Crazy Aunt Purls Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair: The True-Life Misadventures of a 30-Something Who Learned to Knit After He Split
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| Crazy Aunt Purls Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair: The True-Life Misadventures of a 30-Something Who Learned to Knit After He Split | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Watch out, Bridget Jones: There's a new singleton in town, and she's got needles! This hilarious book chronicles the life of a newly divorced woman, as she struggles, dates, and knits her way back to sanity." --Knit.1 magazine If you've ever been dumped, duped, or three minutes from crazy, you'll love Crazy Aunt Purl. Side-splittingly funny and profoundly moving, Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair is the true-life misadventures of Laurie Perry, aka Crazy Aunt Purl, a slightly neurotic, displaced Southerner trying to create a new life after her husband leaves her to 'get his creativity back.' (Whatever the hell that means.) But will she get her groove back in a tiny rented apartment, with a mountain of boxes, visible panty lines, and a slight wine-and-Cheetos problem? "I was a thirty-something woman living alone with four cats. I was probably going to be divorced. I was on the short bus to crazy. I pictured my grandmother making hoop-skirted yarn cozies for the toilet paper. I pictured myself making doilies for furniture that I did not own. I saw my cats wearing knitted hats with lace appliqués. From my vantage point, knitting seemed like 100 percent of some road I did not want to walk down." Yet, surprisingly, it's knitting that saves her and emboldens her to become fully engaged in life again--to discover new friends; to take risks, however scary; and to navigate the ins and outs of the modern dating scene. "Dating has changed in a decade. Now there is a higher chance of meeting someone who has an internet porn addiction than someone who has a job. In Los Angeles, your dinner companion might have served time in Pelican Bay or run a meth lab. Or, worst of all, he might spend all night talking about his agent, his craft, and what it means to grow as an actor. Then he'll ask you to read his screenplay." And such is life in this quirky, irreverent memoir, a spin-off of the blog phenomenon, www.crazyauntpurl.com, one of the most successful online diaries in history, exploding to an international fan base of enthusiastic readers. But don't worry, you don't have to knit to love Aunt Purl. You just have to know what it feels like to have loved, to have lost, or to have taken a leap of faith.We've all been there: Pass the wine. Laurie Perry has written for the Los Angeles Daily News. She has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Vogueknitting. Visit her website at www.crazyauntpurl.com.
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| 09-24-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Cute, funny, and A silky smooth ride.
In the beginning, Charlie, her beloved husband, gave a single reason (his "creativity") and said he was leaving the marriage. And then, he did. So a thirty-something young professional finds herself alone, dumped, and devastated in Los Angelos. She goes crazy. After a while she learns to knit. She makes knitting into a hobby. And that's it. Of course the story isn't really about knitting - though it claims to be. And we find that our heroine is a survivor, after all. I won't steal - by quoting - the hilarious one liners and funny story episodes. Author Laurie Perry is quite comfortable with character development and, in matter of fact, manages her subtle story progress quite handily. I guarantee you will like this fast, short, and very funny read. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-11-30 09:39:44 EST)
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| 08-26-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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Strap yourself in and be prepared for a compelling true story ride that goes up and down, side to side, spirals this way and that and leaves you smiling in the end.
