Reviewed by Amy Raines for Readers' Favorite

In Lessons Learned: From the Short Stories of My Life by Laurie Koss, the author learned that her family was dysfunctional by the stories she heard while she was growing up. She also realized that being dysfunctional wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Laurie and her sister Jane wanted to join a contest that required finding male friends to dress the part. Laurie had to have a procedure and wasn’t sure how it worked. Her mother left out information because she was afraid her daughter wouldn’t go to the doctor to have it done. Laurie's young son, James, was happy to have his mom take his favorite toys to school to entertain the class with the voices she used for each one.

Lessons Learned is a collection of short snippets that give the reader a glimpse into the life of Laurie Koss. The variety of topics, ranging from stories about herself, her mother, her son, and others, shows the close family bond Koss shares and the events in her life that made it entertaining and interesting. I absolutely love how Koss ended each one with a quote that was relevant to life in general and to the story itself. I recommend Lessons Learned to anyone who enjoys a wide selection of quick-read stories that are both fun and true. I would be hard-pressed to choose a favorite, and I have no doubt that those who read this book will agree. I hope this talented author will compile more pieces like this so that readers can relate and learn valuable lessons.