Tiny Beautiful Things By: Cheryl Strayed

[jhern29]

Side note: The full title of this book is Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Life and Love from Dear Sugar, but it wouldn't all fit in the Subject bar.

For fans of the book Wild, before Cheryl Strayed made it big in the literary world, she used to be an advice columnist called Dear Sugar, and it was decided to make a book out of some of her responses to people over the years. People would write into her for advice on anything from money, love, suicide, greed, jealousy, family problems, college, etc. I should probably preface this review and say that at the time I read this book I was in a confusing point in life. I wasn't too happy with my job, going through some heartache and just overall a little bit lost with where my life was heading. However, in saying that, I don't think anyone needs to be having any sort of internal struggle to still get a plethora of insight from this book.

Let me just say, Strayed has a way with words. That woman is so eloquent, and I actually listened this on audiobook, so listening to her read her own responses magnified this. Some of the subjects people wrote into her about were heartwrenching, and Strayed answers them to the best of her ability with personal stories to show the reader that others have gone through what they have and that they aren't alone. There is an irrefutable honesty to her responses, and although sometimes she didn't agree with people or had to reprimand them on their decisions/actions, it was always done in a compassionate and caring manner. This book put a lot of what was going on in my life into perspective, and I was appreciative of the sacrifices I had made and needed to make. One writer wrote to her concerning owing money for college. They were feeling overburdened by loans and felt like they couldn't have fun or do something for themselves until all of the loans were paid off. Strayed reminded them that they still needed to live their life and that they were still entitled to have fun every once in awhile. This might not mean going out to dinner 4 times a week, but they should't feel like they were being held back because of these loans. She herself had loans and she still found that she could do a small trip after saving some money, some people could adopt a dog they had been wanting to, or eventually have a baby.

I think what readers will take away from this book is perspective, understanding, gratefulness, and more optimism. Life is rough, just listening to situations Cheryl has been through in life made me wonder why I was fussing over silly things going on in my own life. Through these experiences though we learn important lessons, and that is what Strayed tries to show to each of her readers.

[kayla1080]

that's so funny, I JUST finished reading Wild and loved it! I can't wait to read Tiny Beautiful Things now; thanks for the review!