Reviewers lauded Operating Instructions for its humorous, poignant portrayal of new motherhood.Publishers Weekly called it a "glowing work" and applauded the "wonderfully candid" quality of Lamott's writing, as well as the "quirky humor [that] steadily draws the reader into her unconventional world." In a similar vein, Jon Carroll wrote in Whole Earth Review that the book "will make you laugh and cry." Dawna Lee Jonté, of Belle Lettres, commented favorably on Lamott's "hilarious accounts of new motherhood . . . [her] poignant affirmation of her newfound faith and sobriety, and heartbreaking acceptance of her best friend's terminal cancer." However, Jonté cautioned that the "pieces don't always work smoothly together; this book uneasily mixes humor and pathos."

Many reviewers found the people who populated the first year of Sam's life engaging, particularly Pammy, who responds to her terminal cancer with courage and dignity. These qualities drew parents...