TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS: Advice from Dear Sugar

“Tiny Beautiful Things” by Cheryl Strayed is a collection of letters and advice columns written by Strayed when she as acting as the anonymous advice columnist “Dear Sugar” for The Rumpus magazine. The letters cover a wide range of topics, including love, relationships, grief, loss, addition, family, self-discovery, and personal growth.

I really liked the formate of this book; each chapter is divided by a letter for advice and its corresponding reply. Not only do I think this format makes sense for this type of book, but I thought it was digestible this way. I can sometimes get overwhelmed with 100 page chapters, and following each advice, there was a natural break in the book—a moment where I, as a reader, could pause and reflect.

While some chapters touch on topics that I have not personally experienced, Strayed’s advice transcends boundaries—they reveal universal truths that can be applied to various aspects of life. Because of this, I think “Tiny Beautiful Things” can be enjoyed by many.

I also really enjoyed the way Strayed intersperses her advice with personal life stories, making the book feel like a heart-to-heart conversation with her.

Prior to this book, I’ve never read anything by Cheryl Strayed. I picked it up because I wanted to read it before watching the series. But now, after reading parts of her story in these chapters, I am inclined to read other books of hers.

You can read more about Cheryl Strayed and her other books on her website here.