I was somewhat reluctant to read this book, even though very reliable and trusted book reading friends and reviewers were raving. I liked but did not LOVE Wild, the author's memoir of wilderness hiking after a flood of emotional trauma, but that is probably because I have Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder from "Into the Wild" and "Little House On The Prairie" and I am waiting for someone to get eaten or blinded or frozen or mauled.
Glad I overcame that (very ridiculous) issue, because this book is fantastic. It is a selection of advice letters the author wrote as columnist Dear Sugar for therumpus.net, but that does not explain or put into words what it really is -- to me it was vignettes of wonderful writing, insight, reality, actual communication and connection, in an age and time in which very few of those things seem possible in the Twitter/FB/texting universe.
It is bold, insightful, troubling, wonderful. One of my favorite pieces says:
“I know it’s a kick in the pants to hear that the problem is you, but it’s also fucking fantastic. You are, after all, the only person you can change.”
She proves real connection is still possible, even on the Internet, where you cannot hear a whisper over the shouting shouting shouting.
Am fan.
