Every book is unique in the way it tells a story. While some books use wits and humor to tickle readers’ fancy, others incorporate a little more truth, reality, and spirituality into their narrations. However, some authors are gifted enough to blend all those elements into their novels and nonfictional works perfectly.
An example is the eccentric, California-based novelist and non-fiction writer Anne Lamott and Anne Lamott books. In addition to being a lover of all things real and transformative in a book, Anne Lamott dabbles in political activism, public speaking, and writing teaching. But our primary focus is on the soul food she cooks up in all her books through self-deprecating humor and complete openness. With those elements, she’s been able to create works that give deeper meanings to the concepts of depression, single motherhood, alcoholism, and Christianity.
Here are the best books to pick off the shelf to better understand how multiple Anne Lamott books are medicinal to individuals.
Bird by Bird
We go all the way back to 1995 to start the review of the best Anne Lamott books to read. The first book on this list is one that turns readers into good writers. It’s an illustrative and insightful piece that offers step-by-step instructions for becoming a creative writer.
If you’ve ever wondered what the creative process of any author or writer looks or feels like, then Bird by Bird is the practical and funny guidance you need to think like a writer. It all starts with giving your mind the freedom to feel like a writer.
Traveling Mercies
It’s been mentioned that Anne Lamott is open about her faith, and her tales provide mindful treats to faithful readers. And if you’ve come across any book that opens up about Anne’s faith, i.e., Operating Instructions, it’s evident that such faith is one based on generosity and an open heart.
Traveling Mercies takes us deeper into what faith is to Anne Lamott and the roles people play in her life. It features the struggles of becoming not just a believer in God but a believer in oneself. So, if you want an affectionate and spellbinding tale of how Anne Lamott found light in an already gloomy ordinary life, Traveling Mercies is the book to run to.
Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year
From the tales of faith and Christianity, we switch to one of the best Anne Lamott books that sheds more light on the chronicles of single motherhood. And like every other Anne Lamott creation, Operating Instructions carries a mix of humor and mental comfort that can only be felt through a warm book.
It’s a simple but compelling story of what it means to have your life transformed by the single event of welcoming a new baby as a single mother. Add that to the news that her best friend in the world will be dying of cancer, and you have yourself an open invitation into Anne Lamott’s life and struggles.
Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith
What happens when anxiety and fear grip you like two fatal poisons? Well, if you’re Anne Lamott and have lived the life she has, there’s no better antidote than the simple act of faith. Think of this text as the unofficial sequel to Traveling Mercies.
As the name implies, Plan B is a nonfictional work that offers a better and lifesaving antidote to the despairs of life. It offers wisdom and the typical humor in the best Anne Lamott books.
Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers
Tough times, challenging days, and the numerous hardships of life; they are, in summary, the significant battles every individual has to fight, and it’s impossible to win without the necessary armor and defense. Thankfully, Anne Lamott again comes through by educating us on the three essential prayers for those battles.
Help, Thanks, Wow isn’t a text based on an impulse thought. Instead, it results from years of trial and error with her faith. So, what are these three prayers? These prayers are – asking for assistance from a higher power, appreciating what we have that is good, and feeling awe at the world around us. With them, you can go through any day without stumbling.
Almost Everything: Notes on Hope
It’s no news that these are troubling times, and irrespective of the faith you belong to, it’s essential to hang on to hope and faith in what lies ahead. Anne Lamott helps with this by giving further insights into the true meaning of hope, our relationship with it, and why and how we should welcome it into our souls. It’s a natural antidote for the venoms of real life and a reminder to never give up, even in the bleakest of moments. Almost Everything is also a wake-up call to rejuvenate the lost hope and wisdom that makes life worth living for.
Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son’s First Son
We’ve seen Anne Lamott as a single mother and her struggle with faith and hope, but have you thought about what stories the grandmother version of the inspiring novelist will bring for your reading pleasure? The birth of her son, Sam, had already changed her life, but the shocking news of Sam becoming a father at nineteen came with its share of transformative experiences.
Anne Lamott narrates all the life-changing moments of welcoming a new baby to the household before her son could grow out of his teenage years. Some assembly required is a sincere and touching story that brings humor and poignancy to the new life of “grandmotherhood.”
The Best Anne Lamott Books: Conclusion
Anne Lamott has dedicated her writing years to creating works that touch the soul and feed us with knowledge about life and the hope it brings with it. The joys and struggles of faith and motherhood are the common themes in the remarkable Anne Lamott books, and a visit to BookScouter.com is the first step to getting your hands on them.
Would you like to see more booklists by famous authors after checking out this list of the best Anne Lamott books? If yes read the next articles: best Nora Roberts books or best Kurt Vonnegut books.
