Lawrence.com

Sonya Pankaskie

@spankas4

Occupation:: Nomad, pharmacist

Hobbies: : "I try to stay warm. I love when the weather cooperates and I can play a match or two of tennis or go for a run. When it doesn’t I stay inside with my Snuggie™ and watch Wheel of Fortune, read, or surf the internet. I love watching and playing competitive sports. More recently, I can’t seem to shake the high I get when I spend gobs of money in a short amount of time—new things are fun!"

Currently reading: “A Piece of Cake” by Cupcake Brown

“Everyone I know has life problems, but not like Cupcake Brown. This memoir is a story of how she lost her mom at a very young age and was forced into a horrible foster home. I turn each page with a dropped jaw because I can’t even begin to imagine the unspeakable things she has had to live through. I’m only halfway in, and by the age of 15 she has been a runaway, rape victim, prostitute, thief, druggie, and gang member who actively participated in a drive-by. Whoa. In disgust, I want to put the book down. However, I continue to read because I always want a happy ending. Surely I’ll get one because she’s at least acquired the resources, knowledge, and rehab that’s required to write a book, right?”

Book everyone should read: “Dry” by Augusten Burroughs

““Dry” is the story of how Augusten was forced into rehab, his time there, and how he transitions into the real world afterwards. I love memoirs. For me, it is important to know that whatever I am reading is real or could be real. I don't want any of this sci-fi, vampire, or hopelessly romantic crap. I like to read about the problems other people have. It is comforting to know that they have all had greater misfortunes than I and have lived to tell the tale. Augusten Burroughs does an amazing job of writing about his crazy, wild childhood and adulthood without having a please-feel-sorry-for-me tone. All of his books have a comical background so that when you get to the point you want to cry—BAM—he throws in one of the funniest comments you’ve ever read.”