Help, Thanks, Wow

The Three Essential Prayers

By: Anne Lamott

Narrated by: Anne Lamott

Length: 1 hr and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times best seller from the author of Hallelujah Anyway, Bird by Bird, and Almost Everything

Author Anne Lamott writes about the three simple prayers essential to coming through tough times, difficult days and the hardships of daily life.

Listeners of all ages have followed and cherished Anne Lamott’s funny and perceptive writing about her own faith through decades of trial and error. And in her new audiobook, Help, Thanks, Wow, she has coalesced everything she knows about prayer to these fundamentals.

It is these three prayers - asking for assistance from a higher power, appreciating what we have that is good, and feeling awe at the world around us - that can get us through the day and can show us the way forward. In Help, Thanks, Wow, Lamott recounts how she came to these insights, explains what they mean to her and how they have helped, and explores how others have embraced these same ideas.

Insightful and honest as only Anne Lamott can be, Help, Thanks, Wow is the everyday faith audiobook that new Lamott listeners will love and longtime Lamott fans will treasure.

©2012 Anne Lamott (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“An imaginative do-it-yourself approach to spirituality... With a stand-up comic's snap and pop, candid and righteous Lamott tells hilarious and wrenching tales about various predicaments that have sparked her prayers and inspired her to encourage others to pray anytime, anywhere, and any way.” (Booklist)

“A refreshingly simple approach to spiritual practice in a pint-sized reflection on prayer... Lamott manages to deftly convey the idea that in trying to control things, we've largely lost our ability to see the good and the miraculous in everyday life... there's more here than meets the eye.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Filled with Lamott's unique brand of humor, wisdom and profound spiritual insight... She has a gift for putting into words what it means to accept and ultimately embrace the beauty, mystery, and pain that is life.” (San Antonio Express-News)

Love!

I love Anne's perspective and writing style. Hearing her voice narrating is a treat as well. Quick listen with a great message!

Simple, brief, funny, profoundly spiritual

Lamott's view of spirituality, while anchored in Christianity, definitely embraces the diversity of sincere spiritual life & service no matter the source. If only all people could see to the simple core of self love & forgiveness for the imperfect, broken people we all are, and empathize with this commonality we share with our fellow humans. This book can help with that vision.

I wish I would have found this sooner

This book is everything. I have never believed in an old man in the sky God and I have a hard time understanding those who do. Organized religion terrifies me. I have never prayed, truly prayed, because who am I praying to? And why? This book opened my eyes to realize you don’t have to pray to anything or anyone. Just do. And all you need are three words. Help. Thanks. Wow.
I’ve been in recovery for 4 years (with a few slips here and there) and I’ve spend hours and hours in meetings, rolling my eyes at the old timers talking about prayer and finding a higher power etc etc. I wish someone would’ve given me this book on my first day in the rooms. Everything would have been different.
After I listened to this book for the second time, I was having a wonderful day and for the first time ever, I prayed out loud. “Thanks.” The tears came and the relief that washed over me is impossible to describe. I have since recommended and given this book to so many people, all of which have come back to me with raving reviews.
Anne’s voice is so perfect. She’s dry, sarcastic slightly monotone and beyond sweet. You truly feel like you’re listening to the grandmother you never had (or always wanted) sharing with you the most simple insight. All I can say is, Thanks. And Wow.

More great insights and humor from Anne Lamott

Spiritual wisdom and wry humor shared in a down-to-earth way. It’s wonderful to hear the book read by Anne. She pares down prayer to its most essential. Vulnerable and connecting - a conversation with you and Anne as she shares the many ways she has conversations with God.

Anne Lamott always speaks my heart language.

this book was short and exactly what I needed to hear right now. this is meaningful stuff to help us work out some rough spaces in our lives. several times I had to stop and rewind and write that down!

“Wow” Anne Lamont, “thanks” for this book!

This book is great for Christians of all walks of life, and with its quirkiness and humanness might even reel in a few Atheists or agnostics!

A massage for my mind and soul

I’ve listened to this multiple times over the past year. It is a quick listen, and it feels like a warm cup of coffee on my front porch with a friend. She has a way of making all my insecurities, fears, sorrow, joy, hope, anticipation… feel seen and normal. Anne Lamott is so relatable. What a gift.

uplifting

I enjoyed this book very much. There is a lot of wisdom here. It is worthwhile.

She has a unique perspective 😀

I like listening to Anne’s perspective on many things. Not that I agree but it always makes me think!

My favorite book from one of my favorite people in the world

This is my go-to book for comfort and to help me understand me and who I am in the world. I have been guided by AL’s writing for so many years. I read the physical book and listen to it being read by the author. I recommend it to readers from young adults to seasoned old readers like me. Her philosophy and style is my perfect fit.