Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith

Anne Lamott has an easy manner that makes you feel like you're having a heated conversation with your best buddy sitting at the kitchen counter drinking coffee; her writing is honest, caring, and fun, even talking about grace and faith.

You will find this book to be a great read because it will make you look within yourself and think things through. I love writing that surprises me with simplicity and originality. "Grace (Eventually)" shows a softer side of Anne, a maturing and acceptance of the things she cannot change. She talks about her son, her dog, her mother, her church, her city, etc.

Lamott says things that will push a lot of buttons, for example thoughts on assisted suicide and abortion. She also talks about believing in Jesus and His teachings and His example of love and mercy. For those annoyed by the cultural environment, she gives a call to more understanding. For those who disagree with her, she also calls for grace by asking us to accept her as she is in all her authentic imperfection.

I recommend it with all my heart you won't ever forget this book or its author.

Author Anne LaMott has walked a different faith road than the conventional writer of "inspirational" books. Like Madeleine L'Engle, a favorite among novelists for me, she has no ties to the Christianity that identifies itself with conservative political and social beliefs. Her life story includes alcoholism, battles with a co-dependent mother, single motherhood entered into by choice, and a passion for causes. In this volume of essays, she draws the reader into that life. She writes with grace, beauty, immediacy, and dark humor, and she kept me turning pages longer than planned each time I picked this book up.

My one negative comment is that despite agreeing with her about it, I became quite tired of hearing about the Bush administration. Otherwise, a good read by an author whose other work may well interest me!

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Love, Jimmy: A Maine Veteran's Longest Battle"

A series of snack-sized yet nourishing essays on topics ranging from religion (but in a not-in-your face-kind-of-way) and politics to relationships and recovery, Grace (Eventually) subtly highlights what ultimately matters most in life. With honesty, humor, and humility, Anne reminds us that although we can't avoid the messiness of life, there are ways to stay awake, alert, forgiving, and somewhat sane as we stumble through all the muck. As she points out in her Lamont-language, grace and healing are not "abracadabra kinds of things" but instead "it's clog and slog and scootch...the lesson is in the slog." Perhaps the key to life is not in avoiding the muck--but in learning how to first plod through it and then gracefully de-gunk. (Eventually.)

After reading the prologue and a few of the essays I understand why so many women in their 50s seem to just love Anne Lamott. She is one of them. I'm nearly finished with this book and have grown to appreciate her. She has a very easy going style, fluid and clear. i suppose I don't entirely relate to her because she talks quite a bit about her sordid past of being an alcoholic and drug user. It takes me aback and I can't relate except as one might to a friend whose own destructive behaviors make me uncomfortable and sad for the loss of healthy life.

But as I'm reading, I'm engaged by her style and find she's becoming a friend whose history drags into stories that define who she is.

One of the most popular voices in contemporary spirituality, Anne Lamott has a remarkable gift at handling serious and unfunny topics - religion, motherhood, eating disorders, death - in a witty and disarming way.

Lamott's new book, "Grace Eventually: Further Thoughts On Faith," is a collection of essays, many of which Lamott wrote as a columnist for Salon.com. If you haven't read anything by Lamott before, the best places to start would be "Traveling Mercies" (her bestselling memoir), and "Bird by Bird," (one of the best guide to writing anywhere, another bestseller). But the two things you should know before reading Anne Lamott is that 1) she is an incredible prose artist, quirky and profound, with a style that seems all her own. And 2) she is almost completely neurotic.

"Grace Eventually," is a special book in that Lamott's description of ordinary events make them feel sacred. She is a writer with an ability to make the reader pay attention, feel present, and tune in to the story taking place around them. Although she refers to Jesus consistently, there is little that seems orthodox about Lamott's spiritual journey, and perhaps that is one of the reasons she has such a wide readership.

You'd have to be made out of granite not to find something that moves you in this unique collection of essays. You would also need to adhere to Lamott's precise and strident political positions not to find at least one portion of this book infuriating. Either way, "Grace Eventually" is a provocative and unique read, and any avid reader owes it to themselves to become familiar with one of the country's top writers.

While there were a few pieces in the collection that felt like rambling blogs entries rather than polished thoughtful messages, this is a wonderful book. Wonderful as much for its imperfection as its insight.

It is personal but not just for the writer. Somehow Lamott manages in this collection to create a sense of it being personal for the reader, as if that reader could have written this too --if only she were as witty and aware and spiritually open as Lamott has been and then brave enough to not just write it but then not hit the delete button.

It gave me something -- a sense of peace and wellbeing -- and it helped me help someone. That made my life and someone else's better. I don't think you can ask much more of a book than that. Cool.

