her almost wearily, and she ended up feeling that all of her excitement was going into a drain around her feet."
"She relaxed into his body, and they began making love for comfort, not looking for the transports of sex where you want to lose yourself in the ether of it all. What they wanted was to find each other again and, in doing so, find themselves."
"If marriage was a comforting garment you could wrap around you, a fight could rip it loose and leave you standing bare and alone in high wind, the high wind of the messes of your marriage, all that was frayed and grubby. Too many harsh words spoken, and too much unsaid, too many compromises snatched at the garment, leaving it grubby and frayed. It was so hard, though, after a fight, because one hardly had the strength or desire even to bend down and pick up the garment at your feet. But then when you did, it would feel warm and heavy and have the smell of your beloved, which is so incredible and familiar and also a little rank, with the mammalian essence of life and the sweat of the battle."
Crooked little Heart
There was always that feeling in her soul that the bottom could drop out of their marriage. There were so many areas were things could go irreparably wrong. And the jacket was always waiting in the closet, the jacket of being a martyr and a bitch, the jacket she was now wearing.
August 5, 2015
This is the first piece of Anne Lamott fiction I picked up and I wasn't disappointed. After reading "Bird By Bird", I knew she'd be whimsical and creative with her descriptions of emotions and life. I found myself riveted by the stories of Rosie, Elizabeth, James, Rae, Lank, and Simone as each character popped with dysfunctional humor.
I was able to connect with this story on a personal level, though there are moments I felt as though I was either missing a part of the story or it was not entirely realistic. When a family is coping with multiple levels of grief and mental illness, it's not common or ordinary for them to constantly have the level of empathy and compassion toward each other that these characters share without the intervention of a therapist or mediator, most especially when throwing the agonized, misunderstood, newly budding teenager in the midst. Only once in the entire story is even visiting a therapist brought up, and then it is casually dismissed by the person struggling with a mental meltdown. Between that, and the dangling ending, it fell just short of being a perfectly stellar work of fiction. (EDIT: I did not realize that this is the second in a series about Rosie and her family. That explains why I felt things were missing in this novel)
However, the inner dialogue is incredible. Each character has fears that drive them toward or away from action and these fears are written honestly and candidly by the author. There are also many lessons about overcoming fears of death, illness, and things/people misunderstood. There also are some very realistic and honest moments of pain, joy, frustration, and heart that almost brought me to tears.
I seriously enjoyed this read though. It's one of the better novels I've read recently, one that kept me reading without wanting to put it down and that's what I look for in an amazing book.
I was able to connect with this story on a personal level, though there are moments I felt as though I was either missing a part of the story or it was not entirely realistic. When a family is coping with multiple levels of grief and mental illness, it's not common or ordinary for them to constantly have the level of empathy and compassion toward each other that these characters share without the intervention of a therapist or mediator, most especially when throwing the agonized, misunderstood, newly budding teenager in the midst. Only once in the entire story is even visiting a therapist brought up, and then it is casually dismissed by the person struggling with a mental meltdown. Between that, and the dangling ending, it fell just short of being a perfectly stellar work of fiction. (EDIT: I did not realize that this is the second in a series about Rosie and her family. That explains why I felt things were missing in this novel)
However, the inner dialogue is incredible. Each character has fears that drive them toward or away from action and these fears are written honestly and candidly by the author. There are also many lessons about overcoming fears of death, illness, and things/people misunderstood. There also are some very realistic and honest moments of pain, joy, frustration, and heart that almost brought me to tears.
I seriously enjoyed this read though. It's one of the better novels I've read recently, one that kept me reading without wanting to put it down and that's what I look for in an amazing book.
July 28, 2011
I have great affection for Anne Lamott because of 'Bird by Bird' and 'Operating Instructions', and because of that affection, I will read anything she writes. Period.
However, a writing pal/mentor of mine once said that if something doesn't directly propel the plot or significance forward, take it out. No setting for setting's sake, it needs to have meaning. While I'm not sure if I wholeheartedly agree with this- I do love a descriptive moment- I do think it's good advice, especially for me. And I think Anne Lamott falls victim to not editing out quite enough fluff in this book. There are times when the writing seems cheesy or immature with long lists of similes, like she just couldn't nail down what imagery she was trying to convey. But overall, she creates a peaceful and lovely, comforting world, almost to a fault. Even when the characters are having inner turmoil, fear or are in danger, it feels padded in safety and comfort; that pang of ugliness does not cut through. But on the flipside, the tender moments are warm and lovely and tugged at my heartstrings.
This is not a book to be studied or analyzed. While there are consistent motifs (smells, the tennis metaphor) they are obvious and there does not seem to be any great lessons behind their meaning.
This, in my opinion and because of my great respect for Lamott, is definitely above a beach read, but does not have enough weight or meat for a book club suggestion.
Overall, I just LIKE her and will continue to read whatever she writes; it's always nice if not always enriching. I do highly recommend 'Bird by Bird' and 'Operating Instructions', regardless of whether you're a writer or a mother.
However, a writing pal/mentor of mine once said that if something doesn't directly propel the plot or significance forward, take it out. No setting for setting's sake, it needs to have meaning. While I'm not sure if I wholeheartedly agree with this- I do love a descriptive moment- I do think it's good advice, especially for me. And I think Anne Lamott falls victim to not editing out quite enough fluff in this book. There are times when the writing seems cheesy or immature with long lists of similes, like she just couldn't nail down what imagery she was trying to convey. But overall, she creates a peaceful and lovely, comforting world, almost to a fault. Even when the characters are having inner turmoil, fear or are in danger, it feels padded in safety and comfort; that pang of ugliness does not cut through. But on the flipside, the tender moments are warm and lovely and tugged at my heartstrings.
This is not a book to be studied or analyzed. While there are consistent motifs (smells, the tennis metaphor) they are obvious and there does not seem to be any great lessons behind their meaning.
This, in my opinion and because of my great respect for Lamott, is definitely above a beach read, but does not have enough weight or meat for a book club suggestion.
Overall, I just LIKE her and will continue to read whatever she writes; it's always nice if not always enriching. I do highly recommend 'Bird by Bird' and 'Operating Instructions', regardless of whether you're a writer or a mother.
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August 6, 2010In the summer of her 13th year, Rosie Ferguson is occupied and preoccupied with tennis. She's a junior ranked player and is shuttled around along with her best friend and doubles partner, Simone, to all the tournaments in the San Francisco area. Both girls are caught in that moment at the end of childhood where hints of the women they are to become begin to show--physically, mentally, and emotionally. When Rosie was four, her dad was killed in a car accident. Elizabeth, Rosie's mom, spent a few years in a downward spiral of alcoholism and depression before marrying the loveable and accepting James. Both Rosie and her mom confront some large issues over the summer. Rosie harbors two very huge secrets, one about Simone, one about herself, that eat at her and affect her game and her relationship to her family. As Rosie turns more sullen and silent, Elizabeth's depression recurs as she struggles with this change in her daughter as well as unexpressed grief at the loss of her first husband. Throw in the possibility that Rosie is being stalked by a tournament hanger-on named Luther, a homeless drunk, and you have the makings of a family drama dealing with themes of trust, honesty, support, and friendship. Lamott is in her element here with her elegant, moving style and wonderful powers of description. She uses color and texture in her language to present a visual and visceral picture of a mother and daughter each coming of age in her own way. (Barbara L., Reader's Services)
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