I’ve been such a reading machine lately! Don’t you just love those good book kicks you get on when you’re on a roll reading awesome stuff?
This book is an oldie but a goodie. And by “oldie” I mean it was published in 2009 but I just discovered it last weekend.
Sidenote: You want to know what else I just discovered last weekend?!
PARENTHOOD.
Oh.my.gosh. I’ve been under a rock for far too long. Adam and I are starting with season one and have knocked out about eight episodes so far this week {we have no life}. I’m totally hooked! It’s soooooooo good. Every episode makes me both laugh and cry. I love it.
Anyway, I loved both Blue like Jazz and Through Painted Deserts so it came as no surprise that I enjoyed this one a lot, too! I just love the way Donald Miller writes. This book is a memoir about him learning to live his life more fully {or as he puts it, “living a better story”}. He talks about his faith, the human condition, family and the different means he goes through to get himself out of his comfort zone in order to live life to the fullest. I just loved it. Every word. I read it on my Kindle and pretty much highlighted/underlined a sentence or paragraph on every page.
If you’re not familiar with Donald Miller, you should know he sort of writes in a form of stream of consciousness and, often times, his narrative can come off as choppy. However, it’s like being right inside of his head and the things he thinks, and writes, are downright hysterical. When a book makes you want to be a better person and live a better life, I’d say it’s a good book….and this was one of those. I’ve always admired the way Miller writes about his faith because it’s not as much preaching in your face as it is conversational and laid-back. I really wouldn’t call any of his books “religious” as I would just call them books on life.
So…moral of the story: take a break from 50 Shades of Grey to read this! It’s a good one.
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{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
Whoa this book is coming on my kindle for sure, I love your recommendations! Thank you!
I also love both Donald Miller and Parenthood! If you like Donald Miller, you might also enjoy Anne Lamott – her ‘Traveling Mercies’ is another “oldie but a goodie.”
LOVE Traveling Mercies by Lamott, cried my way through it on the subway in DC:)
I discovered Parenthood recently too and am on season 3 after only 2 wks;) It’s so good!
Me too!
If I had an extra 5 hours in my day, I would
1) sleep for at least one of them
2) do more yoga
3) read blogs
4) play (cook) in my kitchen
5) read all of these wonderful books you keep telling us about!
I literally watched the first three seasons of Parenthood in two weeks. Such, SUCH, a good show. And I love Donald Miller, but haven’t read this one yet. But I can’t wait to!
Oh, man, if you think the early episodes of Parenthood make you cry, JUST WAIT until you get to this season. EVERYepispode so far has left me ugly crying.
yes, when Haddie left for school! wah!
yes ugly crying here!! wimpering, sobbing, etc. i love love LOVE that show!!! jenna i am so happy you found it!!!
love YOU little sis!!!!!!
XOXO
yes, this season is the best by far! eeks! can’t wait til you get there!!!!
The girl who suggested Anne Lamott is spot on. She is by far one of y favorite authors. Try her novels as well as her faith based books. She is a gem
I am reading Travelling Mercies by Anne Lamott right now. I have had a hard time making time for reading lately though so I have been reading it for a couple months! I really liked Blue Like Jazz as well.
I’m surprised I didn’t pick this up already thinking that it was about Le Tour de France!
I just ordered that at my library the other day and now I’m even more anxious to receive it!!
Omgosh…Parenthood is the best show ever!!! I just watched all seasons over the summer (while on the treadmill so, really, it was beneficial to watch!) so I could start watching this fall. It seriously just keeps getting better!
I love Donald Miller for exactly the same reasons! Blue Like Jazz was one of those books that I got done reading and thought “Why didn’t I read this before now?!”
Sounds great! I need to get some more reading time in my life.
I love your book recommendations! I just finished the world we found and LOVED it, its something I totally would have never picked up. thank you thank you!
definitely adding this to my to read list [which is sadly growing longer than shorter as I'm still trudging through Book 4 of Game of Thrones!].
glad you’re on the Parenthood train. be prepared to continue laughing + crying with every episode. that’s exactly what happened to me w/this week’s ep. it’s a fabulous show!
You’ve got me convinced
.. lovely review Jenna! xo
I really appreciate your book recs! I usually add them right to my library requests. Thanks so much!
This sounds like a great book. I’ve also been a reading machine the past few weeks – and a writing one! I’ve just been terrible about composing emails. Oops. It seems like I can’t read enough books right now, so I’m glad to have a new one to add to my queue.
I love Partenhood. My friend Adam and I play a game we call “What part of Parenthood made you cry this week” where we try to guess which scene brought the other to tears, because there is one in every episode!
Have you watched Friday Night Lights? Try it after Parenthood. It’s produced by the same guy (Jason Katims) and has a lot of the same writers and producers. FNL is probably the greatest television show I have ever watched, ever. I want to be like Tami Taylor when I grow up!
I love Parenthood! My b.f. though has a hard time with it, only because it’s so SAD all the time. I like a good cry though.
Parenthood makes me SOB! Last night’s previews did.me.in.
I always love your book recommendations! I will definitely be checking this one out.
If you liked that book, he’s put out a workbook that goes along with his Storyline Conferences:
http://www.amazon.com/Storyline-Finding-Your-Subplot-Story/dp/0615653715/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351177727&sr=8-1&keywords=storyline+donald+miller
I’ve just started working through this, but I’m really excited! Also, have you heard of Bob Goff, Love Does? Miller talks about him in a few of his books. I’m a big fan of this community of writers/life changers
Fan of donald miller and parenthood–but now im totally hooked on downton abbey!!! which you would LOVE! All of my fave shows like parenthood went on hold as i plowed through downton abbey. it is addicting!
