Hallelujah Anyway

Rediscovering Mercy

By: Anne Lamott

Narrated by: Anne Lamott

Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times best seller 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 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.

©2017 Anne Lamott (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Anne Lamott is my Oprah.” (Chicago Tribune)

“This is trademark Lamott - theological speculation, hippie slang and domestic comedy, C.S. Lewis by way of Janis Joplin by way of Erma Bombeck.” (Christian Science Monitor)

“Every writer, truth-seeker, parent, and activist I know is in love with one or more books by Anne Lamott...she writes as naturally as she breathes, she explores the mysterious paths and detours of life itself, and she reports back to make the way ahead easier for all of us.... I keep learning a lot from the clear and great Annie Lamott. I think you will, too." (Gloria Steinem)

Cool water on a hot day. A moment of shade.

Once again and Lamont has put into words the things that I needed to understand and didn’t know I needed. Thank you

Not my fave Lamott

Normally I love Anne Lamott’s books. This one just didn’t hit me as positively as her others. Usually I am moved and inspired by her work. It is also very funny. In this book I don’t know whether it was too derivative of other things of hers that I have read, but somehow it seemed more tired and mean spirited than usual.

Hallelujah for Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott is one if my all-time favorite writers because she has a gift of describing everyday events of life and making them relevant to all. She makes me laugh out loud. She makes me cry. This book is full of mercy, hope and joy.

Another Home Run

Like everything Anne Lamont writes, this book is brilliant. I find a great deal of comfort in her words of wisdom.

Didn't want it to end.

Anne Lamott is so amazing in her thinking. And she teaches you to forgive and love yourself and have mercy. The humor is welcome.

beautiful writing. more poetry than I wanted

Anne lamott has a gorgeous way with with words. I was expecting more of a learning life experience than poetry. i loved help thanks wow

Insightful Material, Voice can lull you to Sleep

Thankfully I like Anne's voice. But no inflection or feeling in the narration. Monotone read & can turn you off from finishing but please do. There are gems in here.

The truth of us.

Another awesome perspective on our broken and flawed parts and how to give it up.

Annie saves my life regularly.

Not really or literally. But i share so many of her observations, used to teach her books, and now find that i am having exactly the problems she had with her son . Two days ago, i could not get out of bed until my sister prescribed her, i read her. Then i got up and cleaned and cooked and did a drawing. I was saved. Thank her. I’m in love.

Poignant

I love to savor the twists and turns of phrase that Anne Lamott so eloquently weaves together. I do, however, prefer to savor her words a bit more slowly than she reads them. Because of that, I found it difficult to enjoy this book read aloud. I openly acknowledge this is a flaw of my own character and inability to absorb her quick wit and dry humor without pause. I heartily recommend this read.