In Traveling Mercies, her first memoir about faith, Anne Lamott asserted, "Here are the two best prayers I know: 'Help me, help me, help me,' and 'Thank you, thank you, thank you.' " In Help, Thanks, Wow, she has distilled those prayers to one word each--and added a third. In three brief chapters and a coda on "amen," she explores the wisdom and power of these four simple words.
Lamott's trademark wry humor shines through as she explains (with frequent reassurance for the religion-shy) why these prayers can help anyone. She admits to frustration that the world seldom works the way she wants it to. But instead of taking God to task (which she'd rather do), she prays "Help," acknowledges the limits of her own power, and finds (often surprisingly) that she can say "Thanks."
Gratitude is a popular and sometimes nebulous concept, but Lamott pulls no punches in her "Thanks" chapter: life is difficult, and gratitude does not necessarily erase the challenges. What it can do, she explains, is open people up to blessings they might not otherwise notice and make them more open to serving others. And while "Wow" can either express utter joy or raw grief, it serves a vital purpose in both forms--"making sure we are not dulled to wonder."
Longtime fans and new readers will appreciate Lamott's honesty and plain language (she avoids God-jargon whenever possible). Reactions may vary, but "thanks" and "wow" will certainly be among them. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams