Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

That’s the kind of creativity we’re working with today, folks. Through a combination of getting to bed late and having trouble falling asleep (I’m looking at YOU, time change), I’m kind of ridiculously tired, which means that my current writing capabilities could accurately be described as functional. Nevertheless, I finished listening to Katherine Center’s Happiness for Beginners an hour or two ago, and I’ve decided that powering through with my review is the only way to go right now. (I’m several books behind.) Katherine Center’s books serve as thoughtful comfort reads for me–they have happy, satisfying, but realistically imperfect endings, and I’ve always been a sucker for books that emphasize personal growth. In this case, our main character (Helen) is a 1st grade teacher who’s been divorced for a year and badly wants to reinvent herself. Her method of choice is a three week backpacking trip in the wilderness, but her expectations for the trip take a hit when she realizes that her younger brother’s best friend is going on the same trip. Difficulties ensue, disasters are dealt with, family rifts show signs of being mendable, and self discovery abounds.

The ending also involves a bar mitzvah and an unfortunate cooler.

If you’re having a stressful week–for example, if your struggling child had to take her driver’s test and you worried about it all day, and then she failed and was blessedly okay about it (definitely an answer to prayer), or if you’re the PTA treasurer and you’ve been involved with the PTA fundraiser last week and this week, or if you’re short on sleep–Happiness for Beginners is a solid choice; it’s cozy without being solely fluff.

Also, by coincidence, my sister just finished it, too. Go figure!