OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: A Journal of My Son's First Year - Hardcover

Lamott, Anne

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0679420916 ISBN 13: 9780679420910

Publisher: Pantheon, 1993

Synopsis

The author of Rose, Hard Laughter and two other novels chronicles her son's growth, discussing her fears and worries, her deepening faith, and the support of her eccentric circle of friends. 10,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

The most honest, wildly enjoyable book written about motherhood is surely Anne Lamott's account of her son Sam's first year. A gifted writer and teacher, Lamott (Crooked Little Heart) is a single mother and ex-alcoholic with a pleasingly warped social circle and a remarkably tolerant religion to lean on. She responds to the changes, exhaustion, and love Sam brings with aplomb or outright insanity. The book rocks from hilarious to unbearably poignant when Sam's burgeoning life is played out against a very close friend's illness. No saccharine paean to becoming a parent, this touches on the rage and befuddlement that dog sweeter emotions during this sea change in one's life.

From the Publisher:

Anne Lamott is someone I can truly relate too; single, in her thirties and full of many of the insecurities that independent women have. When she gets pregnant and her best friend develops cancer, she unlike most of us can write about all this with a heartbreaking clarity few can match. On top of this Anne Lamott is incredibly funny.

I'm a sales rep for Ballantine books and this has been one of my favorite books to sell over the years. But if I was to quit tomorrow I would still be talking about this book. It is a book I have given to countless friends the past few years. Expectant parents especially, both men and women love this book because Lamott is able to verbalize the entire spectrum of emotions a child can bring into their lives.
        --Karen Hayes, Sales Rep.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pantheon
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0679420916
• ISBN 13: 9780679420910
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 251