Rating: 
Summary: For me, this book was well-written but quite distasteful.
Review: Having come upon and enjoyed thoroughly, BIRD BY BIRD by Anne Lamott, I was anxious to read another book by this author. My research started with and probably will end with HARD LAUGHTER. Judging by the other Amazon reviews of this book I am one of five who not only didn't like it but would have stopped reading it after the first chapter if I was not dedicated to finishing any book I begin. First of all, in my opinion, to support a novel without a story line, a book has to have exceptional prose and great characters.This book had neither. I thought if these people opened another beer, I'll scream. Moreover, Jennifer's relationships in addition to being pathetic were sophomoric, and the descriptions of sex, dreams, food, sex, family members told me more than I ever wanted to know about any of them. I suppose they were a loving family with deep alcoholic ties but unfortunately if there was humor, it was lost on me. What I missed most, in this book was the charm I found in in BIRD BY BIRD. For me, the laughter was indeed hard to come by. I'm writing this not to be cruel, but because I think if someone looks up the comments as I did, it might be good to read a dissenting opinion.
Rating: 
Summary: hard gift
Review: How anyone could find this book distasteful is a mystery; it's a poignant elegy for the author's father, so I suppose there are some who would object to that. of course they would also object to rescuing a bag of kittens from a lake, probably. I for one adored HARD LAUGHTER, its deft handling of the subject of cancer, written at a time when cancer was not discussed in such terms, was still the boogy man under the hospital bed. so many interesting moments, so many warm passages of love and devotion. this book made me feel. this is all I ask.
Rating:
Summary: love the brutal honesty
Review: How could anyone not love this book (and the author)?!? Never have I read such a brutally honest account of ones life. Anne Lamott's writing is so refreshly sincere. All believers in Christ should rally around Ms. Lamott and encourage her to continue to bare her naked soul to the rest of the world. I read reviews that said she was irreverent, which if you read with a closed mind you may find this to be so, but I found her to be a REAL person, who realizes she is simply saved by God's grace and by nothing she's done on her on. I would encourage everyone to read this book, with and open mind and heart, and check your judgemental mind at the door. Keep it up Anne!
Rating:
Summary: love the brutal honesty
Review: How could anyone not love this book (and the author)?!? Never have I read such a brutally honest account of ones life. Anne Lamott's writing is so refreshly sincere. All believers in Christ should rally around Ms. Lamott and encourage her to continue to bare her naked soul to the rest of the world. I read reviews that said she was irreverent, which if you read with a closed mind you may find this to be so, but I found her to be a REAL person, who realizes she is simply saved by God's grace and by nothing she's done on her on. I would encourage everyone to read this book, with and open mind and heart, and check your judgemental mind at the door. Keep it up Anne!
Rating: 
Summary: Truthful and Honest thoughts throughout.
Review: I am a FAN of Anne LeMott-- so I guess that makes me a little biased about her work; but she is one of the best writers that I have ever read! This book was about her and her family dealing with her father's brain tumor. She skillfully delivers the thoughts, feelings, and reactions from each of her family members.
Rating:
Summary: Reading The Family
Review: I came to this book after reading Lamott's wonderful non-fiction book Bird by Bird. "Hard Laughter" is one of the best books I've read in the last twelve months. Full of warm honesty, wisdom and humour, Lamott's portrayal of family made me laugh, but more importantly, it made me remember what it was like growing up. Lamott's characters breath - I loved discovering them and by the novels end, I wanted to meet them in the real world. I look forward to reading Lamott for the rest of my life.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I chose this Anne Lamott novel based on the fact it had the most favorable customer reviews here at Amazon of her novels. I am a big fan of "Bird by Bird" and had very high expectations. I was very annoyed by this book and wish I had not ignored the one unfavorable review. The characters all sounded like Lamott herself and many of the witticisms came off as just sounding as if she was trying to be clever. Pointless reading unless you just happen to be from a perfectly functional family that is dealing with cancer! I can deal with the lack of plot but a total lack of conflict, or one single compelling character is just plain boring.
Rating: 
Summary: luuuuuved it--great bed reading
Review: I had never read any of Anne Lamott's other books--and in <head bowed> complete ignorance I had never even heard of her. But I LOVED this book! She made Jen (the main character) so real and I wished Jen had lived next door to me---except her scream therapy wouldnt have been so fun...<laughs>. I couldnt believe what other peoples reviews were saying (about not liking Hard Laughter)--I guess to each his or her own. Well I can say *I* enjoyed it very much-finished it in two days and cant wait to get my hands on Anne's other books.
Rating:
Summary: eyes sore
Review: I have read 3 of Anne Lamott's books and was profoundly discouraged with this writing. Although I wanted so much to get to know the characters and enter in to their life, I couldn't get past their lack of nobility and/or dignity with the way they chose to live. And for a grown woman to have such a close relationship with a young girl in this novel? Totally inappropriate, especially in these fragile times.I work with college students and I want them to be inspired, championed, held accountable and victorious over the imperfection that life throws their way. I hated seeing life through the lens of this book; I don't know anyone like the characters in Hard Laughter in the 17 years I have worked in academia, and I hope I never do. It is one thing to write with raw authenticity that propels the reader to live with dignity, and something entirely different to read human mistake after human mistake after human mistake and never change the course of their trajectory. Very sad indeed.
Rating:
Summary: Not her best
Review: I read "Hard Laughter" eagerly because I loved "Operating Instructions" so much. I was a bit disappointed. I didn't find it quite as funny, and I love Anne Lamott mostly for her humor (I've also heard her a couple of times on the radio and she was hysterical). It was interesting, however, to go back and thumb through "Operating Instructions," which she wrote much later, after having been through rehab, a religious epiphany, the death of her father and the birth of her son. I think that her writing has benefitted greatly from her life experiences. It was also a bit difficult reading "Hard Laughter," with all of the drugs and alcohol, and knowing (from having read "Operating Instructions") that she had a serious problem. It brings a sadness to the book that was not intended (i.e. not the sadness about her father's illness). All in all though, a mediocre Anne Lamott is a first-rate anyone else!
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