Reviews
*Esquire Best Books of 2016* *Harper''s Bazaar Editors Favorite Books of 2016* * PopSugar Best Books of 2016* * Nylon Bests Book of 2016* "A genuinely humorous and compelling voice...Havrilesky''s writerly energy and passion confirm that the exchange of best friend wisdom -- a domain that has always been considered ''female,'' and therefore trivial -- can be elevated into art." --Jessi Klein, New York Times Book Review "[Havrilesky] is part Buddha and part Amy Schumer: wise, whip-smart, and profanely funny." -- Entertainment Weekly "The best advice columnist of her generation" --Esquire "The title of Heather Havrilesky''s How to Be a Person in the World is almost too cute.... Like: do we really need a guide to that, and is that really what this is? But it turns out the answers are yes, actually, and yes." -- Chicago Tribune "There''s something nourishing in every column... But sometimes she writes things that are like opening up the fridge and finding the universe inside." -- The Atlantic "What I love so much about Heather Havrilesky and her new book is that, beside being her usual brilliant, hilarious, equally kick-ass and compassionate self, ‎she actually gives great advice. How to be a Person in the World will change your life, for the way better." --Anne Lamott, New York Times bestselling author of Small Victories "A large-hearted reminder that all of us are struggling, and none of us are alone." --Kate Bolick, author of the national bestseller Spinster "Heather Havrilesky''s advice leaves me laughing, nodding in recognition, pumping my fist with excitement, and furiously underlining passages to capture the wisdom that drops out of her mouth.... This is more than an advice book -- it''s a life raft." --Sarah Hepola, New York Times bestselling author of Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget "True to its title, this collection touches on nearly every facet of living, and Havrilesky''s wit, intelligence, and candor set her apart as perhaps the best advice columnist currently in circulation." -- Publishers Weekly "Funny, frank advice for people searching for solutions to a myriad of relationship issues." --Kirkus Review "Readers allergic to classic self-help will adore Havrilesky''s empowering, grounding, and utterly sincere message delivered in a lovingly unsparing, perfectly profane tone." -- Booklist (Starred Review) "In moments of despair, Havrilesky''s elegant writing and rock-solid judgment can change your entire outlook. Read How to Be a Person in the World for the advice, but stay for the pure magic that is her perceptiveness and prose." -- Paper Magazine "Saying that Havrilesky has a way with words is like saying Marilyn Monroe liked diamonds. Havrilesky doesn''t just write--she dances with the words, building empathetic responses that can''t be classified as just advice columns. They are more keen observations of human behavior." -- BookPage "[Havrilesky is] an alluringly wry cheerleader, an enthusiastic volunteer offering sports drinks as we struggle past during the half-marathon of life." -- Slate Book Review "She is not only an excellent writer and cultural critic, but the best possible agony aunt for people who don''t care for agony aunts.... And she has an exceptional ability to hit the nail on the head and fundamentally understand people." -- The Guardian "Heather Havrilesky... is both the first and last person you''d seek out for guidance. On one hand, she''ll shake you by the shoulders and tell you the truth. On the other, she''s the friend rooting you on, cursing (creatively) all the way... Havrilesky abandons the prim and proper and instead delivers delightfully offbeat wisdom with a side of straight talk." -- NPR, "What I love so much about Heather Havrilesky and her new book is that, beside being her usual brilliant, hilarious, equally kick-ass and compassionate self, ‎she actually gives great advice. How to be a Person in the World will change your life, for the way better." --Anne Lamott, New York Times bestselling author of Small Victories "Heather Havrilesky is that rare writer who can dish out tangy snark but never fails to aim the knife back at her own damaged, hilarious heart. She's dealing, brilliantly, with the curse of having too much insight--into herself and the world around her. Required reading." --Patton Oswalt, New York Times bestselling author of Silver Screen Fiend "Sometimes I think Heather Havrilesky's Ask Polly column is the only true thing on the Internet. Week after week, while everyone else parrots and postures, she addresses the foibles and ennui of strangers, bucking up someone here, giving a kick in the pants there. Along the way, she offers up a slyly powerful critique of the ways in which culture shapes the individual. How To Be a Person In the World distills her salty, expansive wisdom into a guide for better living that's both pragmatic and philosophical, a large-hearted reminder that all of us are struggling, and none of us are alone." --Kate Bolick, author of the national bestseller Spinster "Heather Havrilesky's advice leaves me laughing, nodding in recognition, pumping my fist with excitement, and furiously underlining passages to capture the wisdom that drops out of her mouth. At a time when we're all navigating so many cheap and conflicting messages of how to be cooler, smarter, and happier, Ask Polly is a powerful reminder to listen to ourselves. This is more than an advice book--it's a life