Halfway through this book I was a little disappointed. Just wasn't enjoying it as much as I'd expected. I gave it some thought, and realized: Lamott is really challenging me here. This is not the same "preaching to the converted" that I've loved in her writing. Some of these ideas were harder to swallow, ideas I wasn't ready for.

Some examples:

- I still enjoy the occasional overeating binge without much remorse. Hadn't fully occurred to me to question it.

- I felt unapologetically UNforgiving of her oblivious rich friends who keep rubbing her nose in their privelege, and even LESS forgiving of the salesperson who sold her crappy carpet, lied about it, and laughed in her face. Watching Lamott suck it up and acquiesce to these people stressed me out.

- Even though I'm a big lefty, the assisted suicide chapter was really hard to read. I didn't even realize I had mixed feelings about this issue; suddenly my heart was racing and I had to put the book down and think it over. Perhaps the first time I've really disagreed with Lamott so strongly about something.

- Cancer, aging, dying appear in many of the chapters. Important issues, but hard to face if you're coming from a sensitive or sad place.

So, does this make it a bad book? No. Just makes it more of a thought-provoking read. It challenges my ideas and assumptions rather than unconditionally confirming them. Definitely worth checking out, though. Anne's voice is always such fun and life-affirming, even when she's talking about difficult topics.

As usual, Lamott is funny, sly, and full of enlightening perspectives punctuated by bouts of self-deprecation. I don't think I would enjoy knowing her in person, as she seems to be one of those people for whom the normal difficulties of daily life constitute major hardships. Yet the way she tackles those hardships can be instructive for all of us. A few of the essays seem almost unfinished, or perhaps that's her way of giving us space to reflect further on the topic at hand.

I got this book from the library as an audiobook, so the upside is that I didn't pay for it. I listened to her while slogging up the 880 after work, but stopped after the first six chapters or so. There is something so self-absorbed about Lammott"s narration of her life, so ennobling of self-pity that I figured I just didn't want to waste my time on her any more. The bumper to bumper was frustrating enough.

What I mean is this- each vignette was a depiction in one way or another of how difficult life has been for her or for those she observes, and how, through the grace of God, we endure. And that's as far as I got. For example, her son's life is filled with wear you down emotional challenges, and of course, as a parent, this is very challenging for Lammott. She turns to God, and, as I said before, soldiers on. Very courageous. There's truth in this, life can be challenging, but it's not the only truth. Why does grace always have to be the result of enduring harsh realities, and never the result of joy? Didn't she ever find God when her son barged into her lap when he was five? It gets to where there's an undertone of self-congratulation in her perception of herself as battered but still standing. I guess I got impatient with that.

Anne Lamott has many endearing traits as a writer. She can be very funny and has a lovely command of language. In the first story of this collection, I found her sympathetic and self-aware as she described growing out of a troubled period in her 20s, when she drank too much, took too many drugs, and "accidentally" ended up sleeping with other women's husbands. The title of the book, Grace (Eventually) seemed to promise she would find her way.

But unless you share her reflexive, rigid and seemingly fatal anger at political conservatives, most particularly the evil George Bush, this book becomes unbearable. For example, in an otherwise charming chapter writing about teaching 5-year-old boys in Sunday School about what the Wailing Wall represents, and the concept that everybody in this world is "loved and chosen," she struggles to believe her own lesson: ". . . In truth, everyone is loved and chosen, even Dick Cheney, even Saddam Hussein." Maybe the 5-year-olds got it better than the teacher.

Despite this sort of lunacy, I read on, but was punished for it. In a later chapter, ostensibly about learning to forgive the obnoxious traits of a friend's husband because of the care he extended to his cancer-ridden wife, she begins: "I don't hate anyone right now, not even George W. Bush," a condition she attributes to "the presence of grace, or dementia or both."

Lamott frequently acknowledges that her emotions and anger can get the better of her, and admits the damage she does to herself by her own Bush Derangement Syndrome. Yet instead of pulling in the reins, she barrels on, chapter after chapter, bringing him up again and again, each time with loathing. This book supposedly is about finding peace with herself and correcting other relationships that needed tending, but she cannot resist sticking politics in everywhere: angry, vitriolic politics. She also slams Tom Delay, Karl Rove, and Donald Rumsfeld, though their sins seem to be that they are white, male and Republican. Thinking of George Bush, which she seems almost powerless to stop, contributes to her binge eating, and occasional depression. She mentions him at least half a dozen times by page 141, when I could take no more.

