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Help Yourself

Three scalding stories from the bestselling author of AMERICAN WIFE

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Help Yourself

By: Curtis Sittenfeld
Narrated by: Curtis Sittenfeld, Kate Handford, Alana Maria
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Brought to you by Penguin.

Sittenfeld's wryly hilarious and insightful new collection, HELP YOURSELF, illuminates human experience and gracefully upends our assumptions about class and race, envy and disappointment, gender dynamics and celebrity.

Suburban friends fall out after a racist encounter at a birthday party is caught on video and posted on Facebook; an illustrious Manhattan film crew are victims of their own snobbery when they underestimate a pre-school teacher from the Mid-West; and a group of young writers fight about love and narrative style as they compete for a prestigious bursary.

Connecting each of these three stories is Sittenfeld's truthful yet merciless eye, as her characters stagger from awkwardness, to humiliation and, if they're lucky, to reconciliation. Full of tenderness and compassion, this dazzling collection celebrates our humanity in all its pettiness and glory.

Praise for CURTIS SITTENFELD:

'Nobody else writes with such precison and amusement about the absolute inability of men and women to understand each other' RED MAGAZINE
'You won't want these stories to end' REESE WITHERSPOON
'Perfect miniatures in deadpan prose' GUARDIAN
'Clear-eyed and compulsive' MAIL ON SUNDAY

© Curtis Sittenfeld 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Anthologies & Short Stories Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Short Stories Women's Fiction Witty Funny
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Critic reviews

Sharp yet understated, assured but self-questioning, Sittenfeld take on race, sexism and the wokerati
Sittenfeld is in a league of her own
A potent mix of biting truths, entertainment and rigorous social observation. Sittenfeld has never been sharper
Sittenfeld has an analytical eye for the festering grudges and deep-seated disrespects of everyday life. Exceptionally sharp
Short, sharp, thought-provoking. Perfect for these times
Sittenfeld's genius lies in her ability to sneak in complex issues into superficially low-key narratives
Stories with a feminist perspective that fizz with intelligence, smart observation and darkly dry humour.
All stars
Most relevant
I loved all three stories, I only wish they were longer. I have read every word Curtis has written and her books have helped me get through some tough times in life!

Brilliant

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