By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main

While there were some chapters I could relate to more than others, overall I found this collection of short essays to be quite funny and very enjoyable. I especially liked the chapter entitled, I Hate My Purse. Nora could have been describing my purse and me and we haven’t even met! Yes, I hate my purse, too, because I can never find anything in it either. Even things I know for a fact I just used, like my chap stick. I returned it to the small zippered compartment in the front of my purse, but somehow it got sucked into a black hole in the universe somewhere between my house and my job. Fortunately, I now feel assured that I’m not alone in this experience, thanks to Nora.

I think what appealed to me the most about this book is Nora’s courage in pointing out the obvious quirks in everyday life that we tend to overlook. Aside from observations about the state of her purse and those of her friends, Nora covers other topics equally as well with humor and honesty. She’s not afraid to point out the effects of gravity on certain body parts and at the precise age to expect those changes to occur. In addition, she offers insight on hair, skin, nails, and exercise, (or the dangers of), in her chapter on maintenance.

Although this book was written specifically for women, I think men would appreciate Nora’s humor and insight as well, or at least maybe gain some understanding of the inner workings of the female mind.