**Book Review** Starfish on Thursday

This is a review of "Starfish on Thursday", a collection of essays written by Amie Ryan.

Ms. Ryan manages to put a new lens on wonderful glimpses of common life incidents. I found myself nodding along with so much of what she had to say that I felt like a bobble-head doll. In a few instances, I was pulled in with fascination at learning more about something I'd only ever had a passing glance at from my window on society. Almost all of the time, I was laughing and giggling and making mental notes to share a tidbit of a story with a friend.

If I'm correct, I counted 23 essays and I thoroughly loved 22 of them. I even sort of like the one that was for people who love animals more than I do. 

Amie writes with such an honest voice about things most of us can relate to so well - dating and raising children, and she has the best ever options for gun ownership. Even when she takes on the most serious subjects, she does so with a thoughtfulness and openness that anyone can respect.

The feeling that stayed with me was that, in this book, Amie was not just writing to her readers but having conversations with them. Not all conversations are about pleasant things. Real conversations are about life and death; race and money and gender; being young and being not-so-young, and being human. Some of those conversations are easier than others. 

Yes, I enjoyed this book very much. I enjoy reading anything that helps me grow a new thought, create a new smile line, or stop reading to take notes on how to be a better writer myself. Amie nailed it.

I'd also like to mention that this book would make a great read for group discussion among friends.

By the way, I am thinking of adopting a couple of the author's ideas for my own life - mainly the "15-minute rule of cooking". Oh - and, before I forget, God bless Jimmy Hoffa!

Peace

--Free

Disclosure: Amie Ryan and I are online friends, but there should be no doubt about my ability to be objective in this review. I didn't even get the book for free. But seriously, there is no reason not to be objective and honest. For one thing, Amie wanted an honest review and  I respect her far too much to offer less. Also, I respect my blog readers too much to be anything but honest with them.