The author of In Praise of Difficult Women (2018) attempts to set herself free of social expectations in the self-help book to end all self-help books. In a comic tone that lends a light touch to her serious intentions, Karbo argues that women in particular have been brainwashed by a consumer society and the glossy magazines that sell its fantasies into believing that we would be happier if only we were "thinner, hotter, fitter, more productive, more creative, more organized, and less curmudgeonly." The problem, she maintains, is that the imaginary "best self" we are constantly pursuing into a retreating distance, is not only an illusion, but also prevents us from making friends with the intelligent, curious self that we are right now, the one inclined to "prioritize self-respect over the approval of others." While Karbo spends more time identifying the problem than providing solutions, she does give the reader some intriguing perspectives on why self-improvement may be not just difficult but destructive.Women in Focus: The 19th in 2020

In this funny, well-researched work, Karbo (In Praise of Difficult Women) explains how she ditched "self-improvery" and learned to live as her "true self." While railing against "the great female self-improvement bamboozlement," Karbo weaves in her own story of focusing on self-care and embracing imperfections, and details years of on-and-off-again dieting and struggles with anxiety. Her advice is straightforward and includes such tips such as "care for yourself like you would a beloved pet," "wean yourself off compulsive phone checking," and quit believing in antiquated relationship ideas like women "are too much and not enough." She also asks readers to back away from social media and to stop spending money on beauty routines and unproven, expensive products such as so-called "skinny teas." To bolster her points, she includes references to Brene Brown's lectures on shame and cultural critic Ellen Willis's 1970 "Women and the Myth of Consumerism," as well as many interviews with women who have resisted "the longest con out there, self-improvement." Readers interested in feminist-based self-help will learn from and be entertained by this empowering guide. (June)