Legend has it that Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Last year, SMITH Magazine re-ignited the recountre by asking our readers for their own six-word memoirs. They sent in short life stories in droves, from the bittersweet (“Cursed with cancer, blessed with friends”) and poignant (“I still make coffee for two”) to the inspirational (“Business school? Bah! Pop music? Hurrah”) and hilarious (“I like big butts, can’t lie”).

Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs By Writers Famous & Obscure collects almost 1,000 of these memoirs, including additions from many celebrities including Stephen Colbert, Dr. Jane Goodall, Richard Ford, Aimee Mann, Dave Eggers, and more.

Surprisingly addictive, Not Quite is both a moving peek at the minutia of humanity and the most literary toilet reading you’ll ever find.