Traveling Mercies

"Traveling Mercies" takes listeners on a journey through Anne Lamott's often troubled past to illuminate her devout but quirky walk of faith: how, against all odds, she came to believe in God, and the myriad ways in which that faith sustains and guides her in everyday life. With an mix of passion and humor, Lamott explores whether certain behaviors will get her a "better seat in heaven", perhaps "near the dessert table", or whether her mistakes "make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat dish". She writes about her family, about helping a friend through the devastating illness of her baby; about wanting but not having all the answers for her eight-year-old son. Lamott tells listeners how she creates a life-enhancing balance of correctness and liberation. Abridged.