Reading clarity.
Natalie Brown recommends three books that make the sometimes murky waters of our lives — whether it be society, our relationships, or even ourselves — that little bit clearer.
Giveaway at the bottom of this page!
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Trick Mirror:
Reflections on Self-Delusion.
by Jia Tolentino
Staff writer for The New Yorker.
Without giving too much away…
Easily one of the most hyped books of 2019 and written by “the Joan Didion of our time”, Trick Mirror is an anthology of nine essays which explore everything from mind-altering drugs to wedding culture.
Why I loved it…
Tolentino could write a phone book and I’d still be the first to pre-order it — her writing has always been some of my favourite. The essays in her book offer penetrating insights into feminism, identity and the Internet that you find yourself nodding along with, and wishing you could articulate with the wit and fearlessness she does.
My favourite line (with a dash of irony)…
“The ideal woman can be whatever she wants to be — as long as she manages to act upon the belief that perfecting herself and streamlining her relationship to the world can be a matter of both work and pleasure, or, in other words, of ‘lifestyle’. The ideal woman steps into a stratum of expensive juices, boutique exercise classes, skincare routines and vacations, and there she happily remains.”
Breaking Badly:
How I Worried Myself Sick.
by Georgie Dent
Writer and contributing editor to Women’s Agenda.
Without giving too much away…
At 24, Georgie Dent had her dream job, dream boy, and the whole world at her feet. Twelve months later, she was unemployed and suffering from anxiety so crippling that the world was no longer at her feet, but crumbling around her.
Why I loved it…
Dent tells the story of her journey into the heart of darkness and back with warmth and humour and honesty, and if you’ve suffered from anxiety — in any of its forms — this is a book that makes you feel seen and heard, and understood.
My favourite line…
“There comes a point in everyone’s life, and certainly in their working life, where you have to back yourself. Where you wake up and start believing in your ability.”
How to Fail:
Everything I’ve Learned From Things Going Wrong.
by Elizabeth Day
Journalist and host of podcast How to Fail with Elizabeth Day.
Without giving too much away…
Inspired by her hugely popular podcast, Day’s book is part memoir, part manifesto. Full of chapters on dating, work, sport, families, anger and friendship, it’s a book about learning from our mistakes and about not being afraid. And it’s a book for anyone who has ever failed — it’s a book for all of us.
Why I loved it…
I love Day’s podcast — and I loved her book for the same reason. Her writing uplifts and inspires and comforts you, and if I were to buy a book for a friend who was going through a tough time, this is the one I’d press into their hands.
My favourite line…
“One step at a time. Fill up your heart. Fight on.”