Review: I've Tried Being Nice: Essays (Ann Leary) A nice little collection of essays which I acquired when I attended a Writers in the Lounge event at the Music Hall not too long ago where Ann Leary presented it. I really enjoyed the energy of the event and especially liked hearing a voice put to the words on the page, when she read most of the first essay out loud... dealing with her frustrations at neighbors (new to her) who allowed their dog to free range onto her property unleashed. Funny and often spot on. In these essays, she delves into many topics, often highlighting what she calls her anxious nature, and also often referring to her battles as an alcoholic. The tone is usually sardonic. These were nice to take along to work and read in bits and pieces. Kirkus reviews says this is "an honest tale of a woman and her struggle as a people pleaser"... accurate enough... although her honesty includes that the people pleasing is a fear of displeasing (something many children learn to do, as I did, as a survival technique in a messy homelife), and in fact, she can't always suppress the need to be less than nice. Stories of the life with a famous actor, of bats in the home, of becoming an EMT... a decently fun read.

on the bench near the entrances