We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. RELATED: Review: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Summary Full of advice on writing that is practical and no-nonsense as she addresses the difficulties of writing and getting published, alongside step-by-step advice on dialogue, plot, characterization and more, it is rich with Lamott’s trademark wry observations about living life somewhere between faith and failure and the “bird by bird” philosophy espoused within can apply to all creative endeavours, not just the one of writing.

From the death of her best friend to cancer, to the hysteria surrounding failed revisions of one of her books, it’s a candid, honest and – at times – hysterically funny book that fully deserves the hype that surrounds it. Part guide, part memoir, part manual Bird by Bird is a surprisingly funny book about writing and – as the title implies – life. Lamott expertly tackles a range of topics ranging from the neurotic mentality of writing to the woes and joys of publishing and she uses her own experiences and friends and foes she’s met along her the way to offer real-life examples. Written with a self-deprecating sense of humor, Bird by Bird is an exploration of Anne’s harsh yet realistic approach to writing, and it should be read by anyone who wants to flex, hone and nurture their creative muscle. Having not read anything of Anne Lamott’s before, I knew nothing of her writing style, but immediately fell in love with her sharp sense of humour, witty anecdotes and how she doesn’t shy away from the difficult – and often painful – side of writing.

Thankfully, Gertrude & Alice had a copy in stock and so I moved it to the top of my reading pile and began it on the penultimate day of July.

He spoke about how it was an integral book when it came to encouraging him to write more, and – having bored myself to tears for God knows how many years with empty promises about how I’ll sit down to write tomorrow – I figured there was no time like the present to give it a read. His list had changed slightly from when he first shared which books he’d take with him to a desert island on my blog, and a new addition to the list was Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. I recently interviewed Ed Cunningham – podcaster at A Need to Read – on my podcast, where we discussed in detail his Desert Island Books.

Bird by bird anne