Lamott is among other feminist writers who want to glorify their anger because it's for a good cause, but they fail to see that their unbridled anger reinforces one of the worst stereotypes about women: that they cannot control their emotions. It is discouraging.

In a chapter about speaking on a panel discussing abortion and faith, she blasts "patriarchal sentimentality about miniscule zygotes." Yet in the very next paragraph she is confused enough to claim that really, she lives to fight for the sacredness of each human life. Oh, thanks for clarifying. She justifies her anger on this because she is "tired and menopausal and would like for the most part to be left alone."

Not exactly. People who want to be left alone don't keep cashing in on books about their lives. That is being very public, not being left alone. Couldn't she be more honest?

How anyone can view a woman this angry and so rigid as a reliable witness to what a life of faith and grace looks like is beyond me.

I don't see any Grace from this writer whatsoever, unless you're also a Marin County angry Democrat. You know, the kind who are so caring and open-minded.

I began blogging recently with "Grace: Eventually" among three books lined up on my desk for summer reading. A Lamott fan since "Bird by Bird" I dived in to this book I gifted myself with two Christmases ago.

As always, Lamott says things in a way that intrigues and challenges me. And yet, four essays in and now this far into a new presidential administration, I found her dings for George W, Donald Rumsfield, and Dick Cheney disconcerting. I don't mind so much that she and I disagree politically, but can't fathom that a book which claims to center on the notion of "Grace" would have so little evidence of it in the content.

For someone who seems to be very perceptive on human relations and seems to have a very close relationship with Jesus, this woman has a disproportionate and illogical hatred of Bush. Perhaps this comes from only having friends that think as she does. When she is writing about her son and her relatives, she is very good but the passages and one-liners about her Bush hatred are hard to get through. I suppose this sort of writing isi a hoot to her Salon readers but it will date the book quickly. When she writes about abortion she is doctrinaire and pedestrian.

Err. She rant and raves about President Bush and abortion. And comes across self righteous and judgmental. Although she professes to love all and believes the fact that she loves all wins God's approval. She sounds so superior in her love for all but then starts to attack and mock others. She speaks of helping many with disabilities and struggles, but seems to be criticizing them in the same breath.
It is rare for me to give an author one star. Typically, my response is that the book is simply not my cup of tea and I do not leave a review.
She comes across is the biggest hypocrite. She professes love, but actually states her superiority. It made me cringe and my skin crawl.
I only read half the book, as I could not stomach anymore. And my political views tend to be moderate to left of center and I could not tolerate her rants.

Oh, how I adore little Anne. For years, this lady has inspired my writing, made me laugh, and challenged my perceptions. Most of the time I'm right there cheering with her. Occasionally, we disagreee--but I think she would love me anyway.

"Traveling Mercies" (one of my all-time favorite books) was a sprawling, messy, beautiful tale of life and faith and day-to-day struggle. "Plan B" was more of the same, but with political teeth sharpened on the grindstone of Mr. Bush's policies. "Grace (Eventually)" shows a softer side of Anne, a maturing maybe, or an acceptance of the things she cannot change. She talks about her son, her dog, her mother, her church, her city, all with a tone of reconciliation.

Don't get me wrong. Anne still wants change. She still says things that will push a lot of buttons--regarding assisted suicide and abortion, for example. She also continues to express a belief in Jesus and His teachings and His example of love and mercy. For those annoyed by the cultural environment, she gives a call to more understanding. For those who disagree with her, she also calls for grace by asking us to accept her as she is in all her authentic imperfection.

I didn't walk away from this book with sublime shock and laughter (as I did with "Traveling Mercies") or with pent-up frustration (as I did with "Plan B"), I walked away with a sense of gentleness and a desire to extend that same grace to others. I guess you could call that a success.

I adore "Travelling Mercies." Having spent some time as a Christian, I expected some mature Christian thought from Lamott. Instead, I'm kind of horrified. Jesus was awful as a teenager? Praying to Mary? Yay for abortion? What Bible is Lamott reading?

I admire Lamott's raw honesty and the way she turns a phrase, but the "I hate George Bush" rants got really old. I may not agree with our President's decisions and I may not admire him as a person, but a certain amount of respect is due to the office of the President of the United States. It's one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

After reading Lamott's last three non-fiction books, I get the idea that Lamott doesn't have anything new to say. Although she occasionally has wonderful insights, I won't be buying Lamott's books again.

