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Somehow: Thoughts on Love Hardcover – April 9, 2024
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One of Publishers Weekly’s Best Religion Books of 2024
“Anne Lamott is my Oprah.” —Chicago Tribune
From the bestselling author of Dusk, Night, Dawn and Help, Thanks, Wow, a joyful celebration of love
“Love is our only hope,” Anne Lamott writes in this perceptive new book. “It is not always the easiest choice, but it is always the right one, the noble path, the way home to safety, no matter how bleak the future looks.”
In Somehow: Thoughts on Love, Lamott explores the transformative power that love has in our lives: how it surprises us, forces us to confront uncomfortable truths, reminds us of our humanity, and guides us forward. “Love just won't be pinned down,” she says. “It is in our very atmosphere” and lies at the heart of who we are. We are, Lamott says, creatures of love.
In each chapter of Somehow, Lamott refracts all the colors of the spectrum. She explores the unexpected love for a partner later in life. The bruised (and bruising) love for a child who disappoints, even frightens. The sustaining love among a group of sinners, for a community in transition, in the wider world. The lessons she underscores are that love enlightens as it educates, comforts as it energizes, sustains as it surprises.
Somehow is Anne Lamott’s twentieth book, and in it she draws from her own life and experience to delineate the intimate and elemental ways that love buttresses us in the face of despair as it galvanizes us to believe that tomorrow will be better than today. Full of the compassion and humanity that have made Lamott beloved by millions of readers, Somehow is classic Anne Lamott: funny, warm, and wise.
- Print length208 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherRiverhead Books
- Publication dateApril 9, 2024
- Dimensions4.93 x 0.76 x 8.3 inches
- ISBN-100593714415
- ISBN-13978-0593714416
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
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From the Publisher




Editorial Reviews
Review
“Lamott speaks to the human in all of us, challenging us to bear her beam of love, and our own.” —The Washington Post
“Whether you are looking for love or letting go of resentments, Lamott’s words will both meet you where you are at and propel you to where you need to go.” —Oprah Daily
“Self-disclosure can be awkward, but Lamott’s voice is so finely tuned and adept at positioning the mirror for readers to see themselves, the books are not about her: They are words for anyone struggling against hope. Somehow: Thoughts on Love is a reminder — for those who need one — that it’s never too late to listen for the proverbial still small voice, the one within us that the world does its best to drown out, that it’s never too late to choose love.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“Lamott shares her thoughts on love in a moving meditation on how love really is the answer. It’s wise, warm and witty, just like you expect.” —Parade
“Lamott brings her signature wit and warmth to these effervescent meditations on matters of the heart. . . . A topic that might feel trite in the hands of a lesser writer takes on fresh meaning in Lamott’s, thanks to her ability to distill complex truths with a deceptive lightness. This rings true.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Lamott senses love in myriad ways. . . . Her innate honesty allows her to share her vulnerabilities and laugh at her own sometimes over-the-top attempts to find and share love. . . . But it is all done with such clarity, feeling, and goodness that readers will find themselves laughing out loud and fighting back tears. Ultimately, this is a testimony to love and hope in an often painful world. Lamott’s many readers are loyal, and this will be an easy sell. But pass it on, too, to people who may not even realize that they are searching for ways to connect with and love others.” —Booklist (starred review)
“In this book, [Lamott] focuses less on vengeful thinking for comic effect and more on the joys of smelling the roses. . . . As always, a strong vein of spirituality runs throughout, with Lamott’s characteristic descriptions of an all-loving God who is often flummoxed and saddened by humanity, but hopeful anyway. . . . [This] is a kind view of loving oneself and others despite our collective imperfections.” —Kirkus
“Beloved and best-selling author Lamott offers a joyful, feel-good read that explores the power of love—romantic, platonic, and familial—in people’s lives, with her usual grace, humor, and insight.” —Library Journal
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Riverhead Books; First Edition (April 9, 2024)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 208 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0593714415
- ISBN-13 : 978-0593714416
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 4.93 x 0.76 x 8.3 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #20,997 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #167 in Spiritual Self-Help (Books)
- #225 in Women's Biographies
- #651 in Personal Transformation Self-Help
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Anne Lamott is the New York Times bestselling author of Help, Thanks, Wow; Small Victories; Stitches; Some Assembly Required; Grace (Eventually); Plan B; Traveling Mercies; Bird by Bird; Operating Instructions, and the forthcoming Hallelujah Anyway. She is also the author of several novels, including Imperfect Birds and Rosie. A past recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and an inductee to the California Hall of Fame, she lives in Northern California.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book's writing heartfelt and thought-provoking, with one noting how it makes the ordinary extraordinary and speaks to their soul. Moreover, they appreciate its readability and humor, with several mentioning they laugh out loud while reading. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its writing style, with one customer highlighting Anne Lamott's skillful observations. Customers love the book's exploration of love, and while the material quality receives mixed reviews, with several noting it's fragile.
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Customers appreciate the heartfelt writing of the book, finding it an uplifting and thought-provoking read. One customer notes how it makes the ordinary extraordinary and speaks to their soul, while another mentions its deeply spiritual content.
"Just the book I needed. Brilliantly written. Heartfelt experiences shared. Everyone should read this book!" Read more
"...of a series of her thoughts and observations, and it is touching, meaningful, and memorable... and funny too, which is classic Anne Lamott...." Read more
"...I was wrong. This one touched my soul, with tears and laughter, as in the past. I love her and was so happy to find this book so worthwhile.." Read more
"...And her words have been an elixir and a source of love for me since I discovered them years ago. “..." Read more
Customers find the book readable and beautiful, with several noting that everyone should read it.
