Bird by Bird

I got this book from a friend who thought I might like it since I enjoyed Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions. My friend is not-so-secretly hoping that I'll write a book someday about, well, anything. I've often thought about writing a book, or at least calling myself a writer, and I feel better prepared for that idea now that I've read Bird by Bird. Lamott is hilarious, there's no question. And she has the amazing ability to cut through all the noise and write about the soft underbelly of each of us: the insecurity, the neuroses, the paranoia. She fills this book with lots of quotes and poems written by other writers about writing, which breaks up her lecturing nicely. The only downside of this book, in my opinion, is that you should definitely have an interest in writing - or becoming a writer - if you're going to read it. Otherwise, I think you're going to get bored after the first few chapters. But if you like to write, or you wish you could take Lamott's writing class but don't live in Northern California, you should pick this book up immediately!