In a letter to a friend, Thomas Merton once complained that much of what was published as religious writing was not worth much, and very often atheist writers had more to say than people of faith. His reasoning was valid. In his time, much like our own, spiritual books were popular, due in no small part to the success of Merton's own SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN and there were pressures upon Merton by his own religious superiors to write another bestseller. Merton was concerned about the quality of what he could produce which is why he was so critical of much of what was published as religious writings. Merton's words could be a good caution for today. Spiritual books are popular, but for many, the value is questionable. Merton's caution can also be an interesting way to look at Anne Lamott's newest collection of essays GRACE (EVENTUALLY).

Some of the essays in GRACE EVENTUALLY are to be lauded. Lamott's style is honest and gritty and in a very real way incarnational. For Lamott, faith is not easy, feel good, or always pretty. This is what can make Lamott compelling to read. Lamott discusses familiar topics on this volume: her aging body, the ups and downs of motherhood, people in her church, and politics, (if you thought she was too political in her earlier volume, don't worry, she's much tamer in this volume than PLAN B). She also discusses the relationship she had with her own mother and the struggles associated with it. Lamott's writing style, as always is nearly perfect. She writes in such a way that it's almost a dialog between reader and writer. Even in passages where the reader disagrees with Lamott's opinions (since she has such strong opinions, this is probably every reader), it's still engaging. She's also a master at taking things most people would overlook, creating a story, and bringing meaning to it. In this sense, Lamott is one of the better faith writers and quite possibly would be an example of what Merton hoped for in spiritual writing.

While Lamott has much to offer, not all essays in her book are created equal. She's a master at shooting from the hip in her writing, she makes no excuses for her opinions, and she doesn't care what others think. While many readers admire her at time fearless writing, this book is not a collection of personal essays which give her the freedom to say whatever she feels, or at least that's not how her writing is marketed. The book's subtitle is "Thoughts on Faith" and it's usually shelved in bookstores in sections reserved for spirituality. While faith is personal and can express itself in a variety of ways, there is also a vocabulary and body of knowledge that requires precision. There are small, but at least fro me significant ways that Lamott's writings at some points can be problematic. One example that comes to mind is an essay she wrote about her then adolescent son Sam. She compares him to Christ at the same age and uses the story of Jesus being lost in the Temple as an example of behavior similar to Sam's. She has Jesus say "Who is my father and who is my mother?" The problem? Jesus never uttered these exact words, and the closest he came to uttering similar words is in a different story when he was an adult. This is not poetic license or a free interpretation of the Bible. Readers should expect that a person writing about faith should have at least a working knowledge of scripture, and as a writer, Lamott should have respect for the story element alone. At another point she goes ballistic when she is asked to be on a panel on the Iraqi war organized by Catholics with a primarily Catholic audience and the subject of abortion arises. Lamott is an unapologetic supporter of abortion rights and she has no intention of entering the debate, but she has a hard time understanding that a person who opposes abortion can also be against the war in Iraq. A little research on her part prior to the conference and certainly in writing the essay could make Lamott at least understand that Catholics who are against abortion can also be against the war, and more than likely more than a few of her Catholic readers are against both abortion and the war. A few other essays seemed somewhat rushed and I wondered, was there a rush by the publisher to get another Anne Lamott book on the market. Lamott's writings are popular, and within weeks of its release, GRACE (EVENTUALLY) had a home on the bestseller lists of the store, THE NEW YORK TIMES, and other notable lists. Certainly much of what Lamott writes is of merit, her off the cuff and often honest style can at times be refreshing, but it would be nice if in her next volume, there would be precision where precision is necessary.

Its difficult to read someone's writings about spirituality when the book interjects biases and makes judgement of those they may disagree with. Spirituality is based on more than just feelings and opinions.

Her words are equivalent to the phrase "A sight for sore eyes." My copy now has so many underlines and dog ears that I just don't know where to start with quotable quotes--

"IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE FINALLY CRACKED OPEN A WINDOW THAT HAD BEEN JAMMED."
"...taught me a willingness to help clean up the mess we've made is a crucial part of adult living; that our scary, selfish, damging behavior litters the planet."
"...we get mad at each other, over and over, then we apologize, become friends again: I see how each time this is redemption. How amazing it is to share that."
"Joy is the best makeup."
"Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine."

I use this like a Bible when I need to be called to a higher place. It soothes me, calms me down, and calls me to a (much) higher place. Buy this, Bird By Bird, and the other two from this series. They are GIFTS.

There were parts of this book that were profound and powerful, drawing me into thinking deeply about the goodness of God and the challenges of life. The sections about Lamott's relationship with her son were particularly poignant, as was the chapter on assisted suicide. Lamott's reflections on nature and her own growth as a person (getting sober, coming to terms with her family background) were also helpful and encouraging.
The book was somewhat spoiled for me by rants about right-wingers and George W. Bush and abortion and various other things. Being shrill is not the badge of authentic humanity. Lamott needs to extend some grace to those with whom she disagrees without demonizing them. In fact, if such an approach could be extended to our entire culture we would be better by far.