The Crazy Aunt Purl thing in the title is misleading to the unitiated (me), that's just the name of Laurie Perry's blog/website (add a dot com), and obsessive knitters who've read Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's books shouldn't expect the knitting to be the star here, because it's not: it only makes an appearance around chapter 7 and is mentioned only a few times thereafter. Yes, there are knitting patterns (14), written in the same vein in the rest of the book-which makes a nice change if you're used to only normally written knitting patterns: These are in the back followed by a gallery-you have to see the picture of the cat wearing the hood of the devil baby blanket! There are scarves(5), hats(2), bags(3) and one each of a cat tunnel, pom-pom, flower, aforementioned blanket and shawl. My glitch with these is that they mostly come with a wine recommendation but not always gauge or yardage-extra homework for those who wish to substitute yarns. The knitting comes across more as a crutch, but this might be a good thing: one could give this book to non-knitters also going through a divorce or break-up, because that's what this book is really about, and how she, Laurie, survived the dark days of divorce and created a wonderful, sparkly new life (and with luck, the recipient of this book will be encouraged to knit too! So diabolical, it's brilliant! Get 'em when they're vulnerable-because knitting is, of course, healing and did I mention useful?) Although this is by a woman and probably marketed to women, there's no reason a man shouldn't look into it. The 44 chapters are bite-size, for that sense of accomplishment, and it feels like reading someone's really well-written diary or pages of a nice long letter, flashbacks to childhood and those real, often uncomfortable feelings we're too polite to say out loud, included. It's funny in places, smile-free in others and unwittingly kind of self-helping, mostly the third act. 4 stars because I like it but don't swooningly love it (needs a pinch more knitting for my taste) but I'm happy to have it in my knitting book collection. Definitely worth a read if you're in the mood for comfy, cozy, light and ultimately feelgood (and/or are on a diabolical mission to convert the non-knitting...) (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-24 02:14:36 EST)
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| 08-24-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I don't know how she did it but she channeled my life! So many of the same things happened. I can't write as houmrously, though. This lady is a stitch (pun intended)! Easily enjoyabe and quick read. My co-workers love to hear it on rides in the truck!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-26 08:57:09 EST)
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| 08-21-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I thought this book was great. It's a quick read because you want to keep reading it. She is so open and honest about her life and quirks that you want to be friends with her. And she's funny. In addition to being a funny book, it is really good for someone to read if they are contemplating divorce but are on the fence about it. She gives very good coverage of the pros and cons as per her own experience.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-25 18:47:58 EST)
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| 08-11-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I picked up this book based on the title alone. I had once been drunk, divorced and covered in cat hair and trying desperately to make myself whole again. Now, many years later I find myself knitting furiously to fill the empty next. Not quite the same as being dumped by one's husband, but a similar feeling of loss and loneliness. In addition to knitting and latch hook and crocheting, I've started reading voraciously so I took myself to the bookstore to find a book to fill the void.
I knew, instantly, from the title of this book, I had to read it and I was not disappointed. Any woman who has found herself clinging to an empty marriage, unwilling to accept that it's over only to be unceremoniously dumped will be able to relate to the sad but funny antics of the author. She takes you on her journey from shock and despair, to total depression to re-entry into the world as a whole person equipped with knitting needles. You'll both laugh and cry and remember your own journey to becoming whole as you read. The chapters are all very short, some only one or two pages long and cover a particular point in her journey - like the hair emergency a few days before divorce court or "cooking ADD". Her style of writing is very similar to Erma Bombeck who could also make you laugh at the irony of life. Whether you were dumped when "he" decided he was losing his creativity or you lost your spouse through death or you find yourself alone after the children have left the nest, this book is for you. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-23 02:23:03 EST)
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| 08-01-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Definitely not a knitting pattern book, although there are some simple patterns in the back. The focus of this book is on Laurie's true life journey through divorce in a comedic light. Very funny, GREAT sense of humor! Easy readability. This book has encouragement for almost everyone, not just divorcees. Recommended!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-12 02:23:43 EST)
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| 06-06-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Laurie Perry's novel is as wacky as her title suggests. She writes with honesty and hilarity, making her story easy and fun to read.
If you love to knit and laugh, this book is for you. There are patterns for knitting in the back of the book that have funny comments and simple instructions. As a fan of Crazy Aunt Purl's blog, this was a must-read. Every blog entry produces a chuckle and makes me glad I don't live in LA. It also amazes me how many people love cute cat photos. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-01 02:18:38 EST)
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| 05-23-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I'm neither drunk nor divorced, but I'm a knitter covered in cat hair. I devoured this book in two days.
