Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake: A Memoir of a Woman's Life

· Sold by Random House
3.7
48 reviews
Ebook
224
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

“[Quindlen] serves up generous portions of her wise, commonsensical, irresistibly quotable take on life.”—NPR

This edition includes an exclusive conversation between Meryl Streep and Anna Quindlen.

In this irresistible memoir, Anna Quindlen writes about a woman’s life, from childhood memories to manic motherhood to middle age. Considering—and celebrating—everything from marriage, girlfriends, our mothers, parenting, faith, loss, to all the stuff in our closets, and more, Quindlen says for us here what we may wish we could have said ourselves. As she did in her beloved New York Times columns, and in A Short Guide to a Happy Life, Quindlen uses her past, present, and future to explore what matters most to women at different ages. Quindlen talks about:
 
Marriage: “A safety net of small white lies can be the bedrock of a successful marriage. You wouldn’t believe how cheaply I can do a kitchen renovation.”
 
Girlfriends: “Ask any woman how she makes it through the day, and she may mention her calendar, her to-do lists, her babysitter. But if you push her on how she really makes it through her day, she will mention her girlfriends. ”
 
Our bodies: “I’ve finally recognized my body for what it is: a personality-delivery system, designed expressly to carry my character from place to place, now and in the years to come.”
 
Parenting: “Being a parent is not transactional. We do not get what we give. It is the ultimate pay-it-forward endeavor: We are good parents not so they will be loving enough to stay with us but so they will be strong enough to leave us.”
 
Candid, funny, and moving, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake is filled with the sharp insights and revealing observations that have long confirmed Quindlen’s status as America’s laureate of real life.

Ratings and reviews

3.7
48 reviews
A Google user
May 10, 2012
Everyone seems to have high expectations when it comes to Anna Quindlen. Her work has truly set the bar for which many are rated upon. This book doesn't disappoint. Her writing seems effortless and easy to roll through like a poem. At the same time its poignant and demands internal reflection. A lovely combination of beautiful writing and a wonderful story.
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Julia Romano
July 10, 2014
I'M A BOIL
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A Google user
April 28, 2012
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About the author

Anna Quindlen is the author of many bestselling books, including the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Rise and Shine, the #1 bestselling memoir Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, and A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Her other novels include Blessings, One True Thing, the Oprah Book Club Selection Black and Blue, and Still Life with Bread Crumbs.

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