I had a profound love for Lamott's "Traveling Mercies" and was filled with excitement when I got my hands on her next book. However, overall, I found myself disappointed.

"Traveling Mercies" was truly raw. Lamott laid her heart bare, going into frank and detailed accounts of her arduous struggles with drugs, alcohol, the heart-wrenching deaths of family and friends, and ultimately, the discovery of her faith. Even if one couldn't directly identify with her experiences, it was impossible not to empathize with her pain.

In "Plan B," Lamott's life has improved significantly to the extent that she no longer has anything truly serious to lament about. Instead, she ends up whining about her angst-ridden teenage son, her cellulite, and the annoyance of getting dog shit on her shoes. Her vignettes regarding her ongoing struggle with her faith seem rather contrived at this juncture. Additionally, I simply cannot relate to her in this book as she appears to focus predominantly on the trials and tribulations of being a middle-aged woman.

There were indeed moments of insight and a few profound thoughts scattered throughout, but on the whole, it felt far more superficial compared to "Traveling Mercies." As for whether I will read any of her other memoirs, that remains to be seen.

This collection of essays was indeed a part of my 2012 TBR Challenge. Sadly, I failed miserably in that challenge, as this is the only book I managed to complete out of the 12 plus 2 alternates. However, about two essays into the book, I realized that I had actually already read this collection before. Oh well, I decided to continue and re-read it anyway. Anne Lamott is truly one of my heroines, not only as a writer but also as a person. I have thoroughly enjoyed these (now four) collections of essays on faith. She is not a theologian; she is just an ordinary flawed individual trying to live in the Light, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing. The collection is, on occasion, a little dated, with numerous references to George W. Bush and the Iraq war. But the overall feeling of the book is one of hope. My favorite essays are "Let us Commence" (her commencement speech to college graduates), "Ham of God" wherein her faith is renewed by free ham, and "Adolescence" where she imagines Jesus as a teenager when she's trying to deal with her own teenage boy Sam (and menopause). These three essays I have come back to read more than once and have shared with various people here and there.

I find Lamott's writing style to be engaging and relatable. Her honesty and vulnerability in sharing her experiences and thoughts on faith make the book a truly enjoyable read. It's like having a conversation with a friend who is also on a spiritual journey. I would highly recommend this collection of essays to anyone who is interested in exploring the topic of faith or simply looking for an inspiring read.

Despite the fact that I had already read this collection before, I still found new insights and perspectives on faith as I re-read it. Lamott's words have a way of staying with you and making you think about your own life and beliefs. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

I have an intense love for her writing. She is an extremely smart individual, with a sense of humor that is both sharp and engaging. What truly sets her apart is her ability to be rawly real. However, as much as I appreciate her work, I don't think we would be friends in real life. Each chapter of her writing evokes a plethora of emotions within me - irritation, joy, laughter, sadness, and admiration. She has this remarkable talent of making me feel every single one of these emotions deeply. But still, I have this gut feeling that we wouldn't really like each other.

There are so many quotes in her work that it's almost impossible to choose a favorite. One that really stands out is, "My mind kept thinking its harsh thinky thoughts, but I would distract myself from them gently and say, 'Those are not the truth, those are not trustworthy, those are for entertainment purposes only.'" Another profound one is “…the opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty…” These quotes truly capture the essence of her writing and the depth of her thoughts.

Anne Lamott's life is a rich tapestry of experiences, and her short essays offer a unique perspective on faith.

She approaches faith in a rather eclectic way, picking and choosing what she likes from different religions. Her writing is filled with humor, messiness, and irreverence, yet each story manages to reach a sort of "afterschool special" style of resolution.

One of the things I first liked about Anne Lamott was her take on families. In her novels, she shows how single moms, single dads, neighbors, girlfriends, boyfriends, sisters, and even a wise old man from the grocery store can come together and form a family. In this book, she does something similar with faith.

She takes her meditation, nature walks, the almost rock-star status she has given to Mary, and a simple shred of yarn around her wrist that she got from the Dalai Lama, and weaves them into a beautiful and unique exploration of faith.

