Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives

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A New York Times Editors Choice
One of NPRs Best Books of the Year

A beautifully wrought ode to lifea precious gift to the world. The Washington Post

From the bestselling author of I Miss You When I Blink comes a poignant and powerful new memoir that tackles the big questions of life, death, and existential fear with humor and hope.

As a daughter, mother, and friend, Mary Laura Philpott considered herself an anxious optimista natural worrier with a stubborn sense of good cheer. And while she didnt really think she had any sort of magical protective powers, she believed in her heart that as long as she loved her people enough, she could keep them safe.

Then, in the early hours of one dark morning at home, her belief was upended. In the months that followed, she turned to poignant memories, priceless stories, and a medley of coping mechanisms (with comically mixed success) to regain her equilibrium and find meaning in everyday wonders.

Hailed by The Washington Post as Nora Ephron, Erma Bombeck, Jean Kerr, and Laurie Colwin all rolled into one, Philpott tackles the big questions of life, death, and existential fearnot to mention the lessons of an inscrutable backyard turtlewith hope, humor, and joy.

Reviews

"Bomb Shelter pierced my heart with its truth and beauty, humor and insight....This is a beautiful, moving, can't-put-it-down book that will stay with you long after you finish reading the final page." --Cheryl Strayed,New York Timesbestselling author ofWildandTiny Beautiful Thingson her"Wild Reads" Literati Book Club Pick


"I was struck to my core--all kinds of overripe feelings and neglected memories shook loose--by Mary Laura Philpott, or more precisely, by her new masterwork,Bomb Shelter." --The New York Times Book Review
"From a lifelong worrier who's also a reveler in the joys of human experience, engrossing essays on living with both." --People
"An unforgettable memoir about holding it together when its time to let go,Bomb Sheltermet me exactly where I am and gently walked me towards humor and hope. This book is a must reada treasure to savor now and save for always. I loved it.Glennon Doyle, Author of the #1New York TimesBestsellerUntamedand Founder of Together Rising
"Bomb Shelteris agorgeous, gut-wrenching memoirthatdrew me inimmediately.Mary Laura Philpott puts words to the human condition in a life-affirming, joyful, and surprisingly funny way -- even as she leaves readers in tears.I'm blown away." Lori Gottlieb,New YorkTimesbestselling author ofMaybe You Should Talk to Someone
Each of these powerful, beautifully written essays is like a tiny grenade aimed straight at the heart. Mary Laura Philpott is a trustworthy guide, ushering us through the magnificent, harrowing terrain of being human. Trust me: you will laugh, you will cry. You will fall in love with her voice. Dani Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of Inheritance
"At the heart ofBomb Shelteris a truth parents know deeply: 'I felt the universe had entrusted me with so much more than I could possibly keep safe.' I put this book down feeling less anxious as a mother and more inspired as a writer. Why Philpott reveals, pageafter page, that the love that makes us vulnerable is the same force that makes us powerful." Maggie Smith, bestselling author ofKeep MovingandGoldenrod
"I have never met Mary Laura Philpott, but reading Bomb Shelter felt like sitting up all night talking with a dear friend who saved up all her best secrets to share with me. Delicious." Duchess Goldblatt, author of Becoming Duchess Goldblatt
"Witty, inspiring, and piercingly honest, this book will pull you in and it won't let go. Mary Laura Philpott has the gift of making the ordinary extraordinary as she invitesyou to reflect and laugh. You'll leave these pages with a deeper appreciation for this exceptionaland explosive thing we call life." Tembi Locke,New York Timesbestselling author ofFrom Scratch

Author Bio

Mary Laura Philpott, nationally bestselling author of I Miss You When I Blink and Bomb Shelter, writes essays and memoirs that examine the overlap of the absurd and the profound in everyday life. Her writing has been featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic, among many other publications. A former bookseller, she also hosted an interview program on Nashville Public Television for several years. Mary Laura lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her family.