“Anne Lamott is my Oprah.” —Chicago TribuneThe New York Times bestseller from the author of Dusk, Night, Dawn, Almost Everything and Bird by Bird, a powerful exploration of mercy and how we can embrace it. “Mercy is radical kindness,” Anne Lamott writes in her enthralling and heartening book, Hallelujah Anyway. It’s the permission you give others—and yourself—to forgive a debt, to absolve the … permission you give others—and yourself—to forgive a debt, to absolve the unabsolvable, to let go of the judgment and pain that make life so difficult.
In Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy Lamott ventures to explore where to find meaning in life. We should begin, she suggests, by “facing a great big mess, especially the great big mess of ourselves.” It’s up to each of us to recognize the presence and importance of mercy everywhere—“within us and outside us, all around us”—and to use it to forge a deeper understanding of ourselves and more honest connections with each other. While that can be difficult to do, Lamott argues that it’s crucial, as “kindness towards others, beginning with myself, buys us a shot at a warm and generous heart, the greatest prize of all.”
Full of Lamott’s trademark honesty, humor and forthrightness, Hallelujah Anyway is profound and caring, funny and wise—a hopeful book of hands-on spirituality.
more
Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy – Anne Lamott – Some prose reads like poetry and you can tell the writer lovingly crafted every sentence. I’m firmly in the John Piper camp that books don’t change people, but sentences can. This is nonfiction majoring in world philosophy so it feels like sitting down at Anne’s kitchen table for coffee and finding out she also invited the contents of her bookshelves. Which sounds like a lovely party in my book! This isn’t a story you can inhale, so be prepared to take bites that you chew on for a while. Happy Reading!
Wow, this book unexpectedly blew me away. Compassionate, inspirational and, at times, laugh out loud funny. Weeks after my first reading I am still returning to it. I find it comforting in this crazy, crazy world.
Anne Lamott is a fabulous writer. Read anything she writes, it’s worth it. She is deep, intelligent, profound, spiritual, compassionate and self-discerning. I was only disappointed when it ended: like the last book of hers I read, I wanted it to keep going. I’ve read three of her books so far and each time my spirit is lifted and inspired by her musings and conclusions. She’s a gift.
I always find encouragement in LaMott’s writing and this book was no exception. I have underlined or noted something on almost every page.
I felt very disappointed that most of this book was a revelation of Anne Lamott’s personal quirkiness, very little of it a search for what makes us say “hallelujah” anyway.
I love Anne Lamott, and this book tackles “mercy” — an act we often overlook in this culture. Timely and thought-provoking!
Another one of Lamott’s books that overflow with her wisdom and “food for thought.”
I am an Anne Lamott fan and this book did not disappoint. Thought-provoking – it makes me want to be a better person.
Her books are always so real and encouraging.
Anne Lamott never disappoints: the right amount of irony, the right amount of humor; the right amount of thoughtful inspiration.
She has a way with words.
very grounding and reassuring
Best pure WRITER writing today about life, love, spirituality and the wild, wonderful our wackiness of our humble human condition
Love Anne Lamott non-fiction!!
Another good look at questions about faith from Anne Lamott!
A bit to disjointed. Not on par with Bird by Bird or Traveling Mercies
Inspirational! She shares more about her life and her spiritual journey.
Love the healing thoughts on mercy. Like Ann we all have an inside voice that isn’t always perfect. Love the open way she writes sharing honestly and wide range of additional sources. Encouraged me to have more mercy and have a good read at the same time.
Lamott at her best, making a reader deal with a serious subject and still laugh. But we reflect as well.
Vintage Ann Lamotte