Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Hardcover, 2016

Status

Available

Publication

Dutton (2016), 336 pages

Description

"In the ten years since her beloved, groundbreaking Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, New York Times bestselling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal has been quietly at work on this modest but mighty magnum opus, creating a spectacular literary experience that is unprecedented, unforgettable, and explosively human. Amy Krouse Rosenthal has cultivated a distinct blend of nonlinear memoir, observational humor, wistful reflections, and interactive connections with readers. A decade after Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, she's back with a sublime new work, a timeless collection of insights, memories, and moments that are at once intimate and universal. Why the title Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal? Because each piece of prose is organized into classic subjects such as Social Studies, Music, and Language Arts. Because textbook would accurately describe a book with a first-of-its-kind interactive text messaging component. Because textbook is an expression meaning "quintessential"--Oh, that wordplay and unconventional format is so typical of her, so textbook AKR. Because if an author's previous book has the word encyclopedia in the title, following it up with a textbook would be rather nice. Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal speaks to the awe, bewilderment, and poignancy of being alive"--… (more)

Rating

½ (52 ratings; 4)

User reviews

LibraryThing member debnance
Funny. I tell people I read just about anything but horror and textbooks.

Well, if this is a textbook, you can scratch textbooks from my do-not-read list.

How can I sum up this odd collection of vignettes, lists, photos, and miscellany?
Of course, it is a textbook and it's not a textbook. It's a
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memoir and it's not a memoir. It's a book and it's not a book. It's odd and it's regular. It's nothing and it's everything.

I give up. I can't really tell you anything about this book. I can't really tell you if you will like it or not. I will just say that I'm crazy about it, and if you like it, too, I'd love to hear from you, and so, in a Textbook-Amy-Krouse-Rosenthal-sort-of-way, feel free to text me your thoughts about this book: (281) 912-3412.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
Basically a collection of quirky thoughts, even more disjointed than her earlier "Encyclopedia". A few are memorable, and those who enjoy "Daily Meditations" and the like will appreciate more than I did.
LibraryThing member viviennestrauss
I tried to pace myself but read it all in one sitting - filled with heart, humor and hope.
LibraryThing member g82hug
One of the best books I have ever read... could read it over and over again. Infinite inspiration
LibraryThing member readaholic12
Textbook is so many things, including a cute play on words. I've never read anything quite like it and maybe because I am such a fan of AKR's writing, I loved all of it.

I bought this book shortly before the author died and finished it after attending a celebration of her life in Chicago, which may
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explain why it was so very moving to me to read her last work.

I recommend reading Textbook with your phone in hand, and please follow all the text prompts and links. Especially, listen to the soundtrack while reading her end notes and keep tissues handy.

I'm sad this book isn't more popular and sadder that Amy's voice is gone from this world. She left us a lovely and inspirational goodbye letter.

#Makethemostofyourtimehere
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LibraryThing member CarrieWuj
Clever, clever, clever! This is less a read than an interactive experience. Quirky and creative -- remember Little Pea and Duck!-Rabbit! from reading with the kids? Here is Amy's humor and free association let loose for adults. A perfect follow-up to her Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life (which I
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need to re-read), this book is linked to a website and text messages which it prompts you to visit on occasion to: hear wine glass hums, submit rainbow pictures, share a story about the imminent present, listen to Amy read her vocabulary journal, and many other fun, unusual options. The text book -- get it? idea is to have the reader help generate supplementary content in a major collaborative effort. To see how Amy has done this in other ways look for The Beckoning of Lovely on youtube (or text it as prompted) This is an homage to creativity, art, and making a difference. Textbook has a few nods to traditional education too in how the book is arranged -- by school subject -- but Rosenthal's riffs on those topics turn traditional learning upside down. This is a "dip into" book and good for a tech savvy, non-traditional reader. Have fun!
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LibraryThing member bobbybslax
Not my cup of tea. It offers sporadic insight and poignancy, but the presentation is nice.
LibraryThing member achmorrison
So great! The world misses AKR, but we are better for the work she has left us with. This book was a fast read, but pure joy.
LibraryThing member bookworm12
Achingly beautiful. Rosenthal finds the beauty in the mundane and reminds us to cherish each moment. The book is all the more poignant when you find out she died of cancer not long after this was published. I loved the interactive elements. You can text a phone number and vote in surveys and
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receive audio clips of things she mentions. I've never felt so immediately connected to a community of readers.

“Just look at us, all of us, quietly doing our thing and trying to matter. The earnestness is inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time.”

“The same five letters can be rearranged to express my daily sense of—and relationship to—time. First from the viewpoint of childhood, then young adulthood, and now, the present. ACRES of it..CARES about it. RACES against it.”
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LibraryThing member AngelaLam
I interacted with the text messages while reading. I was not impressed.

Maybe if I had won the homemade pecan pie...Nah, this book wasn't quite a memoir, in my opinion, but more of an exercise in communicating with an author via text messages, website, and written materials.

Language

Original language

English

Physical description

8.56 inches

ISBN

9781101984543
Page: 0.7861 seconds