Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
Trade tent at HBAMF. I think this is on someone's wishlist.
Advice column written in a blunt and self-revelatory style. I liked this more than Wild.
Mailed to GoryDetails (tag), 05/30/17.
Advice column written in a blunt and self-revelatory style. I liked this more than Wild.
Mailed to GoryDetails (tag), 05/30/17.
The package arrived safely today - many thanks! I suspect I'll agree re this book vs. Wild, but I'm a sucker for a pithy advice columnist {wry grin}.
Thanks, too, for the bonus book, Vagabond Vol. 27, and the marvelous surprise of the macadamia/green-tea-chocolate goodies - I almost missed those in the wrapping, and that would have been sad!
Later: I appreciated Steve Almond's introduction, in which he explained the birth of the "Dear Sugar" column - which he penned himself for a year or so before asking Strayed to take over. Her style tends towards "personal confessions of extremely sensitive nature" as a way of allying herself with the advice-seekers; sometimes this is downright harrowing, more so than the original letter-writers' experiences (though plenty of those were horrifying as well). Not that it's all grim; there are some simpler questions, and some touching, light-hearted, beautiful anecdotes - but few people write to advice columnists about nice things, so of course the balance is on the "people can be awful" side.
I liked the advice, though it did sometimes have to wend its way out of the tangle of personal memoir. There are some very funny bits, in which Strayed describes some examples of miscommunication in her own life as a way of leading the letter-writer into a realization that perhaps that's what's happening to them. Sometimes there are practical, explicit steps to be taken; other times it's more of a "step back, think about what you really want out of this situation".
The power of a simple "no", of setting and maintaining boundaries, of the difference between forgiveness and doormat-hood - lots of good stuff here.
[My favorite advice columns include Captain Awkward, with lengthy letters and responses, plus tons of helpful scripts for those "can't think what to say" situations; Savage Love, Dan Savage's column, mostly about sex but relationship advice creeps in too; Dear Prudence, usually sensible and with a refreshing viewpoint; and Miss Manners, which takes "polite" and "snarky" and makes an entertaining blend. ]
Thanks, too, for the bonus book, Vagabond Vol. 27, and the marvelous surprise of the macadamia/green-tea-chocolate goodies - I almost missed those in the wrapping, and that would have been sad!
Later: I appreciated Steve Almond's introduction, in which he explained the birth of the "Dear Sugar" column - which he penned himself for a year or so before asking Strayed to take over. Her style tends towards "personal confessions of extremely sensitive nature" as a way of allying herself with the advice-seekers; sometimes this is downright harrowing, more so than the original letter-writers' experiences (though plenty of those were horrifying as well). Not that it's all grim; there are some simpler questions, and some touching, light-hearted, beautiful anecdotes - but few people write to advice columnists about nice things, so of course the balance is on the "people can be awful" side.
I liked the advice, though it did sometimes have to wend its way out of the tangle of personal memoir. There are some very funny bits, in which Strayed describes some examples of miscommunication in her own life as a way of leading the letter-writer into a realization that perhaps that's what's happening to them. Sometimes there are practical, explicit steps to be taken; other times it's more of a "step back, think about what you really want out of this situation".
The power of a simple "no", of setting and maintaining boundaries, of the difference between forgiveness and doormat-hood - lots of good stuff here.
[My favorite advice columns include Captain Awkward, with lengthy letters and responses, plus tons of helpful scripts for those "can't think what to say" situations; Savage Love, Dan Savage's column, mostly about sex but relationship advice creeps in too; Dear Prudence, usually sensible and with a refreshing viewpoint; and Miss Manners, which takes "polite" and "snarky" and makes an entertaining blend. ]
Journal Entry 3 by 
GoryDetails
at Lowell Rd. (see notes for details) in Hudson, New Hampshire USA on Monday, June 19, 2017
GoryDetails at Lowell Rd. (see notes for details) in Hudson, New Hampshire USA on Monday, June 19, 2017
Released 6 yrs ago (6/19/2017 UTC) at Lowell Rd. (see notes for details) in Hudson, New Hampshire USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I left this book, bagged against the elements, near the pillars at the end of the impressive drive leading to the Presentation of Mary Academy on Lowell Rd. Hope the finder enjoys the book![See other recent releases in NH here.]
*** Released for the 2017 Keep Them Moving release challenge. ***
*** Released for the 2017 June Brides release challenge. ***