At the core of her message is a simple yet powerful one: stop, breathe, think, and be nice. It's a message that we could all stand to hear more often in this crazy world of ours.

Overall, Anne Lamott's essays on faith are a refreshing and inspiring read. They may be a bit repetitive at times, but that only serves to drive home her important message.

It's entirely possible that Lamott's unapologetic left-leaning politics will manage to irritate some readers. However, it's important to note that her stance is so dear and innocent, and basically ungrounded in complex arguments. Ironically, this makes it rather harmless. In fact, it serves as a nice corrective to the rather icky elements of American self-righteousness. Helping the poor and loving peace may not always be the most prudent public policy choice, but it's always the best thing to have firmly rooted in one's heart.

Lamott's religion is strikingly different from what mine has been for a significant portion of my adult life. Hers is lived out and experienced in the nitty-gritty of life, through stories, and in the midst of the joy, sorrow, and rage that come with trying to maintain relationships with the bums that God has placed us with, especially oneself. My religion, in contrast, is far more centered around arguments, propositions, and systems. It seems rather ridiculous when compared. Although her writing may be cliched at times, it's like the proverbial glass of cool water: refreshing and life-giving.

All in all, it's quite nice.

I almost hesitate to give this book 4 stars. However, I did truly like it. I have read several other similar books by Lamott, and this one was my least favorite.

Nevertheless, hearing it read by her was a real treat. She has some hilarious observations that can make you laugh out loud. But all the bashing of G.W. Bush got tiresome after a while. I understand that was her stance at the time, but I much more appreciate her timeless insights about parenting, friendship, and religion.

You can find these more concisely in her later books, such as "Stitches" and "Help Thanks Wow: Three Essential Prayers". These later works offer a more distilled and perhaps more profound look at these important aspects of life.

Overall, while this book had its flaws, it still had some redeeming qualities, especially when experienced through Lamott's own reading. It's just that for me, her later works have a bit more depth and resonance.

I have to say, I was mostly disappointed with this book.

However, I think it's because I started it with the wrong expectations. Someone had told me it was a Christian book, so I naturally assumed it would be similar to other Christian books I've read. But alas, it wasn't.

Most of the time, it barely gave off a Christian feel. Her faith seemed to lean more toward a new-agey or Unitarian vibe rather than a traditional Christian one.

That being said, I do appreciate how she wholeheartedly embraces the imperfections of humanity. And her message about grace is indeed always valuable.

Still, overall, I don't feel like I really got much out of the book. The only thing I felt was a sense of relief that I don't have someone as chaotic as her in my life. Even if she might be a nice person, people like her kind of give me a headache.

To be fair, I did enjoy some parts of the book, especially toward the end. I liked her reflections on learning to forgive her mom and her message about accepting ourselves, flaws and all.

But her constant commentary on the Democratic Party quickly got old and tiresome. It felt a bit out of place and detracted from the overall flow of the book.

I truly love Anne Lamott. She is that remarkable person whom I often wish I could be like, yet at the same time, I'm glad I'm not. The reason being that I don't possess the same level of courage as she does. However, I suppose if I were in her shoes, I might just have the courage to embrace the life she leads.

Some of the captivating topics from her collection include hating or trying not to hate Bush and the war, the physical changes that come with age, and having a teenage son. What I adore is how, as she shares the little details of her life with us, she also imparts profound wisdom. She has the ability to make me laugh out loud, like when she said, "I was so angry with and afraid of the right wing in this country that it was making me mentally ill." She also makes me wonder, as in the statement, "Learning to love back is the hardest part of being alive." And she makes me think deeply, such as when she said, "...faith is not about how we feel; it is about how we live."

I love Anne Lamott because she has this wonderful gift of helping me see the beauty that exists in life and in God. And the best part is, I don't feel the need to take notes. I appreciate her honesty about her struggles, even though secretly, I wish she had everything figured out, so that I could have some hope that it gets easier to love.

