Book excerpt: In her quest to be normal, Josie discovers something much better: how to be exceptional Josie Goodman just wants to be normal—but how can she be when her family is comprised of a Hare Krishna, an antitobacco crusader, and a famous pop psychologist/syndicated columnist? Determined to be different from her outlandish relatives, Josie dedicates her life to fitting in with the mainstream. But her fatuous marriage to a misguided student radical quickly fails, and the next man in her life, an underwear manufacturer, is contemptuous of her lack of skills in a kosher kitchen. Eventually, motherhood introduces Josie to unexpected challenges, and as she attends to an exceptional child with special needs, she begins to reconcile her relationship with the rest of her family.