Product Description
Heather Lende has been praised for her storytelling talent and her plainspoken wisdom. She’s been called “part Annie Dillard, part Anne Lamott” (Los Angeles Times), and with this new book, that comparison has never been more apt.
As the obituary writer in tiny Haines, Alaska, Lende knows something about lives well lived. And now, she’s distilled what she’s learned about living a more exhilarating and meaningful life into three words: Find the Good. It’s that easy--and that hard.
With humor and compassion, Lende reminds us that we can see every event as an opportunity to find the good. Drawing on her own experiences and unique skill of uncovering the positive aspects of the lives she chronicles, she shows us how to look at our relationships, our obligations, our priorities, our community, and our world from a fresh perspective. Lende empowers us to make the most of the life we have. As she says, “We are all writing our own obituary every day by how we live. The best news is that there’s still time for additions and revisions before it goes to press.”
A gift to share with friends and family, Find the Good offers a way out of the negativity and cynicism that often overwhelm our daily routines. In stormy times like these, we have to make our own good weather, and Find the Good shows us how.
“Beguiling . . . The perfect book club book.” —Dana Stabenow, author of the Kate Shugak novels
As the obituary writer in tiny Haines, Alaska, Lende knows something about lives well lived. And now, she’s distilled what she’s learned about living a more exhilarating and meaningful life into three words: Find the Good. It’s that easy--and that hard.
With humor and compassion, Lende reminds us that we can see every event as an opportunity to find the good. Drawing on her own experiences and unique skill of uncovering the positive aspects of the lives she chronicles, she shows us how to look at our relationships, our obligations, our priorities, our community, and our world from a fresh perspective. Lende empowers us to make the most of the life we have. As she says, “We are all writing our own obituary every day by how we live. The best news is that there’s still time for additions and revisions before it goes to press.”
A gift to share with friends and family, Find the Good offers a way out of the negativity and cynicism that often overwhelm our daily routines. In stormy times like these, we have to make our own good weather, and Find the Good shows us how.
“Beguiling . . . The perfect book club book.” —Dana Stabenow, author of the Kate Shugak novels
Reviews/Praise
“Find the Good is a gem of a book. It’s honest and funny, reminding us to live in the moment and to pay attention to those around us. A joy to read.” —Sharon Salzberg, New York Times bestselling author of Real Happiness
“Simple yet profound . . . [Lende’s] homespun stories will speak meaningfully to readers. The overarching message is that the life we get is precious, as obituary writer Lende knows so well, and should be lived in such a way as to create much good to be remembered by.” —Booklist
“Heather Lende’s small town is populated with big hearts--she finds them on the beach, walking her granddaughters, in the stories of ordinary peoples’ lives, and knits them into unforgettable tales. Find the Good is a treasure.” —Jo-Ann Mapson, author of Owen’s Daughter
“Heather Lende is the kind of person you want to sit across the kitchen table from on a rainy afternoon with a bottomless cup of tea. When things go wrong, when things go right, her quiet, commonsense wisdom, self-examining frankness, and good natured humor offer a chance to reset, renew, rebalance. Find the Good is excellent company in these unsteady times.” —Pam Houston, author of Contents May Have Shifted
“In this cynical world Find the Good is a tonic. Heather Lende confronts life and death with love and vulnerability. The result is a literary wellspring, which will continue to run, and nurture, even in times of drought. What a brave and beautiful thing she has made with this book.” —John Straley, Shamus Award-winning author and former Writer Laureate of Alaska
“Beguiling . . . The perfect book club book.” —Dana Stabenow, New York Times bestselling author of the Kate Shugak novels
“Heather Lende is a terrific writer and terrific company: intimate, authentic, and as quirky as any of her subjects . . . I hope that, when the time comes, she’ll look for the good in my life and write my obituary.” —Marilyn Johnson, author of The Dead Beat
"Occasionally, she struggles to keep emotions in check, which adds rather than detracts from the reading."—Booklist [September 17, 2015]