This book is not about how to knit. Instead, it's about what the author discovers about herself by knitting her way through difficult life circumstances. As I read, I laughed and cried and cringed. The book was a bit depressing in places but the author tempers it with raw honesty, wry humor and her wonderful way with words. I love the way she can turn a phrase. It keeps the overall tone of the book from being whiny. And, finally, I adore the Devil Blanket pattern. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-06 08:45:46 EST)
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| 04-03-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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there are some books that just are a great comfort. this is one of those books. thank god charlie left!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-24 08:08:14 EST)
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| 03-27-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Saw myself in the first two to three years after my husband suddenly died. (Ernie's my pooch.) Made me appreciate the pain that divorce causes - grief is grief.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-03 02:10:02 EST)
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| 03-25-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I loved this book! I appreciate the author's witty writing style and explanations. I think every woman could relate to this book whether they are a knitter or not.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-29 03:23:16 EST)
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| 03-12-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I loved this book! I bought it (and a copy for a friend) after coming across her blog one day. I am happily married, enjoy my wine now and then and, like Laurie, am usually wearing black pants covered from the knees down in hair from my mostly-white cats.
I like that this book is not just a rehash of her blog, and I like having all of her knitting "recipes" together in one place. Laurie's writing can move you to laughter and tears, sometimes in the same sentence. Her words apply no matter what life situation you're dealing with, and her story is an inspiration to anyone who contemplates making a life change or has one thrust on her. Like knitting, if it's not working you can rip it out and do it over and even though it doesn't always turn out as you think it will, it's almost always better than it was! Read this book and give it to friends - it will resonate with all of them! (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-26 02:07:19 EST)
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| 02-22-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I recommended the authors knitting blog to a friend of mine. My friend surprised me by buying the book and having it sent to me. It was a great weekend read. I think anyone who's gone thru a breakup can relate to this book and have a great laugh too.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-13 16:34:18 EST)
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| 02-18-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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This book had me laughing out loud at parts! A quick read. Not all of it is great, but the parts that are make it worth it.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-24 01:04:01 EST)
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| 02-07-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I greatly enjoyed reading this book -- especially after reading the author's blog for the past year. I feel as if I now have the "full story" and I can really relate to her feelings, struggles and eventual recovery from shock and despair. And I have to say her "recipes" for the knitted items are tops! I am making the second Magic Scarf from hand-dyed, hand-spun yarn that I made and I love this pattern! I am also planning to tackle the others. I can say that they are pretty basic patterns (I've made hats similar to these without any pattern at all) but when you just need something in your hands to distract your mind for a minute...or a few hours... these do fit the bill and the finished item is attractive and useful.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-19 02:11:40 EST)
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| 02-03-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I had read some of Laurie's blogs, and really thought this book was going to be all funny; it had plenty of fun, but so much soul searching and real honest emotions mixed in, for me it turned out to be a bit of a self help book without me even realizing it. She's an amazing author--to be able to blend all of the above together so seamlessly takes talent. The only thing I didn't like was the last page--I want more!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-07 08:59:31 EST)
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| 01-08-08 | 3 | 2\5 |
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I expected more yarn and knitting and less whining and wining. Perry has a really entertaining writing style, and I probably would have enjoyed this book more if it had been billed differently. Knitting was such a minor player -- and that was the main reason I picked up the book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-01-30 09:09:00 EST)
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| 01-08-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Loved it, loved it, LOOO-HHH-OOO-VEDD it! Although not divorced, and owner of a dog...I still related to this book. I love how brave she was to write her story. MY story. Good on ya, Laurie!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-03 02:09:27 EST)
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| 01-07-08 | 3 | 3\6 |
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I expected more yarn and knitting and less whining and wining. Perry has a really entertaining writing style, and I probably would have enjoyed this book more if it had been billed differently. Knitting was such a minor player -- and that was the main reason I picked up the book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-03 02:09:27 EST)
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| 01-07-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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Absolutely loved this new writer. If you are a knitter, you will indentify with what knitting meant to her during a difficult time and if you aren't a knitter, nor intend to be, you will love her wit and style. She truly tells it like it is.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-03 02:09:27 EST)
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| 12-04-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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I bought this book for one of my students speech pieces and I soon found myself sucked into the life of Crazy Aunt Purl. Even though I am not divorced, you find yourself easily relating to her hilarious situations. It is a must read for any knitter or divorcee.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-01-08 02:15:03 EST)
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| 11-30-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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This is a wonderfully insightful and enjoyable read. I stumbled across Crazy Aunt Purl's blog on-line and was immediately sucked into her world of cats and knitting and post-marrital breakup mahem. This book is a down-to-earth and humorous view of "how did this happen to me and what do I do now?" If you're getting divorced or not, or a knitter, or not, or a woman, or not, there's something to make you laugh in this book.
