The Secret of Life: Commonsense Advice for the Uncommon Woman

Though she might not always follow her own advice, Elizabeth Wurtzel knows certain things to be true: Doing copious amounts of drugs leads nowhere you want to be; trying to be friends with your ex is always a bad idea; if you can’ t afford to hire a mover, you can’ t afford to move; and always doing the best you can is always good enough.
Here are Wurtzel’ s succinct and clever rules for living your best life. Fulfillment is within everyone’ s reach. Grasping it takes enjoying your mistakes, being strong, and having opinions. Today’ s woman should:
- Be Gorgeous. Make the absolute most of what you’ ve got. Believe that you are gorgeous, and you will be. It’ s the only trick that really works.
- Embrace Fanaticism. Harness joie de vivre by pursuing insane interests, consuming passions, and constant sources of gratification that do not depend on the approval of others.
- Use All Available Resources. Let the M.D.s and the Ph.D.s help you solve your problems so that you don’ t become everyone else’ s problem.
- Never Clear the Table at a Dinner Party Unless the Men Get Up to Help First. Cleanup should not be gendered. Change the world, one dinner table at a time. Hold a sit-in.
One of the fiercest, funniest, and best-known essayists of her generation, Elizabeth Wurtzel infuses this modest gem of a rule book with a sharp wit and a real candor.