Highly enjoyable book of short essays

Cant Complain All Personal Essays

I've never read any of Elinor Lipman's novels - I was attracted to this book because I've been trying to read more personal essays and creative nonfiction. Lipman's essays are unique in the sense that they are brief and much more like (longer) magazine pieces than essays, but that's part of what made them so perfect. It was easy to pick up the book, read a piece or two, and then put the book down without losing your place (in other words, a perfect book to read on public transportation).

Lipman's pieces focus on daily life - she starts by recounting some childhood and family memories, and then moves on to her life as a writer and her marriage. I loved "Confessions of Blurb Slut," where she discusses what it's like to be solicited (and have to turn down) for blurbs on books by other authors. Anyone who is more introverted will be able to relate to "No Thank You, I Think," where she discusses learning how to turn down invitations and confessing her and her husband's limitations ("No, thanks. Dinner would be great, or a movie, but you know us: we're not good at doing two things in the same night"). I also really enjoyed the piece about making one of her novels into a movie - I would actually really recommend her work for any budding authors because she gives you some insights into the business of writing.

Glad I picked this one up, and am adding one of her books, "Then She Found Me," to my "to-read" list.

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