Tiny Beautiful Things

Starred review from May 14, 2012
Strayed (Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail), in this collection of advice (some previously unpublished) for readers of her column “Dear Sugar” on therumpus.net, chooses thought-provoking questions from her readers and listens deeply to their emotional content. In casually intimate prose (to a struggling writer: “dear sweet arrogant beautiful crazy tortured talented rising star glowbug”) and literary grace, she creates moments of wise, compassionate insight in often startlingly personal miniature memoirs, cradling gentle but practical guidance with enough humor to cement Strayed’s presence as both a mentor and the most understanding of friends. Sugar can be tough and honest (to the same struggling writer: “buried beneath all the anxiety and sorrow and fear and self-loathing , there’s arrogance at its core”), but she’s never mean: in Sugar’s world, we all deserve love unconditionally, but also owe it to ourselves to act in the world to be the best, most authentic selves that we can be. For a regrounding in the beauty of what it means to be flawed and gorgeously human, for answers that feel real whether we’ve been able to ask the right question, Strayed’s caring little essays offer surprisingly rich comfort. Agent: Zachary Shuster Harnsworth Agency.

May 1, 2012
Strayed (Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, 2012, etc.) offers insight into the world of online advice through her collection of letters sent to "Dear Sugar," her once-anonymous column for the online magazine The Rumpus. Sugar's Golden Rule--"Trust Yourself"--pushes the author and her readers to embrace themselves and not be afraid of asking life's complex questions. Strayed writes that she will "answer anything, so long as it interests or challenges or touches me." Men and women of all ages contact her hoping she can solve their problems, which include affairs, the loss of a loved one, self-acceptance and understanding the point of existence. In thematic sections, the author presents verbatim letters and their detailed published replies. Strayed's practical advice mixes with abundant personal anecdotes in which she illustrates to the addressee the reasoning behind her counsel. Admittedly not versed in psychology, her responses are sensitive and comprehensive, and her verbose self-reflection projects understanding and sympathy. Though she avoids medical jargon, Strayed suggests medical counseling when it is necessary. The author demonstrates her forthright personality in a comforting yet stern writing style that connects readers to each contributor's plight and the subsequent response to their cry for help. Appealing to Dear Sugar fans and self-help seekers alike, this "collection of intimate exchanges between strangers" demonstrates that wisdom doesn't come only from age, but also from learning from the experiences of others. A realistic and poignant compilation of the intricacies of relationships.

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Starred review from May 15, 2012

This beloved Internet advice columnist, using the pseudonym Sugar, revealed herself in early 2012 to be the acclaimed novelist and memoirist Strayed (Wild). First appearing on The Rumpus (therumpus.net) in 2010, her column "Dear Sugar" quickly attracted a large and devoted following with its cut-to-the-quick aphorisms like "Write like a motherfucker" and "Be brave enough to break your own heart." This collection gathers up the best of Sugar, whose trademark is deeply felt and frank responses grounded in her own personal experience. In many ways, it is a portrait of Strayed herself: she describes her estranged father, her passionate but doomed first marriage, her relationship with her current husband (Mr. Sugar), and, most thoroughly, her much-missed mother, who died suddenly while Strayed was in college. She answers queries on subjects ranging from professional jealousy to leaving a loved partner to coping with the death of a child to a (not-so) simple "WTF?" VERDICT Part advice, part personal essay, these pieces grapple with life's biggest questions. Beautifully written and genuinely wise, this book is full of heartache and love. Highly recommended.--Molly McArdle, Library Journal

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2012
Strayed caused a stir when she revealed herself to be the writer behind the popular advice column Dear Sugar right after the success of her memoir, Wild (2011), the first pick for Oprah's new book club. So it makes good sense to publish a collection of selected letters from the column. But this is no mere marketing ploy. Strayed has selected stories of heartbreak and sorrow, guilt and anguish, and revealed how all of them embody the fact that suffering is life, and life is beautiful. There is something profoundly comforting in the realization that while, as humans, we are all deeply and consistently flawed, this is no reason to despair. Strayed makes this point again and again with a combination of bottomless empathy and a few hard, honest truths. The letters are grouped together in sections that begin with brief interviews with Strayed, though it's unclear what precisely the common thread for each group is. Strayed's fans will be delighted with this intimate glimpse into her past, and advice seekers will find plenty to chew on.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)