Few people can write about faith, parenting, and relationships as can the talented, irreverent Anne Lamott. With characteristic black humor, ("Everyone has been having a hard time with life this year; not with all of it, just the waking hours") she updates us on the ongoing mayhem of her life since Traveling Mercies, and continues to unfold her spiritual journey.

Plan B finds Lamott wrestling with mid-life hormones and weight gain while parenting Sam, now a teenager with his own set of raging hormones. Her observations cover everything from starting a Sunday school to grief over the death of her beloved dog, Sadie; lamenting the war to bitterness over her relationship with her now-departed mother.

As she tugs and pokes out the knots in a slender gold chain necklace, it becomes a metaphor for letting go and learning to forgive. "…any willingness to let go inevitably comes from pain; and the desire to change changes you, and jiggles the spirit, gets to it somehow, to the deepest, hardest, most ruined parts." It’s her willingness to show us the knotted-up, "ruined parts" of her life that make this collection of sometimes uneven essays so compelling.

Very honestly written, but harsh tone defeats the message

I first encountered Anne Lamott when I read Operating Instructions, her wonderful book about her first year with her son Sam. I have never read a more honest account of motherhood's beginnings, or one with more love shining through. I've tried since then to find another book by her to love, without success.

I agreed with almost all Lamott's views in this book---which are mostly political, despite this being subtitled a book about faith. So my mixed feelings about this book are not because of differing political views. Rather, I felt that the tone here was mostly harsh. That's honest---it's nice to read that faith doesn't turn us all into happy clones. But I guess when I read a book about faith, I would like to have some feeling of grace or of being uplifted or at least of happiness. After reading this book, I felt totally depressed about the state of the world.

I also felt often that Lamott was making fun of people she didn't agree with. Especially when I read about her cruise, and her discomfort with all the flag adorned people, it seemed she didn't really try to follow the basic Golden Rule. She seemed to have little regard for those she met, and it seemed as if she was on her own personal cruise---which is fine, but again, not really too uplifting.

It was great to hear more about Sam, at least from my point of view. From HIS point of view, I would guess that he might not want to have it in print that he could be very mean to other kids, that he got drunk a few times, that he doesn't like to go to church...all somewhat normal teenage things, but I always wonder if it's really a parent's place to write about their teenager. There were a few times that she said she wasn't allowed to say more about him, but that didn't always seem to apply.

The writing is skilled here, and the honestly refreshing---especially the section about starting a Sunday School and race. But I don't really know what the reason for being of this book is---I don't feel like I learned more about Lamott's faith, or was given insight into my own, or even just plain enjoyed the reading. I will be honest about this, as Lamott unfailingly is!

Cardinal Sin: It's just not very funny.

I have always appreciated Anne Lamott's writing for its upfront honesty, downright hilarity, and the raw edge she brought to her spiritual quest. Now a lot of what she is writing seems trite -- maybe like she's gotten pretty comfortable and lost her edge.The only thing that keeps her going is her hatred of the right wing in American politics,but she doesn't even probe that hatred very skillfully -- it's just there, like a dull toothache. There are some moving moments, for sure, like the ski trip with her friend who is dying of cancer. And it's nice to know she's made friends with her cellulite, I guess, but ultimately not very enlightening.
The spiritual insights aren't very insightful, they boil down to this: make friends with uncertainty. Be open to the universe. Breathe regularly.

Don't bother

Honest to Pete - Lamott blows it with this book. I quit reading it when I was half way through as I wondered why I was bothering - why continue to be assaulted like this? Other books by Lamott have been invigorating and fun - this one bashes our President repeatedly (Ok for a chapter - but in almost every chapter?), flaunts the use of vulgarity (just because she's free to do so, doesn't mean she should), and champions rebellion. Lamott is a smart sassy woman - and I love her and I have enjoyed reading about her jaunty walk with Jesus. But this time around I simply wanted to yell at her " Oh, Anne, CUT IT OUT!"