Love that you do book recommendations- I’m always looking for new ones! Especially to fulfill the hole that 50 shades left after I finished the series this summer
50 shades of grey was for me!! I love reading books that helps me become a better person. this is certainly going on my list. I am little embarrassed that being a 25 year old, I am hooked with 90210 !!
Do you read Relevent Magazine? I think you’d really like it! Bob Goff (mentioned above) contributes to it and I just read a great article from him last night. And a funny one about Christmas.
I just thought I’d take a minute to say…Welcome to “Parenthood”! ^_^ Hubby and I don’t have any children, but we both have parents, we both were teenagers, our parents are getting older, we have friends with autistic children, etc…. I could be here all day talking about the different familiar and funny, heart-rending and deep, themes of story line that run through “Parenthood”!! The story line now, with breast cancer, is so poignant! I look forward to laugh and cry and find a bit of familiar family dynamic every week! Enjoy!!
i started parenthood too!!! just a few weeks back. loving it…and always, always cRY!
My husband and I love that show. We did the same when we first discovered it, think we finished a season in two weeks! Sometimes when we are discussing what we want to do on a friday night one of us will say ” i think i’d really like to spend time with the braverman’s”…it is sad but very true.
If you like Parenthood, try Friday Night Lights (if you haven’t already)! It’s great and the producer started Parenthood after FNL ended, so similar laugh/cry type of episodes.
OMG PARENTHOOD. Best show on TV. You need to catch up this season is crazy! But sadly I have a feeling its not coming back next season. It was on the chopping block this season though and made it through, so who knows.
Parenthood is the BEST show ever!
I LOVE Donald Miller!
I love Parenthood so much! I have so much emotionally invested in that fictional TV family. Also, THANK YOU for the “put down the 50 Shade of Grey” line. Gross. Definitely not for me.
He sounds like such an interesting writer – I definitely will check this out!
Hi Jenna!
I am a pretty new reader of your blog (I think i stumbled across it while searching for recipes through another blog, lol).
Anyway, just wanted to say 1) Parenthood is a fabulous show and yes – you laugh, cry, get angry, and love right beside each of them; and 2) your book reviews are so great! I love to read and just ordered 3 that you have recommended. So far Pictures of You is way too tough to put down. So, thank you for the wonderful reviews!
Haha I loved your “moral of the story”
YES!! Parenthood=awesome.
I must be tired because when I read you discovered ParentHood… I thought you were pregnant!! hahahaha
I love Parenthood!! It gets better and better.
Love Parenthood! It’s the only show I’ll stay up past 10 to watch. An oldie but goodie Jason Katims show?? Roswell! Ha! Alien high schoolers. Man I loved that show…
Did you know there’s a movie of Blue Like Jazz? It was so-so. Honestly, it’s been several years since I read the book, so I was unsure if I liked the movie depiction of it.
Ahhhh….you’ve so been missing out on Parenthood! I loved the movie & I love the show! This season is definitely a blubbery, teary mess…hurry up & get there
So glad you discovered Parenthood!! It really is an amazing series
What I’m reading now is . . . . . your book. Actually, I started it yesterday morning before work and had to finish it when I returned home yesterday afternoon. It truly touched me. Congratulations.
I just did a review on my blog about your book tonight! Check it out…even though you probably already know I loved it
xoxo
Erin
readeatcreate.com
I read Blue Like Jazz way back, loved it and then completely forgot about the author. My Dad mentioned just the other week that he was reading it and really enjoying it. I’ll have to suggest this one to him. Thanks for the lil’ tip!
I’m glad you’re watching Parenthood! Polly (yes, THE Polly – you know who, haha) and I email about it all the time. Great show.
I definitely want to check out that book! Sounds fascinating.
Wow, I downloaded this book yesterday and gobbled it up! I’m at a point right now where I’m creating a new “story” for myself, and this book is exactly what I need. Actually, it’s uncanny how many of Miller’s thoughts reinforced my own. A great big THANK YOU for the fabulous recommendation!
Sounds like a really inspiring book! Will definitely be picking it up. By the way, I love how you add fashion and books and other fun little things to your blog these days.
Parenthood = total sleeper hit. It’s been under the radar for years but has quite a following. One of my all-time faves.
I LOVE parenthood! Such a great show!!
Parenthood is SO GOOD
Glad you like it!
Thanks for the book suggestion, I just bought it for my Kindle. I love to read but the fall is usually my bust time at work and I fall behind on my leisure reading. However I like having new books on my Kindle because I can carry them with me everywhere. In case I find an extra 5 minutes to ready during the day. Btw, I have your book in hardback and finished it in less than a week. Congrats again on getting your first book published!
I read this book a little over a year ago and absolutely loved it! Like you, I was inspired to live a better life and to be a better person. It will remain one of my favorite reads. Right now I’m reading his book “Father Fiction,” which was previously released as “To Own a Dragon.” I’m posting one of his quotes on my site and linked it to yours, in case readers want to learn more about the book.
girl…you absolutely HAVE to read Love Does by Bob Goff. He’s the guy Don talks about with the house on the water etc…it’s brilliant and amazing and hilarious and life changing.
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