Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Matters: 101 Unforgettable Stories about Our Nutty but Lovable Families [Paperback]

Jack Canfield (Author), Mark Victor Hansen (Author), Amy Newmark (Author), Susan M. Heim (Author), Bruce Jenner (Foreword)

Book Description

Release date: October 19, 2010 | Series: Chicken Soup for the Soul

Readers will be amused, comforted, and encouraged by stories about “nutty” families just like their own, and realize we all have the same family matters and what really matters is families. A quirky and fun holiday book, and a great bridal shower or wedding gift!

Nearly everyone thinks their own family is “nutty" or at least has one or two nuts. With 101 stories of wacky yet lovable relatives, funny foibles, and holiday meltdowns, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Matters is often hilarious and occasionally poignant.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Chicken Soup for the Soul; Original edition (October 19, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935096559
• ISBN-13: 978-1935096559
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 5.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #355,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Chicken Soup book! December 2, 2010

By Cherise Kachelmuss TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Everyone has that crazy aunt, uncle, brother or at least an experience with an odd family member. I have many memories from Christmas parties, so many that we don't even have parties anymore due to the craziness! This Chicken Soup book "Family Matters" is all about the craziness in our families! I can relate to many of the stories, others made me laugh so hard I almost peed, others made me feel like maybe my family isn't that crazy! It is full of 101 great stories that are sure to cheer you up, make you smile, and make you feel like you are not alone! "Family Matters" is so far my favorite Chicken Soup for the Soul book. I also think it would be a great gift for anyone anytime!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars There are others just like you... January 28, 2011

By Jewelry Whisperer

Format:Paperback

Do you have a crazy family? Yes, I do too!

Do you love your family with all your heart yet wish there were days that you could just run away from them? At least for a little while? Me too!

When I refer to "this" family...it is generally a reference to my extended family and not my children and husband. Sorry mom and sisters...just being honest....but I wouldn't trade any of them for anything.

"They" are the reason I am "me"

Reading Family Matters from the Chicken Soup for the Soul series enforced the idea of what "family" truly is. Family doesn't mean perfect and peaceful everyday of the week but does mean that there is a unity, a protection and a silliness that is only evident with those we love.

Reading Family Matters will take you on an emotional journey from silly to serious. You laugh and relate to many of the stores and you will also cry and empathize with the situations described.

You know the saying..."You can choose your friends...but you can't choose your family", right? Well with Family Matters you can also choose to laugh right along with other families and realize that you are not alone in this crazy life. There are others that are just like you!

5.0 out of 5 stars Take my mother-in-law. Please. March 21, 2013

By NinaMiller

Format:Paperback

This is not a typical Chicken Soup book. In addition to the heartwarming stories there are some that are just hilarious, like Gretchen Bauer's story about her mother-in-law. I get such a clear picture of the subtle digs and snide remarks that I feel like I'm getting the inside story from Gretchen as though I'm a friend. It's not mean-spirited, it's just the kind of stuff that would be shared over the fence between neighbors.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars disappointing December 12, 2010

By JOEAIA

Format:Paperback

A few decent essays but none that were "laugh out loud" clever...the negative ones overshadow the few positive ones.

My wife has been a frequent contributor to multiple inspirational anthologies including the Chicken Soup for the Soul "assembly line". We just finished reading this particular volume--at least what parts we could even get through and we're disappointed, to say the least. People who read these or give them as gifts are usually reaching out for something lighthearted and uplifting and while this one has a few passable essays, does not measure up to its predecessors. In fact, it's disturbing considering one's expectations when choosing it. Too many critical stories with lingering anger about exes and ex in laws are far from the Christian values my wife strives to malign her work with. Divorce may be commonplace in our culture but this no excuse for the complacency demonstrated toward its painful effects. Undoubtedly, there will be family member and former family members who recognize themselves in this unfortunate collection. The children of these families will be the most inadvertently pained and disappointed, no matter how much time passes, for the children never divorce the family. I would especially warn about the upsetting stories of the fates of some family pets. There's nothing entertaining about a child's pet being cooked for Easter dinner (and reported on with eerie glee) or a hamster smashed (purposefully) by a stepfather's fist no matter how it's spun. Very disappointed. We'll be praying before submitting to this series again. The editors seem to have sold out to a lower standard of what they deem comical or comforting and we are truly apologetic for having been a part of it.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Nutty families? No. Some were pretty bland January 18, 2011

By lohmalinda

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found some of the stories too tame for this title. I expected families at least as crazy as my own. Instead, a few of these were absolutely normal! Just not what I expected from the title about "nutty" families.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars The Soup Has Gone Bad December 5, 2010

By name withheld

Format:Paperback

WARNING: DO NOT BUY.

Shame on you Chicken Soup for the Soul founders.
Messrs Canfield and Hansen.
I picked up this book one evening during a break from my hectic Saturday night Christmas shopping outing. It had been a typical rushed evening, stalled traffic and long check out lines so I was in the mood for some light hearted stories and decided to pick up Family Matters.
I was looking forward to settling down and reading this book after reviewing the following description from the creators:

" With 101 stories of wacky yet lovable relatives, funny foibles, and holiday meltdowns along with more serious stories about abuse and outbursts, this book is usually hilarious and occasionally poignant."

The book starts out true to its form and in line with the creators' 15 year record and welcome statement of:

"Welcome to Chicken Soup for the Soul, a world leader in life improvement. We have been helping real people share real stories for fifteen years, bringing hope, courage, inspiration and love to hundreds of millions of people around the world. We hope our books and products touch your life in a similar way."

I was however, stopped dead in my tracks when about halfway through the book I came across a story written by a woman about her former mother-in-law. The story not only lacked what usually are well worded thoughts and expressions from writers who submit to this series, but instead strayed from the intended message of "inspiration and love". This particular author's piece dulls the halo around the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.... What started out as a truly unique genre of a homemade soup feel where each ingredient was chosen with purpose on it's quality and ability to enrich the entire recipe, has turned into a diluted substitute, and nobody likes substitutes. The original label of colors and scripted font is slowly being replaced by the dull, unappealing mask of generic mass production. Get it together, Jack Canfield: it's a slippery slope down the path of Readers Digest.

The writer easily identifies herself by connecting her pseudonym to her blog where she further boasts about her writings of her former mother-in-law.
After contacting the family of which she writes, I must also say, "shame on you, writer". In your quest for stardom, your vicious words have broken the heart and spirit of an almost 80 year old woman. When you choose to drastically distort the truth (especially of events over 20 years old), it only reveals a lack of substantial material worth attempting to morph into even the simplest of essay forms. What results is no more than the gooey, wasteful filler much like that spread on cheese one squeezes out of the cans similar to whipped cream. The gasps and tears of your children's grandmother were not the usual "feel good" tears that these books are known for creating, but truly from an appalling attack of name calling and public humiliation. I must say it again: Shame on you.

Your "soul" is now in print forever. The carnage resulting from your "soul" cannot be explained, justified, or reversed. You cannot backpedal in this day of imprints and technology. The daunting task of explaining to your children your rationale for your devastating interpretation of their grandmother in a public forum and book for publication awaits you.

Two thumbs down to my readers. pp

Dirty laundry left hanging out eventually gets cleaned. Then it's nothing more than laundry hanging out. ~Mya Echsiznutts Read more ›