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Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives Paperback – April 4, 2023

by Mary Laura Philpott (Author)

4.3 552 ratings

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A New York Times Editors’ Choice
One of NPR’s Best Books of the Year

“A beautifully wrought ode to life…a 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 optimist”—a natural worrier with a stubborn sense of good cheer. And while she didn’t 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 fear—not to mention the lessons of an inscrutable backyard turtle—with hope, humor, and joy.

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Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

Sometimes time moves quickly and sometimes it moves slowly, but it always moves forward. This is not your life forever.
Highlighted by 334 Kindle readers
When we begin things, we can’t possibly know how they will end. Everything we plan is built on guesses and hopes, never on certainty. It’s a wonder anybody ever starts anything.
Highlighted by 248 Kindle readers
Taking things seriously without taking yourself too seriously keeps people on their toes, not to mention makes life more interesting.
Highlighted by 211 Kindle readers

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

"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 Times bestselling author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things on 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 it’s time to let go, Bomb Shelter met me exactly where I am and gently walked me towards humor and hope. This book is a must read—a treasure to savor now and save for always. I loved it.”—Glennon Doyle, Author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller Untamed and Founder of Together Rising

"Bomb Shelter is a gorgeous, gut-wrenching memoir that drew me in immediately. 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 York Times bestselling author of Maybe 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 of Bomb Shelter is 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, page after page, that the love that makes us vulnerable is the same force that makes us powerful." —Maggie Smith, bestselling author of Keep Moving and Goldenrod

"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 invites you to reflect and laugh. You'll leave these pages with a deeper appreciation for this exceptional and explosive thing we call life." —Tembi Locke, New York Times bestselling author of From Scratch

About the Author

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.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books (April 4, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1982160799
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1982160791
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.38 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #365,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #230 in Mid-Life Management
- #4,045 in Women's Biographies
- #10,913 in Memoirs (Books)

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4.3 552 ratings

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Mary Laura Philpott

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Mary Laura Philpott is the author of I Miss You When I Blink, the nationally bestselling memoir-in-essays, as well as Bomb Shelter, forthcoming in 2022. Her writing has been featured frequently by The New York Times and also appears in such outlets as The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Paris Review Daily, O The Oprah Magazine, and Real Simple. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

For more information, visit www.MaryLauraPhilpott.com

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4.3 out of 5

552 global ratings

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Molly Collie

funny and real

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2023

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As a mom who has experienced so much of this story with my own son, it was emotional and a transport to times past. Which was hard but good at the same time. Mary Laura is a great storyteller and had the right tone. I got it I got her and even though we haven’t met she gets me in this story. The worries the funny thoughts the birthday celebrating thinking. Great read. Read it fast as couldn’t put it down

One person found this helpful

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Christine

A memoir-series of essays about her life.

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2023

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This was my first book by this author. A memoir-series of essays about her life. She touches on so many subjects like motherhood, anxiety, family, health and life as it happens.
🐢
Heartwarming, funny, emotional, honest and I think most of us can relate to things in life and a few of these situations. Life happens and you have to make decisions every day.
🐢
This is one of my bookclubs reads and I am thankful to be introduced to new-to-me authors and looking forward to our zoom event.
🐢

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2023

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I love that this author opens up about struggles of real life, everyday things we all face but refuse to discuss.

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Lee

Interesting and well-written collection!

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2022

3.5 stars

I read this for book club and overall, I enjoyed this well-written and witty memoir-in-essays. Mary Laura Philpott begins the book with the incident that changes her life (and that of her family) forever: the medical emergency that wakens her in the middle of the night, where she finds her teenage son unconscious on the bathroom floor. In the aftermath, Philpott wonders whether she she should've seen warning signs of her son's condition, but more broadly, she ponders the limitations of the human ability to protect and keep those we love safe. A self-admitted lifelong worrier, yet also possessing a sunny disposition that helps her balance her anxious thoughts by focusing on the bright side of things, Philpott looks back at various aspects of her life and explores essential questions related to love, family, relationships, anxiety, death, fear, etc. — basically all the realities of human existence.

While reading this, I definitely appreciated the many insights that Philpott conveyed as well as the way she approached so many tough issues with a sense of humor. In exploring various situations that occurred in her life, Philpott is candid and doesn't shy away from showing her vulnerability and insecurities in her roles as wife, mother, daughter, friend, or just as an ordinary person trying to live her life as best she can, in a challenging world. There were a few essays that I related to more than others, and some I ended up skimming because I found it difficult to maintain my focus (most likely because that particular essay's subject matter didn't appeal to me). I especially loved the essays about the turtles and also the peculiar behavior of the family dog, which I found hilarious. The meditation chapter made me chuckle and, not surprisingly, it quickly became one of my favorite essays in the book.

Even though not all of the essays spoke to me, I still recommend reading this one, as I really enjoy Philpott's style of writing and the way she is able to infuse humor when relaying difficult topics, but in a way that is respectful and doesn't make light of the seriousness of some situations. I would definitely be interested in reading more of Philpott's works at some point.

Received ARC from Atria via NetGalley.

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Concerned

A wonderful memoir!

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2024

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This was an assigned book for our library book club for January 2024. We had a lively discussion and all enjoyed it. We all thought the author lived a high-anxiety life. Well worth a read.

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2022

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This is the first book I’ve read by the author. She and I are close in age and stage in life so I could relate to a lot of what she wrote. This book is part memoir and part advice. I found many of the topics really thought provoking. I’m glad to have found the recommendation in the Modern Mrs. Darcy emails I receive. I like reading different books and about others lives.

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Tammy

Relatable, unputdownable memoir!!

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2022

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This floored me. I recently heard about it through MMD’s book club’s June22’ pick. The author is married and a mom herself that suffers from “anxiety”.. so that’s pretty relatable to me. She’s incredibly intelligent, humorous, and on top of it.. the way she relates to her children and husband is inspiring. The unimaginable does happen with her son taking her down a path of worry and despair that she shares. Her memoir is moving and beautifully written, and she’s even included the turtles she finds at her doorstep. ❥ 4.5 stars

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Meredith O'Brien

Heartfelt, moving, and beautiful

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2022

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A beautifully written memoir about love, life, family, and connection. I was hooked from the prelude. Philpott is a gifted storyteller and I felt like I was reading this book along side of her. I was able to identify with so many of the themes. She feels like a friend. A must read and wonderful gift idea for friends and family.

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Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives Paperback – April 4, 2023

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