NORMAL FAMILY, written by Chrysta Bilton, announces itself as a book “on truth, love, and how I met my 35 siblings. 

What an announcement. I mean, you know you are in for a ride. It all seems too wild to be true and simultaneously too good to be true. 

I am in awe of the way Chrysta was able to have the perspective to find such a clear and powerful narrative structure to the book all while keeping these pages turning with delight. 

I am lucky enough to call Chrysta an acquaintance (one I hope to seduce into full friendship), and upon finishing the book this is the letter that I sent her:

Chrysta,

I can’t remember the last time I devoured a book in one sitting the way I just did yours. 

I’m on a flight to Vancouver and started the book as we took off. I am just finishing as we land. I have cried so many times, the stranger next to me keeps asking if I’m okay. 

The flight attendant keeps bringing me water and napkins. I am sure you have heard every compliment in the world regarding the book. I know I am late to the table. So I won’t bore you with its exquisite writing and astonishing structure. 

What I will say is, that I will forever be different from reading the book. What a mystical adventure life is. Brave is the word that keeps ringing in my mind. How fucking fearless and powerful your book is. You have what I would describe as radical empathy for every person you mention and it feels like perhaps you are also applying that radical empathy to yourself these days. It is exactly that self empathy that I deeply admire and holy shit does the world need more examples of it. 

Thank you thank you thank you for sharing this with me and thank you for being willing to let us feature you on the book club. I’ve never been more excited to recommend a book to everyone who will listen. 

Love, 
Jen 

I should clarify that all of the crying was from being moved by the relatable and powerful meaning that she has extracted from her larger than life experiences. 

So here I am shouting from the roof tops. Go read this book. You will laugh. You will cry. You will think. You will find yourself in awe of the beauty that life offers us all when we choose to look for it.