Annie Lamott is so compellingly human and honest. Her books on faith are a must read for anyone making any kind of faith based inquiry in their lives. I adore her and love her writing, she is a literary hero of mine (And, interestingly, neighbor, I always see her in the grocery store. One day I was joking with the check out girl when someone with Annie's voice and remarkable wit busted in on our conversation. I turned around to find her standing in line behind me, inserting herself into our inside joke...we all laughed until it hurt...I didn't have the courage to tell her she was my hero of course. I work as a Life Coach and have famous celebrity clients but turn to jello when I cross paths with a writer I admire...go figure). At any rate this is one of her best books and I highly recommend it.

I borrowed this from my local library (sorry Anne), and liked it better than Bird By Bird. It seems to me a series of short stories or vignettes that are bound together by the theme of Anne's growing faith. I think it's great even though my politics are nearly 180 degrees opposite of hers, and though I think she is a lunatic a good bit of the time. Her story of the apology to the rug dealer left me banging my head against the wall. But her exquisite humor and total honesty make it impossible not to love her (unless you're misanthropic, in which case I suppose it is possible--I doubt the rug dealer loves her).

She's so honest and she writes some amazing truths, but I finally get what intriges me about her. She's an unapologetic lefty nutcase, and I think that while she spews her hatred of all things Bush and thinks of them as the factual anchors of her work, its really all of the other lovely insights in her life and her writing that make her "gag me - I hate Bush, Cheney, Global warming crap" worth wading through. Just as I thought Anne was finally evolving, she hit me with her first anti-Bush diatribe - then the pace of anti Bush rhetoric speeds, and just when I think I can read no more...I get it, she hasn't evolved between pages 1-90, she's just giving us one more of her glorious travelogues. I'm an unapolgetic conservative, red meat eating, Christian, and still, Annie touches me more than she repels me. Thanks Girl - I can't help but respect a true believer and a lady who walks the walk everyday.

There is so much about Anne Lamott that resonates with me. What I like the most is that her brand of theology is very uncomplicated. She gives each of us permission to find our own path and reminds us of what is important -- love, diversity, acceptance, helping others, and social justice. Her authenticity is refreshing. She is just as confused and flawed as the rest of us, yet she deals with sensitive subjects with humor and clarity. Some dislike her frequent condemnations of the Bush administration, but I find those passages particularly amusing and poignant as they set the context for the loftier discussions on what really matters in life.

Usually I take quite a while to read through books before I buy them. One exception is Anne Lamott's books. If she writes them, I'll read them, because she her writing is honest, caring, good story telling and lots of fun, even with the topics of grace and faith. She has the kind of writing that makes me wish I'd studied harder and knew all the words in the dictionary. (Not because she uses a lot of fancy, big words. Far from it. She just uses them so perfectly, so suited to what she is saying, so originally. I feel like the rest of us are amateurs with the English language and she is a pro.) Lamott doesn't let herself off the hook easily, nor does she softsoap life and its effects. But she does get it.

This book will be a good read because it will make you think--and think better. In this work Lamott shares her life and friends and family and herself. She has child-like feelings and inspired thoughts. I love writing that surprises me with simplicity and originality. That's why I love her work.

If you like this book another one of Lamott's earlier works, Bird by Bird, is an all time favorite of mine. She deals with how to become a writer. And she makes it seem possible--and like she's in your corner.

Many years ago, I bought and greatly enjoyed Ann Lamott's Bird By Bird, so when I saw this one in the bookstore, I had to buy it. Ann's beautiful prose, her honesty and raw self-evaluation, her courageous words on motherhood, and her ability to find the Sacred in the most ordinary ... these were the parts of the book that would have earned a 5-star review from me had Lamott only resisted the temptation to treat us to her views on politics. The constant and uncharitable demonization of President Bush, the political Right, and anyone who doesn't share Ann's viewpoint -- which in her mind, is not a viewpoint at all, but an absolute and unquestionable certainty (i.e., her views on abortion, global warning, etc.) -- was both irritating and deeply offensive. I am a Moderate, both politically and religiously, but the constant demonization of President Bush and the Right pretty much ruined the book for me, and seriously undermined Ann's credibility as a writer on Christian faith. Sorry, Ann, but here's some news for you: Jesus loves President Bush, Pro-Lifers and people whom you happen to think are idiots, just as much as He loves you.