She explains being raised as a southern woman in the most delightful descriptions. I love her abuse of math in her "eleventy-nine" exaggerations and bizarre word problems ending with which song will be on the stereo. I love her knitting, her cats, her outlook. The fact that she can laugh at herself, and recognizing her need to make changes and laugh at those changes as well is refreshing and courageous. She provides hope and humor and knitting recipes. It's hard to beat that! (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-14 02:15:09 EST)
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| 11-08-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I am giving this book to more than ten folks this year. Recommended to me as I am a knitter, nonetheless I would have enjoyed this book even if I hadn't encountered the pleasures of the purl stitch. Because it isn't so very much about knitting but about knitting together a life after it has unraveled. I think of myself as a reader of serious literature, a fairly careful reader, and so I am not really into the "can't put it down" style of reading. But I found myself staying up late and then wanting to leave enough so I could look forward to savoring it the next day - it was so much fun. My husband kept wanting to know what I was laughing at. And I gave it to my thirty something son so he could have a better idea of what his female counterparts were thinking about.
GO GET THIS BOOK - YOU WILL TRULY VALUE IT. I DO. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-14 02:15:09 EST)
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| 11-08-07 | 4 | 1\1 |
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Laurie came to grips with who she is and how she got to be drunk, divorced and covered in cat hair. She made time to feel the suffering, to grieve the losses and gain insights into her personality and needs. Her blog is a place to go for uplift. Even in the sad times, Laurie knows the art of black humor. It's good for her and the many women who read her. Like the wine she is fond of, Laurie's writing and experience will improve with age. She exhibits amazing capability for growth and generosity of spirit. For all that Laurie self identifies as a daughter of the South, she manages to be everyone's daughter, sister, best friend. I think the book is a teeny tad self conscious, but as she gains confidence we can expect a stronger voice. It's a voice with something to say about personal responsibility and growth even when you're scared to death. You can climb out of that hand basket now Purl, you have arrived!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-14 02:15:09 EST)
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| 11-06-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I have never knitted, and don't plan on it... but I LOVE this book! I found the Crazy Aunt Purl blog after a friend pointed me to a specific post. Laurie is amazing - the book is fantastic - as another reviewer noted, you go from laughing out loud (which really makes me look crazy on the train riding to work) to tearing up, as Laurie struggles with her divorce, her weight, and getting out into the world again. Simply brilliant! I recommend it highly.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-14 02:15:09 EST)
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| 11-04-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I think I was expecting funny but not touching. I found myself cheering her every step forward and even laughing with her with every misstep. Being a knitter and avid wine drinker who recently went through a divorce, we had a couple of things in common, but even if not this book is so honestly written that everyone will feel connected by something that happens to her. I recommend this to anyone looking for a fast fun read!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-14 02:15:09 EST)
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| 10-30-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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A wonderful, reflective book about how an inspiring woman turned to knitting as her therapy after her husband left to find his creativity. Laurie will have you laughing, crying, and cheering with her through her journey of re-discovery.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-11-05 16:27:42 EST)
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| 10-30-07 | 5 | 3\3 |
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Laurie Perry, now best known in knitting circles as "Crazy Aunt Purl," did not set out to become a blogging superstar. After the introverted Southerner was transplanted with her husband to L.A., she was stunned when said husband coolly informed her that he was leaving "to get his creativity back." Left alone with four cats and a penchant for wine as comfort food, Perry quickly finds herself "three minutes from crazy" and grudgingly agrees to join a friend at a knitting class. There she discovers a new best friend-knitting can always be fixed, it helps you keep busy and find your own creativity, and it's not about to leave you.
