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

This book is about an extremely emotionally ill women, who has spent her entire life avoiding reality with coke, meth, and alcohol, who now sober at 35 gets knocked up by one of the random men she is sleeping with. (She apparently is too hippie for condoms.)
Maybe it's because I don't have kids, but I find a mother doing nothing but go on and on and on about her kids every movement very monotonous and boring. Not only is that what she writes about in this book, but she is extremely negative, cynical and it's annoying.

This book helped me survive my first-born. It was such a breath of fresh air, and Lamott was like my best friend, sharing the same experiences. I have read this book countless times - and laugh out loud each time. I always send this book to all my friends when they have their first born. (As you can see by my order history.) This is a much better tool than any of the how-to baby books out there. I absolutely love it!

Funny at times, way too religious at others.

Overall just "ok"

I would recommend "Mother Shock" by Andrea J Buchanan instead.

As a married father, you might think I'd have a hard time relating to this story of a single woman bringing up her son more or less by herself. But Anne Lamott's willingness to open up the most intimate details of her private life--her struggles, insecurities, and anger at the challenge of being alone with a new baby--drew me in very deeply. And she's very funny, too. After you've read the "What to Expect" and other standard-issue baby books, pick this up. You won't be disappointed.

This book was given to me as a gift when I had my son 3 years ago. I have been giving it as a gift since then. Anne Lamott is amazing and real and forward. This book is not for those who want things sugar-coated. It is real life motherhood for your first year. This book, this author, made me feel so normal and so real. I would tell anyone who can take the harsh reality of becoming a mother to read this! She made me laugh, cry and love...all on the same page.