LIBRARYTHING Early Reviewers Practically Perfect in Every Way

TITLE: Practically Perfect in Every Way
AUTHOR: Jennifer iesslein
RELEASE
DATE: May 2008
GENRE: Memoir
RATING: 4 Stars

I was thrilled when I found out I was going to be receiving and reviewing this book. It has all of the elements I love in a book - a smart and tough main character who is not perfect, a chick lit type of slant (even though this is a non fiction) and of course, the humour!!!!

Jennifer Niesslein is happy - sort of - but now she is starting to question what is happy? and how do you know if you are?

These are all valid questions and I have to say that if Niesslein was just going for the laughs with this book - she could have tackled an easier subject. Yet, she manages to take a very difficult and somewhat taboo subject and turn it on its ear!!!

I think that many of us hit a wall where we start wondering about our lives - no matter how great it may look to other people and Niesslein decided to start her self-evaluation by using the tools she felt comfortable with. So with the help of Oprah, Dr. Laura, Suze Orman and David Bach, this memoir takes us through all the ups and downs that Niesslein goes through on her quest to find the answers that will make her happy (happier?). Yes, it is a big world of self help out there and some of it was actually helpful to her - but the most interesting thing for me, in this book, is the progression that Niesslein makes just by discovering who SHE really is - without the help of all these outside influences. All she really needed was the willingness to look inwards.

This book is witty, cute, charming, a little sad at times and I loved the spirituality of sorts that Niesslein is willing to open herself up to. The main characters in her life are well written and delightful and reading this book was a joy.

I cheer Niesslein on and I am inspired by her!