Rule 1: When all else fails, follow instructions. And Rule 2: Don't be an asshole.

Every time I pick up a book written by dear Anne, I find myself wondering, "Why on earth has it taken me so long to read this?" I really don't want to be "basic" and simply say "she is so real." But the truth is, "She is so real!" This particular book delves into her adventures with her son and explores the hormonal transitions that life presents during adolescence and once again in middle age. I had the pleasure of listening to this audio book as I drove through the flat, beautiful green fields of Ohio and parts of Indiana.

All I can say is that spending 6 hours listening to the wonderful Anne Lamott was an absolute delight. Her words have a way of captivating you and making you feel as if you are right there with her, experiencing every moment. It was a truly immersive and enjoyable experience that I would highly recommend to anyone.

Anne Lamott captures some truly powerful truths in this book.

Her words have a profound impact and leave a lasting impression. I hope I never forget the section below.

"What are you supposed to do when what is happening seems impossible? When it's all too terrifying, weirdly captivating, and dismal, and the old rules no longer hold? I vividly remember this feeling when my mother was in the final stages of Alzheimer's. My brothers and I were in desperate need of so much more than what we had - explanations, plans, a guiding light, and the hope that it wouldn't be as bad as it seemed. But alas, it was all that bad and even worse. All we could do was talk, pray, and stay united. Miraculously, we managed to laugh a great deal. We also sought wise advice - medical, financial, and spiritual. Finally, a nurse from the Alzheimer's Association joined us in this chaos. We confessed, 'We have no idea what we're doing. We don't know if we should put her in a home. We don't even know what's real anymore.' And the nurse gently replied, 'How could you know?'

And so, we continued to stumble forward, doing the next right thing. I constantly recalled an old Xeroxed photo of Koko the signing gorilla, with a caption beneath it that read, 'The law of the American jungle: Remain calm, share your bananas.' That's precisely what we did - we cried, tried to make each other laugh and stay calm, and shared our bananas. And when the time came to know what to do, we did it. I took the cat out of her arms, and we put her in a home. It was a nightmare. It shattered something within us, but we persevered and came through."

I think I would give this book 2.5 stars. It was my first encounter with Anne Lamott's work, and I had set my expectations quite high. However, as a person, she didn't manage to make a profound impression on me.

To be fair, she probably isn't striving to impress anyone in the first place. Given that the essence of this book is mainly a continuous narrative about herself, it's no wonder I wasn't overly impressed with the book by default.

I finished reading the book within a week and never once felt bored. She is indeed witty and interesting. I value honesty, but perhaps not to the extent that Lamott presented it. She gives me the impression of someone who was highly dissatisfied with the church and might have incorporated a few of her own personal freedoms to mold it into something that appealed more to her and made her feel better about life.

This might seem a bit harsh, and I truly don't intend it that way. After all, we all do similar things, and it's not always a bad thing.

I did find some of her insights quite valuable, and I think I would be willing to give a couple of her other books a try. She is a talented writer, but not necessarily someone I would be inclined to spend a great deal of time with in real life. Overall, this was a decent read, offering a few good thoughts and some thought-provoking points regarding faith and the chaos of life.

I usually have a great affection for Anne Lamott's writing. Her words often have a unique charm and depth that can touch the heart.

However, in this particular book, I find that she complains and whines excessive about George W. Now, let me make it clear that I'm not a die-hard fan of G.W. nor do I identify strongly with either the Republican or Democratic party.

Nevertheless, Anne seems to constantly vent her frustrations about how awful she thinks he is. In almost every chapter, there are complaints about G.W. This repetitive pattern quickly becomes tiresome and really detracts from what could otherwise be a truly great book about Christian spirituality.

It's a pity that this aspect overshadows some of the other valuable insights and teachings that the book might have offered. I hope in her future works, Anne Lamott can focus more on the positive and less on such one-sided and repetitive complaining.

I have an unwavering love for Anne Lamott.

It stems from her authenticity, her sharp wit, and the grace she shows both towards herself and the world, but especially towards herself.

I was raised in the noxious quagmire of Southern Evangelism and have spent countless years trying to reject anything that even remotely hints at similar concepts.

However, Anne serves as a reminder that true faith and prayer are not marred by fear and damnation. Instead, they are filled with grace and peace.

She makes me consider that if there indeed exists some higher power, perhaps They are looking down at us with a smile.

And for me, that's a rather significant "if."

Nonetheless, regardless of one's personal feelings or their current life situation, this book has so much more to offer.

I found myself laughing out loud on numerous occasions, and it even made me long to sit down with my mom and engage in a lengthy conversation about life.

Anne Lamott's work has truly had a profound impact on me.

She's hippie dippie, with a free-spirited and unconventional nature.

Despite her rather bohemian lifestyle, she also has a deep connection with the church and attends it frequently.

This combination of traits might seem unexpected, but it's precisely this contrast that makes her so interesting.

I was initially quite surprised that I could like her writing as much as I do.

Her words have a unique charm, perhaps influenced by her diverse experiences and perspectives.

Maybe it's the way she weaves together her hippie ideals with her spiritual beliefs that gives her writing depth and authenticity.

Whatever the reason, I find myself drawn to her work, eager to explore more of her thoughts and ideas.

It just goes to show that you can never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a writer by her appearance or habits.

Sometimes, the most unexpected people can have the most profound impact on us through their creative expressions.

There's something truly liberating and courageous about an individual who isn't afraid to admit their shortcomings, their fears, and their resentments towards others and themselves.