Her description of her teenage son is literally MY SON. It is the greatest feeling in the world to know that you are not alone. I read and reread the chapters and then read them out loud to my son. She writes so openly and beautifully. I am thankful I heard her name in a sermon from Mars Hill bible church! Cant wait to read all of her works.

Years later, this is still one of my favorite books! Her message resonates especially clearly in today's world for both people who have an active faith practice and those who do not. Highly recommend!

It's difficult sometimes to find the Christianity in this book, where Lamott suggests (imagines?) that Jesus was awful as a teenager, that abortion isn't really all that bad, and that we should pray to Mary. I wonder where those ideas are justified in the Bible.

And Lamott's frequent rants about Bush-Cheney were also a distraction.

Lamott's simplistic theology says everyone is free to find their own path. How New Age! But Jesus is not just Savior, He is also Lord, and His requirements are more demanding than Lamott allows for.

Lamott says, "There is not much truth being told in the world." Exactly. Being truthful is important. And one truth that should be acknowledged is that being Christian isn't some touchy-feely exercise in spiritual superficiality.
Lamott's book of essays was superficially entertaining in many places, but disappoints on a deeper level.

I really don't understand Anne Lamott's appeal. I'll grant that she is a talented writer but clearly this, in an of itself, cannot explain it. I suppose a good bit of her appeal probably stems from her gut-honest authenticity, her willingness to say exactly what she's thinking all the time. She's profound, she's profane, she's shocking and people seem to love her for it.

Her latest nonfiction book (she has also authored several novels) is entitled Grace (Eventually) and it is a series of essays. As such it is somewhat disjointed with incomprehensible section names and odd chapter titles. There is little cohesion. If there are common themes they revolve around some kind of faith in Jesus, the trials of being a single parent, the difficulties that come with life, and an overwhelming hatred of George W. Bush (along with various members of his administration) and everything he has done as President. I haven't done a word count, but I suspect the name Bush appears significantly more times than the name God (unless, perhaps, we also count the times she uses God's name in a profane way; that would even things up some.). The essays recount episode after episode where Lamott was depressed or angry or belligerent or foul-mouthed or, in many cases, all of the above. It's exactly as depressing as it sounds.

This excerpt, drawn from the beginning of a chapter, is quite typical of the book's content:

I woke up in a bleak place on Sunday. It was not the place of ashes, like the morning after the 2004 Presidential election, but there was no comfort anywhere. It was miserably hot, and the news couldn't be worse--a new crop of mutilations in Iraq, with 2,500 U.S. soldiers now dead, and a North Korean ICBM apparently pointed at the West Coast. Two of my dearest friends had terrible diseases. There was a nasty separation going on in our family, and a small distraught child. Also, my son had not obeyed his curfew and we had had words at two a.m.

...

In the face of all this, I did the most astonishing thing a person can do: I got out of bed. At least I could still walk. A better person would think, Thank you, Jesus. But I thought, God do my feet hurt. God, am I getting old. Then I had some coffee, to level the playing field of me and my mind, as it had had several cups while I slept, and now if felt like talking.

Then I headed to church.

And it was not good.

Lamott has proven to have wide appeal, writing for Salon, the Los Angeles Times and a variety of other periodicals. It should be exciting to see a professed Christian writing for what is clearly a largely secular audience. Sadly, though, the spiritual insights shared by Lamott are more shocking or embarrassing than exciting and inspiring. Here is a smattering of what the reader will discover:

* On Jesus: "You've got to wonder what Jesus was live at seventeen. They don't even talk about it in the Bible, he was apparently so awful."
* On abortion: "I wanted to express calmly and eloquently, that people who are pro-choice understand that there are two lives involved in an abortion--one born (the pregnant woman) and one not (the fetus)--and that the born person must be allowed to decide what is right: whether or not to bring a pregnancy to term and launch another life into circulation." "Then I said that a woman's right to choose was nobody else's goddamn business. That got their attention." "We must not inflict life on children who will be resented; we must not inflict unwanted children on society."
* On euthanasia: "Mel was somewhat surprised that as a Christian I so staunchly agreed with him about assisted suicide: I believe that life is a kind of Earth School, so even though assisted suicide means you're getting out early, before the term ends, you're going to be leaving anyway, so who says it isn't okay to take an incomplete in the course?" In the chapter "At Death's Window" she eloquently describes assisting her friend in taking his own life by overdosing on barbiturates.

