I have not survived against all odds.
I have not lived to tell.
I have not witnessed the extraordinary.
This is my story.
So begins this wonderful book.
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life is Amy Krouse Rosenthal's autobiography - kind of. It's an alphabetised account of her experiences and thoughts on life, large and small, interspersed with a chronology of her life experiences, from how she came up with the idea of the book ('evolution of this moment') to why she could never concentrate during Laverne and Shirley...
I love the odd touches throughout the book: from the photocopied documentation of Amy's attempts to get out of a parking ticket on the grounds of karma (read the book to find out if it worked) to the reader's agreement that begins with a standard 'you agree not to reproduce, replicate or reprint...' and continues to 'at the end of each page you agree to thrust your arms upward and emit a loud, staccato hey!') But although it's a very funny book it's not a superficial or silly one - Amy shares some very personal facts and difficult experiences, including unexpected deaths of loved ones. It's a completely absorbing read.
Although this was without doubt the best book I read in 2005, I've hesitated in reviewing in for this long because I wasn't sure I could do it justice. The only way to really grasp how great it is is to read it, but you can read excerpts on the book's own site. It's definitely quirky and might not be to everybody's taste, but I think most people will appreciate the witty chronicling, the dry humour, the superb writing and the occasional moments of real sadness and poignancy.
This is one of those brilliant books that makes you wish you'd written it yourself.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Like this? Try Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acocella Marchetto.
DID YOU KNOW? In a lovely gesture, if you read the book and love it, you can email the author via the site and tell her so - and she promises to write back individually and thank you (I've done this, and she's fab).