As Perry slowly sticks her head out into the world, she finds solace with her new knitting friends and begins to blog about her adventures with a distinctive self-deprecating humor. She quickly gained a loyal following who shared her joys, sorrows, dating mishaps and knitting adventures. Her stories are ones which everyone can relate to and readers love her trademark writing style - her voice just leaps off the computer screen and she immediately feels like a long-lost best friend (as evidenced by the 1700 condolence messages left on her blog after the death of her beloved cat Roy). This book is much more than simply a self-help book about life after divorce or about learning to knit. Perry has penned a book about heartache and self-discovery and each reader will find something here to relate to. You will laugh, cry and moan along with Perry as she conquers her wine and Cheetos problem, heads out on her first post-divorce date and discovers that life does go on after "he splits." Armchair Interviews says: A good book for any woman who needs to care about another's story-and who needs to laugh. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-11-05 16:27:42 EST)
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| 10-28-07 | 5 | 2\2 |
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This book is great. It is side-splittingly funny in parts and tear-jerkingly sad in others. It's one woman's story of coming to grips with the end of a marriage and the beginning of a new life. If you've ever gone through the loss of a relationship, if you love cats, if you love knitting, or if you just think you're the only awkward feeling person on the planet, you'll love this book. The chapters are short and bite-sized, but they're addictive like potato chips. You just keep reading because it's so good and then you want more when it's done. You find you are not alone if you've ever thought you had no clue how to get back into dating again because everything's changed and now you have to text message. You'll find your faith in humanity is renewed a bit. You'll find that change can be good and life after a relationship can actually be really good even if it's nothing like you thought your life would turn out. In this day of negativity in so much of our news and entertainment, this is a positive spin on reality. It will make you feel really good. Hopefully, we'll see more by this author in the future.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-30 02:10:38 EST)
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| 10-27-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I absolutely devoured this book. Reading it is like listening to a good friend tell you their story (okay, a slightly crazy friend!) Laurie has a way of writing that is utterly engaging, and her words will ring true to any woman who has ever had her heart broken, or has eaten (or drank) her way out of misery. You can't help but root for her all the way through. I read the chapter about "Robert" while getting my hair cut, and literally laughed out loud. I had to promise to loan the book to my hairdresser! I loved it, and I don't even knit!!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-30 02:10:38 EST)
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| 10-25-07 | 4 | (NA) |
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Lauri Perry writes about the first year after her husband leaves with her usual humor, but also with great perception and poignancy. This book is not about her cats nor knitting (though there are patterns included), it is about her survival and growth during this traumatic year. It is very insightful and touching. This is an easy, casual read, but with surprising depth.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-28 02:11:49 EST)
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| 10-21-07 | 5 | 0\1 |
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The only thing better than CrazyAuntPurl online is having her on your bedstand to pick up whenever you please. This book is a must for anyone who's suffered a divorce or knits or has cats or just loves reading Laurie. Or even none of the above. It's a great book. Way to go, Laurie.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-26 02:12:05 EST)
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| 10-20-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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I don't know how to knit and I've never been divorced - I have been dis-engaged, though -- but I like wine, have three cats and have had my share of ups and downs, so I can definitely relate to this book.
It's a quick, easy read that's straight-forward, inspiring, and funny all at the same time. The back of the book has a bunch of knitting patterns and COLORED pictures so I'll be passing the book to my mom, an avid knitter, to use. This is one of the best memoirs I have read in a long time and highly recommend it. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-26 02:12:05 EST)
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| 10-19-07 | 4 | 0\1 |
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Lots has already been written on the contents of this book - but I just had to add my two cents.
Witty, funny and uplifting (most of the time). I enjoyed the author's frankness and honesty and I always suspected that life would be okay in the end for her and the cats. I liked this story because it closely resembles what I am going through right now - and reading and knitting have often been my saviors - Thank you for such a great memoir. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-21 09:06:49 EST)
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| 10-13-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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I am a knitter, I am a woman who has been through a divorce. The emotions that Laurie writes about are accurate for everyone and I am buying many of my friends this book for Christmas. And they are not even knitters. I really loved the brutal honesty of how tough life can be. (But also how great it can be on the other side)
I also loved the teenage 80's references. I had an Epilady. Ouch! (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-20 02:11:12 EST)
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| 10-11-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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I am an avid reader of Crazy Aunt Purl's blog and this book was just as good. I could not put it down! Grab a glass of wine and read this book!!! You will laugh like you never have before.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-13 08:57:43 EST)
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| 10-03-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I am an avid reader of Laurie's blog, so naturally I had to buy her book. I laughed, I cried, and having recently been left by my husband as well, I felt like I completely identified with her. This book is one of the best I've ever read! I would recommend it to absolutely anyone!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-13 08:57:43 EST)
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| 10-02-07 | 5 | 3\3 |
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I've been a huge Crazy Aunt Purl fan since finding her blog. It was pure luck - right after I did, my own fiance decided he didn't want to get married to me after all. She put into words exactly what I was feeling so many times, it was uncanny.
