I was delighted to rediscover this novel by Anne Lamott. I’d read it long enough ago to forget the details. But I remember the style and it was as engaging to read this time as it was the first time.

HARD LAUGHTER tells the story of 23-year-old writer Jennifer whose father Wallace is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Jennifer and her brothers – along with friends and family – experience a roller coaster of emotions that ultimately draw this quirky family ever closer together. With a great eye for detail and a deft sense of humor, Lamott brings every character, including the town they live in, to life, making the reader care about them all.

I had the pleasure of hearing Lamott speak at a Des Moines Public Library event almost a year ago. Her ‘voice’ is as clear and engaging in person as it is in her writing.

It is a pleasure to read – and learn from – really good writing like this. Hard Laughter is worth reading twice. Worth reading three times.