Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

Non-fiction - 4 stars

In the irreverent Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson retells stories from her childhood with her sister, dealing with the antics of her absurd father. As she gets older, her husband, her daughter, and lots of psychiatric specialists help her uncover the surprising discovery that the most terribly human moments—the ones we want to pretend never happened—are the very same moments that make us the people we are today.

I got this book in a two-for-one sale with Craig Ferguson's, and I am so glad I did. Between Ferguson and Lawson, I laughed for two weeks straight. This book is hilarious, mainly because I can relate to many of the stories she tells, including one about a rattlesnake. I absolutely loved it.

American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson

Non-Fiction - 4.5 stars

In order to realize the American Dream, Craig Ferguson journeyed from the mean streets of Glasgow,  Scotland, to Hollywood. In American on Purpose, he recounts his stumbles through several attempts to make his mark—as a punk rock musician, a construction worker, a bouncer, and, tragically, a modern dancer.

Ferguson repeatedly used and abused drugs and alcohol, addictions that eventually led to an aborted suicide attempt. His success as a standup comedian eventually let to success on The Drew Carey Show and later as host of the Late Late Show. According to Ferguson, though, his greatest triumph was his decision to become a U.S. citizen, a milestone he achieved in early 2008.

I laughed out loud nearly the entire time I read this book. Ferguson is very matter-of-fact about his addiction, his failure, and his love, but his true talent is storytelling. I loved it, and I knew I liked him for a reason.  

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Non-fiction - 5 stars - I grew up with the tv show, a classic for my generation. After reading this book, I only wish I had read these when I was a kid! The story is so revealing about family relationships and the culture of late 1800's pioneer families. Megan and Danny especially liked the stories of the tree that Pa mistook for a bear and the bear that Ma mistook for a cow.

How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn

Fiction - 4.5 stars - A melancholy memoir about a young man growing up in a mining family in Wales and the impact of mine closures on the families of the time, this 1939 book was made into an Academy Award-winning movie starring Maureen O'Hara and Roddy McDowell. The description of the Welsh childhood and the struggles that families went through at the time are vivid and timeless.