Life in Six Words

Think you can tell your life story in six words? The editors of SMITH magazine challenged their readers to do just that in a contest in 2006. The contest is over, but people can't seem to quit writing and sending in six word definitions of their lives. They’re addicted -- and so will you be when you start reading these diverse perspectives and feelings in Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs.

Some writers tell their stories with humor (Woman Seeks Men--High Pain Threshold), some with bitterness (Girlfriend is pregnant, my husband said), others with contentment (Wasn't born a redhead; fixed that), some without judgment (Mormon economist marries feminist. Worlds collide.), and a few philosophers share a greater truth (Cheese is the essence of life).

Not Quite What I Was Planning is a wonderful gift for anyone, but be sure you keep a copy for yourself, as this compelling little book is cheering and stimulating every time you pick it up. Besides, you’ll want to compare your own six-word self-definitions to those in the book.

Our opinion in six words: We think this entertaining book rocks!