When I got her book, I literally read it in one setting. It's wonderful. I would recommend it to anyone. Don't worry, its not a rehash of her blog - in fact, its probably 98% unique content. I've been forcing people to listen as I read bits out loud - and they actually liked what they heard. The knitting patterns aren't all that exciting - I'd rather have had more content, but I loved the pictures of her cats "modeling" them, so I'm not too upset about it. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-13 08:57:43 EST)
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| 10-02-07 | 5 | 3\3 |
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I discovered Crazy Aunt Purl's blog months ago, and have read it with delight ever since. So of course I pre-ordered the book, which is a wonderful journey through love, loss, depression, and a return to the world. Laurie is a 30-something graphic artist working in a Los Angeles area bank, whose clueless husband one day just left. No arguments, no months or discussions, just "I have to find my creativity."
Turns out Laurie is the one who finds her creativity! Her blog that recounts her daily struggles with Los Angeles traffic, her bad-luck jeep, a gardener from hell and four adored cats (now, sadly reduced to three), has become a must-read for thousands worldwide. With the help of supportive friends and family, Laurie emerges from her self-imposed hermit-hood and picks up some sticks and string -- and becomes a knitter. Spending hours alone with her cats, wine and yarn, Laurie emerges as a delightful personality with a wonderfully wry take on life. This is a book for everyone who has been through a loss and emerged the better for it. You'll want Laurie for your new best friend. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-13 08:57:43 EST)
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| 10-01-07 | 5 | 5\5 |
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I received and finished this book yesterday (Still haven't tried the knitting recipes yet--but soon). I began reading it and I could not put it down. I stumbled upon Crazy Aunt Purl's blog several months ago via the Yarn Harlot and I was hooked--so I had to have the book. It is certainly not a disappointment.
I laughed and I cried. This is the handbook on being Southern, jilted and getting over it all in the best sort of way. It is the narrative journey from being "half a couple" to a whole person. I hope there are more books in Laurie Perry's future. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-13 08:57:43 EST)
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| 09-21-07 | 5 | 19\19 |
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I bought this book on the title alone. The only knitting blog I had read with any regularity had been the Yarn Harlot, and so I'd never heard of Perry or her Crazy Aunt Purl blog.
I'm so glad I got this book. Recently divorced myself, owner of three cats, and an avid knitter, every single page of this book resonated with me. I laughed, I cried, I soberly reflected on the thoughts raised by her description of trying to survive the utter fear and depression, and I felt like I was having a conversation with a best friend. Perry walks us through her separation, divorce, knitting classes, disastrous diet, seven hours straight of George Jones, the Depressed Office Woman Outfit saga, and slowly but surely, the healing that sneaks up on her so slowly that she doesn't really realize it until she gets brave enough to ask out the guy with nice arms in the lumber department of the home improvement store - only to discover that she has no idea how to respond to a text message. Please, please read this book. Perry even includes some wonderful patterns for us knitters at the end, but you don't have to be a knitter, or divorced, or drunk, or even covered in cat hair to appreciate the fine honesty and wit that shines through Perry's writing. I hope she writes more! (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-10-12 22:17:32 EST)
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| 09-18-07 | 5 | 5\5 |
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Laurie's book is a joy to read!! She shares her story of divorce, confusion, wine and eventual rebirth with hilarity and fortitude. She shows readers so much of her life during this terrible time in for her and I just know that others will gain a lot of insight and courage from her stories of the ups and downs of discovering one's self after a life-changing break-up. The knitting patterns are wonderful as well!!
She's a wonderful writer and has a voice that is usually not seen in contemporary self-help titles. It's both funny and sad and helpful all at the same time. It's so much more than just a knitting book; I recommend this book to anyone who likes their life-lessons to come with jocularity and wine!! (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-09-21 02:08:58 EST)
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