I Love Books!

Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair by Laurie Perry

The full title of this hilarious and sometimes poignant book is Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair: The True-Life Misadventures of a 30-Something Who Learned to Knit After He Split.  And that about sums it up.  Perry, aka Crazy Aunt Purl, somehow manages to make it through all of the craziness that overwhelms her after getting dumped.  She figures out how to be true to herself, or more accurately find out who she really is, when she's no longer part of a couple.  Knitting takes a starring role in the transformation.  (My favorite part about the knitting "recipes" are the wine recommendations!)

She writes so honestly about the experience it is both heart-wrenching and hysterical.  She makes up words with abandon and sprinkles her writing with Southernisms.  Reading this book feels like you're having a conversation with a good friend.  A little one-sided, of course, except for when I found myself talking back.  It's possible it's just me, but somehow Perry makes you feel like you're right there with her, which leads to the talking to a book thing.

And I'll tell you, having been through a similar experience myself, she nails the feelings you go through, the anger the sadness, the eventual happiness over some silly things that feel like victory.  You don't have to be a knitter, divorced or Southern to love this book.  Just be ready for an entertaining read that will having you adding her blog to your favorites list.

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

I've been seeing and hearing about this book for some time now, always meaning to pick up a copy, but never quite getting around to it.  On a recent road trip through California, I was given a copy by a dear friend with the request that I pass it on to someone who'll appreciate it.  That road trip resulted in lots of new books, some that I never would have chosen on my own.  I'll be writing about them as quickly as I can.

Back to Eat, Pray, Love.  The book is divided into three sections, each chronicling about four months in the author's life as she tries to regain her sanity after a painful divorce.  Eat is the part about Italy, where she gained 20-some pounds gorging on pasta and wine while learning Italian and re-learning how to pay attention to her desires. Part two is at an ashram in India, and of course the pray part. Surprisingly this section has some of the funniest lines (thanks to Richard from Texas).  The final part is about her time in Indonesia, where she spends time with two different healers, and a crew of interesting ex-pats.  And yes, she finds love, unexpectedly.

The journey she takes is personal and universal.  For everyone who's looked for something more in their life, you'll probably devour this book.  It's an amazing and wonderful way she chose to heal herself after a great pain, a breaking open, which eventually allowed her to become more of herself.  And, I don't know about you, but I sure could use a little bit of that.