I did know Canadian singer songwriter Jann Arden then… (well, I met her once when she came to visit WV projects in Tanzania, but she would never in a million years remember me)…but the impression I had of her then would not have jived with how much I respect her writing now.
This is the second memoir I’ve enjoyed by her. The first one was reflections on caring for her elderly parents called Feeding my Mother, which was a beautiful and poignant tribute to the privilege and challenges of being a caregiver, and included recipes that I still use regularly to this day. My only criticism of this latest book is that it has no recipes! 🙂
If I Knew Then has Jann grappling with her life as she reaches an age of reflection. As many of us who are aging, there is a perspective and a comfort in your own skin that comes along with the wrinkles and grey hair, driving out any lingering wish to be 29 again. Jann says she might miss her boobs but for the rest, nothing at all. Her writing is thoughtful, wise, compassionate, brutally honest and always laced with humour. Her lessons have been hard-won, she shares stories of alcohol abuse and ill health because of lifestyle choices. But she has found her ‘inner crone’ and is committed to speaking her truth. (PS if you listen to the audio version which she narrates herself, she has a hilarious voice for her mother!)
Jann if you are listening, thank you for sharing your journey so openly and honestly so that others can benefit. If I’d known then that I would love reading the books you would write, I would have tried harder to get past first impressions and connect with you in a more meaningful way.
Joanne's Reading Blog 
bijzonder ! Ga zoeken of er een nederlandse vertaling van is. Thanks for sharing, Jo !