Oprah's grittiest book recommendation yet?

Some Things That Meant the World to Me, by Joshua Mohr
Recommend: Yes
To whom: Not everyone, but to non-squeamish individuals who have a moderate to high tolerance for obscene language and gritty detail
Why: Full of interesting characters, and so unconventional, I never knew what was going to happen next.

Joshua Mohr’s first novel Some Things That Meant the World to Me made Oprah’s “10 Terrific Reads of 2009” list, but I heard about the book from the author’s sister, my friend Jessie. I bought the book to be supportive, but I devoured it in less than 48 hours. In case an endorsement from Oprah isn’t enough to cause Some Things to fly off the shelf, I’ll add mine.

Much of the book is disturbing and painful to read, but if you can stand it, you’re in for a fascinating and unusual story. The narrator, Rhonda, who endured an unbelievably cruel childhood, must confront his past at age 30, at a particularly low point in his life. Mohr alternates his narration between reality and delusion, and allows Rhonda to take high-stakes risks, so that I never knew what was going to happen. When I finished reading, I felt I had experienced something intimate and truly unique.