Rye Writes
Lee Woodruff Throws Us a Lifeline

– By Robin Jovanovich –

Like a fresh, bestirring sea breeze, Lee Woodruff’s first collection of essays and stories, “Perfectly Imperfect: A Life in Progress”, makes all of us voyagers feel good to still be here. Her combination of curiosity, levity and generosity of spirit are enough to keep us way above water.

“It was on a trip with my kids to Universal last year that I started writing this book. Most of it was written on the road — on planes and in hotel rooms,” said Lee, co-author with her husband Bob of “In An Instant: A Family’s Journey of Love and Healing”. Their courage touched millions of lives. Grateful that Bob survived a traumatic brain injury while covering the war in Iraq in 2006 and understanding how slow and hard the recovery can be, the couple founded the Bob Woodruff Foundation to help other traumatic brain injury survivors and their families.

She admits that they are “proud of what they’ve accomplished” — raising awareness, funds and spirits through the foundation. She also admits to enjoying writing, the process of creating. When Random House, publisher of their best-selling 2007 memoir, sat her down to ask what she was writing next, she was ready to take on another book. She was ready to write her own story.

Dubbed a combination of Nora Ephron and Erma Bombeck by columnist Liz Smith, Lee accepts the compliment graciously. But you can see her wondering whether her takes on marriage, motherhood, and friendship might have more gravity, more endurance. “Like an orange, each section peels away another part of life,” she says.
Some of those sections are hilarious — “I feel worse about my knees”, the gift plea to men: “Nothing with a plug, please!”

Who better to write about multitasking than Lee Woodruff who has a special gift — “I can write with 20 minutes.”

Her editor suggested she write about her swimming regimen, which helps her stay briefly out of reach and strong. Having her jewelry box stolen released powerful waves of memory and made for another essay.

We know women will read “Perfectly Imperfect”, but will men. Lee laughs at the question. “Bob has enjoyed a lot of it.” He also wrote the introduction.
Men, if you want to know what women want and feel and relish, read Lee Woodruff. She’s as steady as the next fellow and a whole lot more. She’s downright luminous.

“Perfectly Imperfect” will be in bookstores April 21.