Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Book Review: Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

Title: Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar
Author: Cheryl Strayed
Enjoyment Rating: *****
Source: Kindle for iPad
This book would be rated: R for language and mature themes

Last Sunday, it was time for church and I was reading Tiny Beautiful Things. I didn't want to quit reading, but I sighed, tucked my phone in my purse, and headed out the door. But the draw of the book was too strong, and I ended up reading 75 pages during sacrament meeting. I felt like I learned at least as much about how to be a good, loving person from Strayed (okay, about 100 times more from Strayed) than I did from the speakers at church. Tiny Beautiful Things is the compilation of some of Strayed's best "Dear Sugar" columns for therumpus.net, where she gives people advice on marriage, adultery, families, and all sorts of sticky situations. I find that the advice, although profane, is completely wonderful, wise advice. She calls it like it is, and she does it with grace and humanity. It's the kind of book that I want to come back to at times when I feel that I have lost my way.

2 comments:

Jessica said...

I had no idea there was a book! I stumbled across one advice piece she wrote called "Dear Stuck, How to get Unstuck" years ago. That one letter blew dozens of Ensign articles dealing with loss right out of the water. That and the Glow in the Woods website.

Blue said...

I love your summary of this book, and i love that you read it in SM. I love the way she manages to share such, as you put it, "completely wonderful wise advice"...especially considering (or perhaps specifically because of) her difficult background. The fact that she can think and communicate those kinds of insights and ideas gives me hope that a person like me might also become someone like that. this is in my top 5 favorite books of all time. ♥