araichlin's review against another edition
4.0
הספר הזה לא משתייך לאחד הז׳אנרים שאני קוראת בדרך כלל. התחלתי בעקבות המלצה של חברה והמשכתי בעיקר בזכות הכתיבה הקולחת והשנינות של הכותבת. האופן שבו היא מתארת את הדברים והמצבים שבהם מצאה את עצמה הוא משעשע ומעורר מחשבה. נהנתי מאוד, אם כי לקראת הסוף הרגשתי שמיציתי את העלילה. סה״כ ממליצה :)
nd2712's review against another edition
4.0
I was very kindly given an e-ARC of this book through Netgalley and Picador publishing in exchange for an honest review.
It's a self-help book about self-help. This paradox of a book is actually a very sweet, very honest take on how self-help can often not be worth the paper it's printed on, but in some cases can make you take a sincere look at your life and consider what you need to do. It talks frankly about depression and mental illness, in particular how the voice in your head can tell you constant lies that gives you unhealthy behaviours and actions. It's something I'm endlessly guilty of, and to read someone elses account of it and put it into words was very cathartic for me. Power jumps between moments of grand wisdom, to more intimate moments considering her relationships with her friends and family. I don't think I've ever read a book- fiction or non fiction- that so accurately appears to portray depression and a negative brain in the way I have experienced. This is a really interesting read and I hope others pick it up when it's published.
'Help Me! One Woman's Quest to Find Out if Self-Help Really Can Change Her Life' is published by Picador and will be released in the UK on September 6th, 2018.
It's a self-help book about self-help. This paradox of a book is actually a very sweet, very honest take on how self-help can often not be worth the paper it's printed on, but in some cases can make you take a sincere look at your life and consider what you need to do. It talks frankly about depression and mental illness, in particular how the voice in your head can tell you constant lies that gives you unhealthy behaviours and actions. It's something I'm endlessly guilty of, and to read someone elses account of it and put it into words was very cathartic for me. Power jumps between moments of grand wisdom, to more intimate moments considering her relationships with her friends and family. I don't think I've ever read a book- fiction or non fiction- that so accurately appears to portray depression and a negative brain in the way I have experienced. This is a really interesting read and I hope others pick it up when it's published.
'Help Me! One Woman's Quest to Find Out if Self-Help Really Can Change Her Life' is published by Picador and will be released in the UK on September 6th, 2018.
plookiss's review against another edition
5.0
After reading a few of the books mentioned in this one I was curious about reading this book. I loved it. Brilliantly written, funny and thought provoking.
rahikh90's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite segments from the book:
"Most of us spend our lives with a constant voice in our heads, the inner critic who judges and interprets reality and determines our mood. We all have a voice that comments, speculates, judges, compares, complains, likes, dislikes and so on. Quite often the voice isn't even focusing on what's happening now, it's rehashing some old situation or worrying about an imagined one in the future.
This voice stops us from ever enjoying the only thing that's real: the now. Only by living in the now can we find peace and joy. I was too busy drowning in past mistakes and imagined future disasters to actually get on with the task at hand. I was in a mental prison of my own making."
He says that it's natural for all of us to plan things for the future but that we must never prioritize the future over today. You can set goals and work towards them but you must give the most attention to the step you are taking now, not the end destination. If you don't do that, your life is no longer an adventure, just an obsessive need to arrive, to attain, to "make it".
When we feel shame we do several things. First, we try to be perfect. We think that if we can just get thinner, smarter, more successful, then we'll feel okay and people will love us and we won't get hurt.
When that doesn't work- and it never does- we try another approach, we numb our feelings of shame. We watch television. We drink. We eat too much. We take drugs.
Then when the numbing and perfectionism doesn't work, we go down the third route: we cut ourselves off, shut down our feelings, decide to go it alone.
"Most of us spend our lives with a constant voice in our heads, the inner critic who judges and interprets reality and determines our mood. We all have a voice that comments, speculates, judges, compares, complains, likes, dislikes and so on. Quite often the voice isn't even focusing on what's happening now, it's rehashing some old situation or worrying about an imagined one in the future.
This voice stops us from ever enjoying the only thing that's real: the now. Only by living in the now can we find peace and joy. I was too busy drowning in past mistakes and imagined future disasters to actually get on with the task at hand. I was in a mental prison of my own making."
He says that it's natural for all of us to plan things for the future but that we must never prioritize the future over today. You can set goals and work towards them but you must give the most attention to the step you are taking now, not the end destination. If you don't do that, your life is no longer an adventure, just an obsessive need to arrive, to attain, to "make it".
When we feel shame we do several things. First, we try to be perfect. We think that if we can just get thinner, smarter, more successful, then we'll feel okay and people will love us and we won't get hurt.
When that doesn't work- and it never does- we try another approach, we numb our feelings of shame. We watch television. We drink. We eat too much. We take drugs.
Then when the numbing and perfectionism doesn't work, we go down the third route: we cut ourselves off, shut down our feelings, decide to go it alone.
booksandbargains's review against another edition
This was a re read and I still really enjoyed it
sharonus's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.25
hellay's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.5
readwithmeemz's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very enjoyable read.
It read very much like the Bridget Jones of self-help books, with a funny, self-deprecating main character, who gets herself into awkward and hilarious situations. Charming and unashamedly self-aware, this book was much more thoughtful and emotionally resonant than I originally thought it would be. I found myself cheering on Marianne as she put herself out there, and worked hard on her “self”, but I also found myself groaning out loud, during her many missteps. I had a lot of fun with this one, and I think you will too!
It read very much like the Bridget Jones of self-help books, with a funny, self-deprecating main character, who gets herself into awkward and hilarious situations. Charming and unashamedly self-aware, this book was much more thoughtful and emotionally resonant than I originally thought it would be. I found myself cheering on Marianne as she put herself out there, and worked hard on her “self”, but I also found myself groaning out loud, during her many missteps. I had a lot of fun with this one, and I think you will too!
austenmostardently's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
5.0