No One Tells You This

Featured in multiple must-read lists, No One Tells You This is sharp, intimateA funny, frank, and fearless memoirand a refreshing view of the possibilitiesand pitfallspersonal freedom can offer modern women (Kirkus Reviews). If the story doesnt end with marriage or a child, what then? This question plagued Glynnis MacNicol on the eve of her fortieth birthday. Despite a successful career as a writer, and an exciting life in New York City, Glynnis was constantly reminded she had neither of the things the world expected of a woman her age: a partner or a baby. She knew she was supposed to feel bad about this. After all, single women and those without children are often seen as objects of pity or indulgent spoiled creatures who think only of themselves. Glynnis refused to be cast into either of those roles, and yet the question remained: What now? There was no good blueprint for how to be a woman alone in the world. It was time to create one. Over the course of her fortieth year, which this beguiling (The Washington Post) memoir chronicles, Glynnis embarks on a revealing journey of self-discovery that continually contradicts everything shed been led to expect. Through the trials of family illness and turmoil, and the thrills of far-flung travel and adventures with men, young and old (and sometimes wearing cowboy hats), she wrestles with her biggest hopes and fears about love, death, sex, friendship, and loneliness. In doing so, she discovers that holding the power to determine her own fate requires a resilience and courage that no one talks about, and is more rewarding than anyone imagines. Amid the raft of motherhood memoirs out this summer, its refreshing to read a book unapologetically dedicated to the fulfillment of single life (Vogue). No One Tells You This is an honest (Huffington Post) reckoning with modern womanhood and a perfect balance between edgy and poignant (People)an exhilarating journey that will resonate with anyone determined to live by their own rules.