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Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
quirky alphabetized entries combine to create a singly entertaining read
Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s book Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life is an atypical read. Its format and range of topics provide you with something different, something unique, and yet, the tone, the humor, the flow of it all is wholly familiar. It’s one of those books that I think was published just for me – that there can’t be, in all the world, a legion of other people who’d enjoy this sort of thing, but thank God some editor was looking out for me.
It’s filled with tidbits from her life – a timeline of key events, likes and dislikes, things that make her think, laugh or cry – and that’s what any good book should be filled with. The fact that there’s no set topic and seemingly no connections from one thought to another only add to the attractiveness of the whole. Her quirky alphabetized entries combine to create a singly entertaining read. Included along with random flow charts and tables are such topics as winning a Nobel Prize vs. winning the Grand Prize on Bozo’s Circus; The necessity or re-checking the train schedule as many times as possible while waiting for the train to appear; The quirks of fate and coincidence; Signs in public restrooms; The things you should have said and the things you shouldn’t have; The individual ways we all have to express our supreme stupidity; and Things children are confused about.
An intriguing mix of comedy and truth, reading Rosenthal’s thoughts is like watching a really good stand-up comedienne: you recognize something from your own life, only twisted somehow to make it clearer, more amusing, and no less true. Her eccentricities are quite enjoyable second-hand, and make you wonder if people would be interested in your own (although I doubt it).
Title: Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life
Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 1400089452
Review written by: Melissa McLaughlin
Reviewer's Rating:8
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0
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