raft." --Sarah Hepola, New York Times bestselling author of Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget "A few years ago I wouldn't be caught dead reading a self-help book...now I'm toting around How to Be a Person in the World... in broad daylight, around other humans, without a deceiving book jacket! Whether you're already an Ask Polly fangirl or new to her tough-love approach to advice, this collection of old and new letters with responses, plus fun existential cartoons, will light a fire under your butt in the warmest, most loving way possible." -- New York magazine's The Cut, "What I love so much about Heather Havrilesky and her new book is that, beside being her usual brilliant, hilarious, equally kick-ass and compassionate self, ‎she actually gives great advice. How to be a Person in the World will change your life, for the way better." --Anne Lamott, New York Times bestselling author of Small Victories "Heather Havrilesky is that rare writer who can dish out tangy snark but never fails to aim the knife back at her own damaged, hilarious heart. She's dealing, brilliantly, with the curse of having too much insight -- into herself and the world around her. Required reading." --Patton Oswalt, New York Times bestselling author of Silver Screen Fiend "Sometimes I think Heather Havrilesky's 'Ask Polly' column is the only true thing on the Internet. Week after week, while everyone else parrots and postures, she addresses the foibles and ennui of strangers, bucking up someone here, giving a kick in the pants there. Along the way, she offers up a slyly powerful critique of the ways in which culture shapes the individual. How To Be a Person In the World distills her salty, expansive wisdom into a guide for better living that's both pragmatic and philosophical, a large-hearted reminder that all of us are struggling, and none of us are alone." --Kate Bolick, author of the national bestseller Spinster Heather Havrilesky's advice leaves me laughing, nodding in recognition, pumping my fist with excitement, and furiously underlining passages to capture the wisdom that drops out of her mouth. At a time when we're all navigating so many cheap and conflicting messages of how to be cooler, smarter, and happier, "Ask Polly" is a powerful reminder to listen to ourselves. This is more than an advice book -- it's a life raft. --Sarah Hepola, New York Times bestselling author of Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget, "What I love so much about Heather Havrilesky and her new book is that, beside being her usual brilliant, hilarious, equally kick-ass and compassionate self, ‎she actually gives great advice. How to be a Person in the World will change your life, for the way better." --Anne Lamott, New York Times bestselling author of Small Victories "Heather Havrilesky is that rare writer who can dish out tangy snark but never fails to aim the knife back at her own damaged, hilarious heart. She's dealing, brilliantly, with the curse of having too much insight--into herself and the world around her. Required reading." --Patton Oswalt, New York Times bestselling author of Silver Screen Fiend "Sometimes I think Heather Havrilesky's Ask Polly column is the only true thing on the Internet. Week after week, while everyone else parrots and postures, she addresses the foibles and ennui of strangers, bucking up someone here, giving a kick in the pants there. Along the way, she offers up a slyly powerful critique of the ways in which culture shapes the individual. How To Be a Person In the World distills her salty, expansive wisdom into a guide for better living that's both pragmatic and philosophical, a large-hearted reminder that all of us are struggling, and none of us are alone." --Kate Bolick, author of the national bestseller Spinster "Heather Havrilesky's advice leaves me laughing, nodding in recognition, pumping my fist with excitement, and furiously underlining passages to capture the wisdom that drops out of her mouth. At a time when we're all navigating so many cheap and conflicting messages of how to be cooler, smarter, and happier, Ask Polly is a powerful reminder to listen to ourselves. This is more than an advice book--it's a life raft." --Sarah Hepola, New York Times bestselling author of Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget "Under her Ask Polly moniker, Havrilesky dishes radically honest, no-nonsense advice tempered with self-deprecating humor, gleeful profanity and an unfettered voice... It doesn't feel like schadenfreude to read Ask Polly because she meets her reader's vulnerability with her own." --Los Angeles Times "A few years ago I wouldn't be caught dead reading a self-help book...now I'm toting around How to Be a Person in the World... in broad daylight, around other humans, without a deceiving book jacket! Whether you're already an Ask Polly fangirl or new to her tough-love approach to advice, this collection of old and new letters with responses, plus fun existential cartoons, will light a fire under your butt in the warmest, most loving way possible." -- New York magazine's The Cut "True to its title, this collection touches on nearly every facet of living, and Havrilesky's wit, intelligence, and candor set her apart as perhaps the best advice columnist currently in circulation." --Publishers Weekly "Havrilesky will tell it straight...Funny, frank advice for people searching for solutions to a myriad of relationship issues." --Kirkus Review