"...Brilliantly written. Heartfelt experiences shared. Everyone should read this book!" Read more
"Great book; beautifully written. A little too much god stuff. As an atheist, I really didn’t enjoy those elements but otherwise a lovely read." Read more
"...I love her and was so happy to find this book so worthwhile.." Read more
"This is a must read. Definitely needs to be your next book. I was crying, laughing...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it laugh-out-loud funny, with one customer noting the author's skillful witty observations.
"...observations, and it is touching, meaningful, and memorable... and funny too, which is classic Anne Lamott...." Read more
"...Definitely needs to be your next book. I was crying, laughing...." Read more
"...is generous in sharing her own mistakes and pain and applies her skillful witty observations that can’t help but elicit a chuckle in her readers...." Read more
"...your heart wide open and then pieces it back together with love, humor and great insight as only Anne can. Purchase this classic!..." Read more
Customers praise the writing style of the book, describing it as brilliant and wise, with one customer noting it is easy to read.
"Just the book I needed. Brilliantly written. Heartfelt experiences shared. Everyone should read this book!" Read more
"Great book; beautifully written. A little too much god stuff. As an atheist, I really didn’t enjoy those elements but otherwise a lovely read." Read more
"Anne Lamott is one of my favorite authors. She is funny, articulate, and wise. This was a pre-order...." Read more
"...exposes her weaknesses, proving she is not perfect, but perfect for me as an author. She makes me feel good about my strengths and my weaknesses." Read more
Customers appreciate the love story in the book, with one mentioning how it explores the power of love.
"...Good old love, elusive and steadfast, fragile and unbreakable, and *always* there for the asking: always, somehow.”" Read more
"...you will find yourself thinking, opening your heart, and committing to love more deeply and universally than ever before — starting with..." Read more
"...This book was much more...I so needed wise words on grief & the power of love & I got exactly that." Read more
"...area Anne lives or because I have read so much of hers - I love this book about love. I am reading it slowly so I can savor it!" Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the material quality of the book, with some finding it fragile, while one customer notes it arrives in poor condition.
"...Good old love, elusive and steadfast, fragile and unbreakable, and *always* there for the asking: always, somehow.”" Read more
"Not the author’s best book, but I love everything she writes so I definitely recommend!" Read more
"...deeply into challenging topics and life experiences, she leads with vulnerability, is generous in sharing her own mistakes and pain and applies her..." Read more
"A little disappointing, not as richly meaningful as I’d hoped." Read more
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The Lesson is always love.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2025Just the book I needed. Brilliantly written. Heartfelt experiences shared. Everyone should read this book!
- Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2025Anne Lamott is one of my top favorite authors. I own all her books and can recommend with confidence everything she's ever written. This one is part of a series of her thoughts and observations, and it is touching, meaningful, and memorable... and funny too, which is classic Anne Lamott. Her sense of humor is what we all think but don't say. Anne says it out loud. (Love her for that!)
- Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2024Great book; beautifully written. A little too much god stuff. As an atheist, I really didn’t enjoy those elements but otherwise a lovely read.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2025One of her books in the past made me think that she had exhausted her repertoire. I was wrong. This one touched my soul, with tears and laughter, as in the past. I love her and was so happy to find this book so worthwhile..
- Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024It never fails. Whenever I go through something incredibly challenging in my life, Anne Lamott publishes a new book that speaks to me and helps me get through it. It happened when my oldest son began struggling with addiction. It happened when my father passed away. And it happened when I was unemployed and couldn’t find a job for 6+ years. Now it’s happening again.
I was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and, at the time, thought my life was over. Nobody wants to be told they have cancer, and accepting the news was extremely difficult for me. But I went through the necessary surgery and my prognosis is good (thank God). Helping me through the process were a whole lot of people who showered me with love: my amazing wife, my family and friends, my coworkers, and the knowledgeable doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who cared for me with all their heart. Without them, I’m not sure where I’d be right now. “Even in the darkest and most devastating times, love is nearby if you know what to look for,” Anne writes in “Somehow: Thoughts on Love.” And that couldn’t be more true.
Throughout the pages of this book, Lamott explores love and the many forms in which it can present itself. She tells us that “love is how hope takes flight” and that “life delivers the unbelievable so often that you might as well believe.” Read this book and you will realize: we *all* have an abundance of love in our lives, no matter what we’re going through. “When life has lost its promise, or disappointed us one too many times, when it is hard to trust again or feel alive and curious again, love beckons us over and asks, ‘Got a minute?’” My favorite story in this book is one Anne tells about a little girl who was having a hard time falling asleep, and whose mother told her everything was okay because Jesus was in the room with her, keeping her safe. To this, the girl replies, “I need someone with skin on.” Anne reveals that “this is the main instruction that I would leave my family in my swag bag of spiritual truth: be goodness with skin on."
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Anne Lamott or someone who’s never experienced her writing before, you should read this book. Annie is the calming force we need in today’s world. The port we need in the storm that is life. And her words have been an elixir and a source of love for me since I discovered them years ago. “Good old love, elusive and steadfast, fragile and unbreakable, and *always* there for the asking: always, somehow.”
- Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2025This is a must read. Definitely needs to be your next book. I was crying, laughing. I bought my Daughter's one each to put in their Valentine baskets (they're in their 20s and 30s but will always be my babies)
- Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2025Gifted
- Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2025This is one of my favorite authors because she is so honest and writes from her heart.
Top reviews from other countries
- Barry MilaneyReviewed in Canada on June 16, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Just as advertised
Enjoyed reading the book.
- jennifer carpenterReviewed in Australia on October 15, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars always love her insights
Relatable. Wise. Even funny at times. And so often I identify totally and get reenergised for the better living. Thank you Anne