Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Find the Good by Heather Lende


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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8 comments:

  1. 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.

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    1. I 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.

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  2. Seriously need this book in my life right now. Thanks for the recommendation.

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    1. I think we all need it. Regular uppers are a necessity. And, you're welcome. :)

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  3. I 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.

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    1. I'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!

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  4. I just like the cover of this book. Maybe I need to check the library, something I don't do enough of.

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    1. I 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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