The capacity for love in a human heart is not limited by its size. Rather than divide the heart's chambers into smaller rooms as the family grows, love multiplies them.
~ p. 37
I believe gratitude comes from a place in your soul that knows the story could have ended differently, and often does, and I also know that gratitude is at the heart of finding the good in this world.
~ p. 62
Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons from a Small-Town Obituary Writer by Heather Lende appeared on my doorstep on Friday and since I loved the other two books Lende wrote, I sat down to read it the moment I opened the package. Don't you love that lovely lemon cover?
Find the Good follows the same pattern as Lende's other books, this time with a focus on seeking out the good things in life. Heather Lende has been an obituary writer in small-town Haines, Alaska for many years and most of her stories revolve around the people she writes about -- discovering the good things in their lives worth mentioning when she writes their obituaries and applying what she's learned about how they lived to her own life. She's so hyper-involved in her community that I always feel a little adrift when I close one of her books. I don't live in a place where "Outsiders" (as we're known) are particularly welcome. But, at the same time I feel inspired to keep trying to find my place.
The only two negatives about the book are the fact that it's so short (which is also a plus if you're just looking for a quick read about looking for the positive in life) and the fact that it's so heavily focused on people who died. I always end up wondering how it's possible that there's anyone left at all in Haines when I close one of Lende's books. But, as I said, I love her writing. She zones in on love, family, spirituality, living your days in the best way possible. She reminds me a bit of Anne Lamott.
Recommended - I laughed, I cried, I will read anything Heather Lende writes.
Other books by Lende (links to past blog posts):
If You Lived Here I'd Know Your Name
Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs (page down for one-paragraph review)
Many thanks to Algonquin Books for sending me a copy of this little gem!
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I've seen this one around but it seemed a little self help-ish and I tend to avoid those kinds of books. Not because I don't feel people have important things to say but just because I tend to not follow the stuff in the book all that well. But you liked it? Hmm. Might have to rethink it.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, Ti. I used to read a lot of self-help books and eventually realized they didn't work for me (except for certain positive thinking books, which have a temporary effect but a good one). But, Heather Lende's books are really memoirs. "Find the good" is advice she got -- from her mother, I think. It's about her decision to look for the good things to write about people and, when she finds out what they were -- which is not always easy and not even necessarily something people approve of if a person was particularly contrary -- finding ways to apply the wisdom she gains from learning about other lives to her own. Her books are really reflective and lovely.
DeleteSeriously need this book in my life right now. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI think we all need it. Regular uppers are a necessity. And, you're welcome. :)
DeleteI have not heard of this author or book, but it sounds really appealing. Sometimes, you just need a little positive thinking. And, I loved the quotes you posted. Thank you for sharing this book and also giving the previous two. I am going to be on the lookout for them.
ReplyDeleteI've read all of her books and I would rank them in the order they were written (best first) but I've loved them all. They really are uplifting. I always laugh, cry and do a lot of pondering when I read her books. Hope you're able to find one soon, Kay!
DeleteI just like the cover of this book. Maybe I need to check the library, something I don't do enough of.
ReplyDeleteI know! The cover is wonderful. Love the lemon. I've just recently started really using my library. We were in a pretty awful library system for a long time. Now that we've moved to a bigger system (11 libraries, as opposed to 1 in the previous county in which we lived), I can find a lot more of the books I'm interested in. I have to place a hold on just about everything so they can move the books I request from another library to mine but whatever works! Hope you're able to find a copy of Find the Good and that you enjoy it.
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