Now, let's move on to "Grace (Eventually)."

This book encapsulates all that I cherish about Anne Lamott. It features a touch of political unease, a hint of self-deprecation, abundant humor, and a wealth of faith. She is truly an astonishing woman who seasons her tales of loss and difficulties with quotes, poems, and anecdotes about her son.

If you were to peruse a single story that epitomizes Anne as a writer (and likely as a person), look no further than "Ham of God" which commences this book. This volume makes me contemplate, spurs me to strive to be a better individual and writer, and elicits smiles and tears from me, depending on the page.

This pretty much sums her up: "Help" is a prayer that is always answered. It doesn't matter how you pray - with your head bowed in silence, or crying out in grief, or dancing. Churches are conducive to prayer, but so are garages, cars, mountains, showers, and dance floors. Years ago I penned an essay that began, "Some people think that God is in the details, but I have come to believe that God is in the bathroom.”

And another favorite: "Hope is not about proving anything. It's about choosing to believe this one thing, that love is bigger than any grim, bleak shit anyone can throw at us.”

Overall, this book is a captivating and inspiring read that offers profound insights into the human experience and the power of faith, hope, and love.

I truly do have a deep affection for Lammot. However, I'm reluctant to admit this: She seems to have depleted her memoir resources by the time she penned Traveling Mercies, Bird by Bird, and Operating Instructions. Those were undeniably outstanding books. But this latest one simply rehashes the content that we are already familiar with from her previous works.

Even within the book itself, she makes self-references numerous times and repeats crucial phrases and stories as if presenting them for the very first time. One can't help but wonder where her editor was during this process.

I also believe that a significant part of the problem with this book lies in its lack of a central focus. She glides between different time periods and thoughts with such fluidity that it becomes disorienting for the reader. There is no distinct theme here, aside from the rather tiresome Bush-bashing (although it may be well-deserved). The majority of her fans concur that her novels are lackluster, and now I've come to the realization that one can have an overdose of memoirs from a single middle-aged American, even if that person is as funny and quirky as she is. My advice to her? It would be best if she stuck to her earliest memoirs.

So, I have a great love for Anne Lamott. However, this particular book didn't have the same profound impact on me as her other works.

In part, it functions as a spiritual memoir chronicling the dark days of the Bush II era, which I find rather tiring. I did enjoy the updates regarding Sam. I absolutely adored "Operating Instructions" and was intrigued to witness how this baby had transformed into a teenager.

There are indeed some genuine moments of light. For instance, during a cruise with her Jesuit friend, she is slowly learning to forgive her mother for all the harm she has caused. Additionally, there is more of her quirky spiritual wisdom on display.

For those who are new to Anne Lamott, she believes that there are essentially two prayers: "Thank you thank you thank you!" and "Help!" Nevertheless, this book didn't reach the same transcendent heights as either "Operating Instructions" or "Traveling Mercies." In part, this is because I'm growing weary of reading about people complaining about how Bush II messed up the country. I concur with them. We all endured that period. It's time for me to move forward.

All in all, this book is rather uneven and leaves me with a sense of meh.

Anne Lamott is truly a unique individual, being both a genius and a bit of a wacko, and I suspect she might even concur with this assessment.

Her books, including this one, are a collection of moments from her life, often comparing them to her faith and her perception of God (whoever that might be). I am absolutely enamored with her writing style and the way she makes comparisons. Half the time, she articulates exactly what's in my mind, things that I would be far too afraid to voice aloud, let alone put in writing for the whole world to see. However, the other half of the time, her experiences are so vastly different from my own that I struggle to relate.

Her brutal honesty is what makes people either love or hate her books. You simply can't deny that she calls it as she sees it. In this particular book, I didn't find her language as offensive as in some of her others. But her constant rants about George W. every three or four pages did start to wear thin after a while. I may not have been a fan of the man either, but seriously, she's going to shorten her own life by fretting over something she can't currently change. It was quite jarring and disrupted the flow of whatever profound spiritual connection she was attempting to establish.