5. Come As You Are

By Emily Nagoski PhD (345 pp)

You don't know how much it pains me to not give this book a glowing review. I love Nagoski's website The Dirty Normal. There were so many times I read something there and thought: Well that would have been handy information 30 years ago. I love all the science and also reassurance that normal is a spectrum and barring health issues, you're normal. Again, would have been great to hear 30 years ago. I'm sure it was the publishers but this is a self-help book with exercises and fictionalized anecdotes about people who come in weeping about their problems and then do a few exercises and find miraculous change. In addition, the book is long and feels like a slog, sometimes repetitious, too often referencing other chapters. And finally, the casual tone grated at times. I think the information is worthwhile and would never discourage anyone from picking it up, but not a love.