I believe All New People by Ann Lamott was chosen for the Independent Thinkers
Ser Sex, drugs, presidential scandals, all this and more is to be found in the
magnificently written novel All New People by Anne Lamott. Probing into a
timeless array of chaos and personal tragedy, Lamott manages to tie the story
together with a mixture of personal experiences and documented historical
references creating an almost nostalgic, dreamy tone. As Naddy Goodman, the
narrator and main character of the saga is introduced, she is undergoing a
series of hypnosis sessions which reveal many painful childhood memories. While
none too extreme, the sheer simplicity of her emotional problems is ironic.
After a lifetime of longing for emotional and physical acceptance from others,
she has come full-circle to the realization that she must first accept and love
herself. I especially enjoyed the way the author expresses her feelings about
the breakdown of morals in society. This, to me, was best exemplified when the
neighborhood fathers, including Naddy’s, decided the world held more
fascinating things for them than they could find within the boundaries of their
own, settled lives. Before this time it was almost unheard of for a father to
leave his family because he was “tired of it.” Lamott clearly and loudly
states the meaning of her book in the title, All New People. This book was
written for anyone who has ever looked back on his or her life with regret.
Whether a pessimist or an optimist, “In a hundred years? -All new people.”