Readers have reached for Anne Lamott when they wanted to learn to be a better writer (”Bird by Bird”), when they needed help — or just a laugh — when parenting (”Operating Instructions”), and for thoughts of faith.

“Grace (Eventually)” is Lamott’s third book that details her sometimes painful, sometimes humorous journey through Christianity (”Traveling Mercies” and “Plan B” are the others). Always frank and personal, sometimes angry, sometimes quirky, her essays are plain and simple, and refreshingly honest.

This third installment finds a mellower, more forgiving Lamott, who says she no longer hates President Bush, who she railed against in “Plan B.” If you didn’t pick up the hard cover — I know a lot of devotees buy her stuff as soon as it’s published — the paperback is out today.

Meet Juan Castro Perez, an uncomplicated, unsophisticated soldier serving as a muleteer in Spanish civil war. Castro’s poor background on paper would make him a Communist — his family works and lives on the property of a wealthy noble — but Castro has switched sides and is fighting for Franco’s glorious loyalists. While hunting for asparagus, Castro finds a stray mule he immediately takes to heart. Naming her Valentina, Castro fudges his company’s totals in an effort to sneak Valentina through with the hopes of returning her home to his family when the war ends. Castro’s fondness for Valentina is real and genuine and adds poignancy to this simple tale by Juan Eslava Galan, a native of Andalusia, Spain. Along the way Castro goofs around with his army buddies, woos a woman named Conchi who is out of his league socially and unwittingly becomes a poster boy for the nationalist cause — and gets to hear El Caudillo himself, Franco, speak. Read the rest of this entry »