The Secret Lives of Men and Women: A PostSecret Book by Frank Warren (2007)

It's a nice book and a nice addition to the series; I believe this is his third book. However, if you have already seen the website, then you pretty much know what this is about. There is a bit of everything in this book from funny secrets to moving secrets to poignant secrets. The various postcards do create a nice blend of art. I am sure most readers will find something they can relate to. I know I did. A nice quick read too. ( )

Well, I read this 2.5 times. I was happy to find two of my secrets in this book, so now I do not feel so compelled to send in my own postcard!

"Everyday on my way to work I contemplate driving past it and Never coming back"

"I write fakes notes on my desk calendar for my employees to find, just to see how fast the news spreads"

"At a bridal shower, the bride-to-be opens a box containing a wine glass. Everyone gushes about how gorgeous it is. I look around and wonder if there's some connection between me being the only single girl there and secretly shouting inside my head 'It's a glass! It's made of glass! It's not gorgeous, it's glass!' What do they see that I don't?"

"I'm really happy I've decided to never have kids & spend the money on myself instead"

"Dear mother-in-law: If you tell me how good the deals are at Costco one more time, I will burn the place to the ground. No jury will convict me. Love your devoted daughter-in-law. P.S. I Hate those giant muffins. I don't care if a dozen costs less that $5. I am throwing them away as soon as you leave."

"To the Class of 1977. I STILL HATE YOU ALL"

"I rescheduled a business conference so I wouldn't miss my dog's birthday" ( )

I continue to enjoy the PostSecret books. This is my third one to read recently. Poignant, funny, sad--a quick glimpse into the lives of strangers. (Some visitors to my church last week shared with me that they really liked the spoken "Joys and Concerns" portion of our service, because it allowed them to get to know something about the congregation, eventhough the people who spoke were strangers to them. It's similar to this, I think.) Some of my favorites in this book:

*I was crooked. They straightened me. Now I'm limited. I'll never be able to dance the same way.
*I occupy the empty side of my bed with random stuff so at night I feel like I'm sleeping next to someone.
*Every single person has at least one secret that would break your heart. If we could just remember this, I think there would be a lot more compassion and tolerance in the world.
*I have a suicide prevention hotline programmed into my cell phone under the name "Erin."
*To save time in the morning, I always put my kids to bed with clothes, shoes and socks on! ( )

Pretty much the same as the site, only now with a nice binding and far more secrets at a time. It doesn't seem fair to rate this (so I won't), because the content isn't the same as the concept. I like the concept, and I read the site every Sunday when it updates, but reading a whole book in one go is rough. Some of the secrets are hopeful and some are funny, but on the whole it's an artistic expression of loneliness, sadness, and regret. The concept--that people will confess to secrets anonymously, that doing so is cathartic--is a good one, and I like the artistry of many of the postcards. But on balance, the books contain more of the sadness than the hopefulness, and it's not something I'd want to pick up when I'm already feeling down. Unfortunately, the books tend to be downers at the best of times; I do wish there were more of the hopeful, happy secrets distributed throughout.