Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year

1993, 1994 Fawcett Columbine edition
Anne Lamott
Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year
Bought newish for $9.50
Hardcover in good condition
B-

Lamott writes about her son Sam's first year (disproportionately the "fourth trimester," his first three months), but she also discusses her friends and family, politics, earthquakes, sports, faith, and addiction.  Oh yeah, that quote I mentioned in the Isaacs post.  Sam's father wants nothing to do with her as soon as she tells him she's pregnant.  But she does get lonely, and when Sam is about seven months old there's a man she's interested in, and it's mutual.  However, one of his exes tells her that he's a Republican who doesn't like performing oral sex. She's reluctant to date him, since she'd want to tell him, "Hey, thanks for stopping by, pal, but the thousand points of light are in my pussy."

And then there are the moments when she waxes poetic about the joy of life.  She's an interesting blend of spiritual and cynical.  She finds single motherhood stressful but is grateful for her support system, from "Uncle Jesus" to best friend Pammy, who was diagnosed with cancer during that year and died in '92.

Oddly enough, this book got a sequel last year, Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son's First Son.  When Sam was 19, he became a parent himself.  I've never read it, but we do have another of her nonfiction books coming up in '94, Bird by Bird....