As we've come to expect from Lamott, there is a handful (or two) of uses of profanity spread throughout the book (using the name of God casually, several uses of language of the four-letter variety, and so on). Of course the book is not without its interesting insights. Readers will be able to identify with many of the difficulties Lamott has faced. They will laugh at some of her reactions to the situations she has encountered; they will roll their eyes at the same things that frustrate her. There are some notable quotes like this one: "A good marriage is supposed to be one where each spouse secretly thinks he or she got the better deal." But when it comes to spiritual content that is distinctly biblical and profoundly Christian, well, there is not much at all. Lamott seems to embrace a very wide faith that extends far beyond the bounds of Scripture. She celebrates things the Bible forbids and hates things the Bible commands us to love. Her self-loathing is so prominent it is easy to wonder if it isn't simply narcissism weakly disguised. In fact, with a fair bit of faith talk, but very little that is distinctly Christian, I suppose it is not difficult to understand why this book has wide appeal outside the church. I hope Christian readers are discerning enough to ensure it has little appeal within.

Although Anne Lamott is a skilled writer, she too often falls into her far-left rants which act as bumps in an otherwise smooth road. She has no doubt led an interesting life and I have enjoyed her other books (which are full of great insights on faith and what it means to be religious), but this one's a little too nutty for me.

I always enjoy reading Anne Lamott and this book was going along swell. She has an easy, casual manner that makes it feel like you're having a best-friend discussion sitting at the kitchen counter. But in this book I got SO tired of her blaming EVERYTHING that's wrong in the world on George Bush. It's like we were all basking around here on Heaven-On-Earth until Mr. Meanie screwed it all up. Her writing seems so smart and sensitive yet her political comments were so stupid. Not the most enjoyable read for me.

I had enjoyed Lamott's previous non-fiction books so thoroughly that I was genuinely excited to read this one. However, I was sorely disappointed in the general lack of creativity, wit and spark that so animated her other work. The chapters seemed derivative of her previous books on spirituality, and might easily have been leftovers or rejected portions of those works.

I am pleased by her well-deserved success, but can't help but feel that she just phoned this one in for the advance and lecture tour.

Ann is creative and an ingenious writer. "Bird by Bird" is rich. Love her similes! This book however is a thinly veiled diatribe to show her journey of moral superiority over George Bush... I got sick of the Bush bashing some of which is woefully mis-informed pulled thru the grid system of her extreme liberal bias... The title of "Grace..." in my 35,000 foot view of this book was a thin veil to show that she indeed has an inner struggle of adjustment to vicissitudes of life (don't we all) but in the end she may be maladjusted, but she's vastly morally superior to George Bush, Dick Cheney & Rumsfeld... I'd start to enjoy the book then she'd have to put Bush back under her foot again... it fankly got sickening... It should be called; "The Zen art of self disclosure and how to feel superior while bashing Bush!"

This is a more reflective book than Lamott's others. The tone is deeper, darker at times, and more reverent. It is just as honest and almost as funny, but the maturation that is going on inside her is so palpable that it trumps all else.

I've read almost everything Lamott's written. I loved Bird by Bird and Traveling Mercies. But Plan B made me think she'd run out of material, and Grace (Eventually) has me convinced. That so much of her work is autobiographical is becoming limiting both thematically and stylistically: I already know what she's going to say.

This is a more reflective book than Lamott's others. The tone is deeper, darker at times, and more reverent. It is just as honest and almost as funny, but the maturation that is going on inside her is so palpable that it trumps all else.

I've read almost everything Lamott's written. I loved Bird by Bird and Traveling Mercies. But Plan B made me think she'd run out of material, and Grace (Eventually) has me convinced. That so much of her work is autobiographical is becoming limiting both thematically and stylistically: I already know what she's going to say.

I expected witty, interesting, insightful. I expected too much because I didn't receive any of the three. This book seemed like a rant against conservatives or even against people with faith. Perhaps I didn't get it. However, maybe I just didn't want to. SO glad I didn't pay for this book. Dull!

I would recommend this book to anyone who has past issues that they have struggled with. This is a very candid account of one person's life and the way that they have turned it around. I really liked the honesty, even if I didn't always agree with her position.

I have read many Anne Lamott books and always find something stimulating to me in them. She is certainly not an ordinary person and does not have a usual conversion story. But she opens up her heart and mind to the reader, and forces us to think - always a plus in my book. I look forward to whatever she writes in the future.

Grace, Eventually is my first experience with Ms. Lamott's writing and it will certainly not be the last. Her self deprecating humor struck a chord and has opened up my own writing to a new dimension.

