Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair: The True-Life Misadventures of a 30-Something Who Learned to Knit After He Split

This book is great. It is side-splittingly funny in parts and tear-jerkingly sad in others. It's one woman's story of coming to grips with the end of a marriage and the beginning of a new life. If you've ever gone through the loss of a relationship, if you love cats, if you love knitting, or if you just think you're the only awkward feeling person on the planet, you'll love this book. The chapters are short and bite-sized, but they're addictive like potato chips. You just keep reading because it's so good and then you want more when it's done. You find you are not alone if you've ever thought you had no clue how to get back into dating again because everything's changed and now you have to text message. You'll find your faith in humanity is renewed a bit. You'll find that change can be good and life after a relationship can actually be really good even if it's nothing like you thought your life would turn out. In this day of negativity in so much of our news and entertainment, this is a positive spin on reality. It will make you feel really good. Hopefully, we'll see more by this author in the future.

I've been a huge Crazy Aunt Purl fan since finding her blog. It was pure luck - right after I did, my own fiance decided he didn't want to get married to me after all. She put into words exactly what I was feeling so many times, it was uncanny. When I got her book, I literally read it in one setting. It's wonderful. I would recommend it to anyone. Don't worry, its not a rehash of her blog - in fact, its probably 98% unique content. I've been forcing people to listen as I read bits out loud - and they actually liked what they heard. The knitting patterns aren't all that exciting - I'd rather have had more content, but I loved the pictures of her cats "modeling" them, so I'm not too upset about it.

I received and finished this book yesterday (Still haven't tried the knitting recipes yet--but soon). I began reading it and I could not put it down. I stumbled upon Crazy Aunt Purl's blog several months ago via the Yarn Harlot and I was hooked--so I had to have the book. It is certainly not a disappointment. I laughed and I cried. This is the handbook on being Southern, jilted and getting over it all in the best sort of way. It is the narrative journey from being "half a couple" to a whole person. I hope there are more books in Laurie Perry's future.

I bought this book on the title alone. The only knitting blog I had read with any regularity had been the Yarn Harlot, and so I'd never heard of Perry or her Crazy Aunt Purl blog. I'm so glad I got this book. Recently divorced myself, owner of three cats, and an avid knitter, every single page of this book resonated with me. I laughed, I cried, I soberly reflected on the thoughts raised by her description of trying to survive the utter fear and depression, and I felt like I was having a conversation with a best friend. Perry walks us through her separation, divorce, knitting classes, disastrous diet, seven hours straight of George Jones, the Depressed Office Woman Outfit saga, and slowly but surely, the healing that sneaks up on her so slowly that she doesn't really realize it until she gets brave enough to ask out the guy with nice arms in the lumber department of the home improvement store - only to discover that she has no idea how to respond to a text message. Please, please read this book. Perry even includes some wonderful patterns for us knitters at the end, but you don't have to be a knitter, or divorced, or drunk, or even covered in cat hair to appreciate the fine honesty and wit that shines through Perry's writing. I hope she writes more!

Laurie's book is a joy to read!! She shares her story of divorce, confusion, wine and eventual rebirth with hilarity and fortitude. She shows readers so much of her life during this terrible time in for her and I just know that others will gain a lot of insight and courage from her stories of the ups and downs of discovering one's self after a life-changing break-up. The knitting patterns are wonderful as well!! She's a wonderful writer and has a voice that is usually not seen in contemporary self-help titles. It's both funny and sad and helpful all at the same time. It's so much more than just a knitting book; I recommend this book to anyone who likes their life-lessons to come with jocularity and wine!!