My Year with Eleanor
Summary:
After losing her high-octane job as an entertainment blogger, Noelle Hancock was lost. About to turn twenty-nine, she'd spent her career writing about celebrities' lives and had forgotten how to live her own. Unemployed and full of self-doubt, she had no idea what she wanted out of life. She feared change—in fact, she feared almost everything. Once confident and ambitious, she had become crippled by anxiety, lacking the courage required even to attend a dinner party—until inspiration struck one day in the form of a quote on a chalkboard in a coffee shop:
Painfully timid as a child, Eleanor Roosevelt dedicated herself to facing her fears, a commitment that shaped the rest of her life. With Eleanor as her guide, Noelle spends the months leading up to her thirtieth birthday pursuing a "Year of Fear." From shark diving to fighter pilot lessons, from tap dancing and stand-up comedy to confronting old boyfriends, her hilarious and harrowing adventures teach her about who she is, and what she can become—lessons she makes vital for all of us. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
I read this book during Dewey’s 24-Hr Readathon this past October and it was a great light happy-go-lucky book to read during a sunny day in the fall. There was a lot of chaos going on in my life, so it was refreshing to read a book about someone else looking for changes in their life. There were some points where I found the author self-indulgent, but on the other hand, who am I to judge someone who’s taking action to make herself happier? At least she didn’t just whine about it without any action.
Before reading this book, I didn’t know much about Eleanor Roosevelt so the snippets of her biography where fascinating. I will absolutely be reading more about her life and everything she did in the near future. Much like “Julie and Julia”, the author wasn’t making comparisons to their heroine, but telling how she was inspired to constantly “Do more”. I absolutely loved this book and particularly the quotes at the beginning of each chapter! Highly recommended!
Warning: May inspire you to do some crazier things in your life.
Rating: 5 stars!
Who should read it? Folks looking for something that will inspire you to take another look at your daily actions and how you approach things you fear or are intimidated by.