I was alternately moved to laughter and tears on first reading of Operating Instructions and have reread my favorite bits many times. When I loan out my tattered copy, it's usually to parents, but there's something about Lamott's honesty about the good, bad, and ugly of life that offers comfort for all. You get the sense that Anne's got her priorities - care of her child, not how clean the house is. In life where we all struggle to do it all, it's good to be reminded of what's important.