They expose the dark side of themselves to the light for all the world to see.

And in admitting and owning up to their vulnerable, pitiful Self, there is healing.

This healing occurs on the part of both the speaker and the listener.

By sharing our stories of how we hurt, love, grow, falter, rejoice, break down, mess up, clean up, own up, blame, judge, learn, forgive and are forgiven, help and are helped, fumble through darkness, and reach moments of peace, we piece ourselves and each other together little by little.

We get a little closer to understanding ourselves and each other and how to survive and thrive in the midst of the flutter and fluctuation called Life: back and forth, up and down, darkness and light.

I have the deepest respect for Anne Lamott, as an imperfect perfect human being and as a writer.

Anne Lamott's storytelling is one of humor and of personal revelation, and as such it is an interesting journey to embark on.

Her words have the power to touch our hearts and souls, and to inspire us to be more honest and open with ourselves and with others.

Through her writing, we can learn to embrace our own imperfections and to find beauty and meaning in the midst of our struggles.

Anne Lamott is a true inspiration, and her work will continue to touch the lives of many for years to come.

Some parts of this book were truly very funny. However, I wasn't completely captivated by it.

I think perhaps it is indeed a very good book. My lack of love for it might be because I've known so many people who absolutely LOVE Anne Lamott. As a result, I began reading the book with a rather hard prejudice, believing that I wouldn't conform to all those non-conformist individuals who love Anne Lamott.

I have the same feeling about Star Trek. I think I should really like it, but I hate the fact that it has such a large following. Let me make it clear. This indicates a problem within ME, not with Anne Lamott or the people who truly enjoy her writing. =)

It's interesting how our preconceived notions and the influence of others can sometimes affect our perception of something. Maybe if I had approached this book with an open mind, without the baggage of my prejudice, I might have had a different experience.

Nevertheless, it's important to recognize our own biases and try to overcome them in order to fully appreciate the works and ideas of others.

I listened to this on CD and initially, I wasn't entirely certain about it. However, as I delved deeper and began to hear the second level messages within the stories, my perspective changed.

The author, Anne Lamott, is truly funny and witty. What I really appreciate is the way she seamlessly weaves spiritual guidance into messages that are related to parenting, writing, friendships, and the ordinary aspects of everyday living. It's a unique and engaging approach that keeps the reader/listener hooked.

I am now looking forward to reading more of her thought-provoking books. I love her irreverent writing style, her ability to describe things in a creative and tell-it-like-it-is manner, and how her words have the power to touch my spirit. Each chapter in this book had something that made me stop and think, again and again. This book is definitely a keeper, one that I will cherish and revisit in the future.

It seems that not even Anne Lamott can write a book as good as Traveling Mercies.

Of course, there are still the beautiful nuggets of truth scattered throughout this work. And it wouldn't be a Lamott book without a healthy dose of irreverence, which, surprisingly, can be both freeing and comforting.

However, while this book reminded me of what I first experienced in Traveling Mercies - that it's okay to not be okay - something here felt unfinished or perhaps even forced. Where Traveling Mercies said, "Here I am, as I am," Plan B seemed to say, "Here I am again. No, seriously... here I am. Check me out."

If you are looking for or expecting the experience you had with her first set of essays, it might be better to just re-read Traveling Mercies. I'm glad I continued on this literary journey and definitely plan on working through Grace Eventually to complete the trifecta. But I imagine I'll approach the first page of that book with less enthusiasm than I did when I read the first words of Plan B.

Perhaps this is a sign that Lamott's writing, while still engaging and thought-provoking, has lost some of its initial sparkle for me. Or maybe it's just that I had such high expectations after the brilliance of Traveling Mercies. Either way, Plan B is a worthy read, but it doesn't quite measure up to its predecessor.

Mostly, I have to say that this book was disappointing.

I think it was because I started it under false pretenses. I had been told that it was a Christian book, and I made the mistake of expecting it to be like other Christian books I had read. However, it was definitely not. Most of the time, it was barely Christian. Her faith sometimes seems a little more new agey or Unitarian than Christian.

I do appreciate her embrace of the imperfections of humanity, and her message about grace is always important. But I'm not sure how much I actually got from reading the book, other than relief that she wasn't in my life. Chaotic crazy people like her, no matter how nice, give me a headache.

I did enjoy a few pieces, especially towards the end. I really liked it whenever she would shut up about the Democratic party. Despite voting that way often, I don't believe that any one party is better than others, and it annoys me when someone like her is more religious about a political party than about her own faith. Her message about accepting oneself, warts and all, is always a good one, and I liked her reflections about learning to forgive her mom. But I won't read this book again, and I doubt I'd read anything else of hers if I didn't have to.

Overall, this book was a bit of a letdown for me, but there were still some redeeming qualities that I could appreciate.

This is my very first encounter with Anne Lamott's work, and I have become an instant convert.

Her writing is so human, touching, wise, and oh so incredibly funny. "Plan B" is truly a book with a big heart. I have carefully shelved it right next to Sumangali Morhall's "Auspicious Good Fortune," which happens to be my all-time favorite spiritual memoir.

Just recently, I started reading "Traveling Mercies," and I am already completely addicted.

Anne Lamott has this unique ability to draw you in with her words, make you feel as if you are right there with her, experiencing every moment, every emotion.

Her stories are not only entertaining but also deeply profound and thought-provoking.

I can't wait to see where this literary journey with Anne Lamott takes me next.