Anne Lamott does not disappoint. Her personal style of writing helps you relate to her as a lifetime friend. As one follows her journey through the small and big challenges of life -living your faith in parenting, relationships, politics, death of loved ones- her humor and sensitivity come through in every chapter. This book is a joy to read.

Having read all of Donald Miller's books and hearing his praise of Lamott, I was very excited to read this book. It starts off well, and Ms. Lamott is indeed a very skilled writer. I did enjoy about half of the book, but then I started getting frustrated with all the Bush and abortion rants. The Bush stuff just went on and on. My husband is in Iraq right now and yeah, it makes me angry that Bush blows smoke up our butts about this war and I don't think my husband should be there risking his life everyday. But she is ridiculously consumed by her hatred of him. She spends far to much time and energy worrying about one human being. I tried my best to finish the book, but had to stop a few chapters short of the end because I could not take it anymore. The abortion stuff was frustrating to. She kept talking about a woman's right to choose. Everybody knows that sex between a man and woman makes a baby- if you don't want/can't afford a baby- choose and use a form of birth control. Having sex and not taking into consideration the consequences that come along with it is just plain ignorant. I guess I will get off my soap box now. But, I am still sad that this book was not as good as I had anticipated.

Let me start by saying I would not recommend this book to anyone. I could see how some people would like it: women who have a bit of depression and self-loathing; who are maybe Christians but don't really think the church and Christian literature, including the Bible, have much to say to them; maybe others who feel stuck being Christians and who enjoy griping about the world over coffee or wine.

I can't really understand why someone would publish this. Lamott has written several books, and I guess they sell or the publisher wouldn't waste the ink and paper, but this was grueling. I have seen references to her work by some Christian writers, but those writers are usually also in that category of "disgruntled with the state of things, and determined to remain so." They, and Lamott, would probably defend themselves by saying they are following the prophetic tradition. Old Testament prophets were, after all, usually disgruntled about something or other. But the O.T. prophets had something going for them: they spoke the truth of God, with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Lamott usually speaks the truth of her hippie, drug culture roots, with the inspiration of some mystic poets.

OK, maybe that's too harsh. She tells some good stories. Some even made me smile. She is refreshingly honest. Too often, memoirs or devotional books you might pick up at a Christian book store sugarcoat life, and when they talk about struggles they focus on the inevitable happy ending. Not Lamott. She lays it all out, and there is something therapeutic in hearing from someone who's been through struggles as well. I just don't know that we can learn much from her struggles and certainly I don't learn much about living the Christian life.

Aside from the lack of biblical, Christian theology, Lamott also makes her political and social liberalism very clear. Once, when invited to a panel at a liberal Catholic meeting (which she says she didn't know was Catholic at the time), she defended a woman's right to kill her own unborn baby. "I said that a woman's right to choose was nobody else's g-d business." (She doesn't abbreviate. She has a potty mouth.) She actually says that "reproductive rights for all women" are a "crucial part" of the message of "the sacredness of each human life." Unborn humans need not apply.

Besides that, anything that I may have gleaned in terms of edification or inspiration was eclipsed by her occasional uninformed, ridiculous jabs at conservatives. Here are some examples:

"Everyone is loved and chosen, even Dick Cheney, even Saddam Hussein." OK, I can see objecting to Cheney's policies, but comparing him to a despot who committed genocide against his own people?? Whatever.

"Whenever I want to binge or diet, it means that there is some part of me that is deeply afraid. . . . I had been worried sick about Bush for five years now." Get a grip.

"I don't hate anyone right now, not even George W. Bush. . . . While I still oppose every decision he makes and am appalled at his general level of malfunction, I no longer want to hurt him." She describes the lengths she went to to "unhate Bush." Looks like she takes Bush's presidency much too seriously. You get the feeling that if George W. Bush found a home for every homeless person in America, raised everyone in poverty to middle class, made peace with every country in the Middle East, and gave Lamott a pedicure, she'd still see him as the devil.

On abortion again: "President Bush . . . signed legislation limiting abortion rights, surrounded by nine self-righteous white married males, who had forced God knows how many girlfriends into doing God knows what." I think this would be called projection. Just because her boyfriends may have forced her to do God knows what doesn't mean all men force all their girlfriends the same way.

"George W. Bush and John Ashcroft had tried for years to create a country the East German state could only dream about."

"George Bush's decisions and movements will take a thousand years to recover from, because his people have done such major damage everywhere."

And these political liberals say that Rush Limbaugh makes baseless criticisms of the left. Grace (Eventually) is not a political book, and certainly not a treatise on policy, but these screeching remarks distract from any small amount of redeeming value that can be found here. Don't bother.