In Praise of Difficult Women, Karen Karbo
In Praise of Difficult Women, Karen Karbo
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In Praise of Difficult Women
Life Lessons from 29 Heroines Who Dared to Break the Rules

Author: Karen Karbo, Cheryl Strayed

Narrator: Bernadette Dunne

Unabridged: 11 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/27/2018

Synopsis

From Frida Kahlo and Elizabeth Taylor to Nora Ephron, Carrie Fisher, and Lena Dunham, this witty narrative explores what we can learn from the imperfect and extraordinary legacies of twenty-nine iconic women who forged their own unique paths in the world.Smart, sassy, and unapologetically feminine, In Praise of Difficult Women is an ode to the bold and charismatic women of modern history. Bestselling author Karen Karbo spotlights the spirited rule breakers who charted their way with little regard for expectations: Amelia Earhart, Helen Gurley Brown, Edie Sedgwick, Hillary Clinton, Amy Poehler, and Shonda Rhimes, among others. Their lives—imperfect, elegant, messy, glorious—provide inspiration and instruction for the new age of feminism we have entered. Karbo distills these lessons with wit and humor, examining the universal themes that connect us to each of these mesmerizing personalities today: success and style, love and authenticity, daring and courage. Being “difficult,” Karbo reveals, might not make life easier, but it can make it more fulfilling—whatever that means for you.

About Karen Karbo

Karen Karbo is the author of multiple award-winning novels, memoirs, and works of nonfiction. Her “Kick-Ass Women” series includes Julia Child Rules, How Georgia Became O’Keeffe, and the international bestseller The Gospel According to Coco Chanel. Her work has appeared in Elle, Vogue, Esquire, Outside, the New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Salon, Slate, and other magazines. She is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in fiction and an Oregon Book Award for creative nonfiction, and won the General Electric Younger Writers award. She lives in Portland, Oregon, where she continues to kick ass.

About Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed is the author of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail and Tiny Beautiful Things. Her stories and essays have been published in the New York Times Magazine, Washington Post Magazine, Rumpus, Missouri Review, Best American Essays, Vogue, and elsewhere.

About Bernadette Dunne

Bernadette Dunne is the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and has twice been nominated for the prestigious Audie Award. She studied at the Royal National Theatre in London and the Studio Theater in Washington, DC, and has appeared at the Kennedy Center and off Broadway.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Alisha Marie on January 11, 2018

Sigh. I was so looking forward to reading In Praise of Difficult Women. Then, I took a look at the contents page, said "Typical..." and started to read. Look, there are some good things about In Praise of Difficult Women and some of it was well done. However, there was some glaring oversight. The Goo......more

Goodreads review by Melinda on December 13, 2019

trigger warnings: n word usage by the white author, ableist language, alcoholism, addiction Honestly, I was pretty disappointed. The majority of these essays centered around white American women in the entertainment industry. I didn't really enjoy the narrative/self reflection in the essays nor some......more

Goodreads review by Katie on March 14, 2018

Summary: An engaging, inspiring collection where I enjoyed learning about amazing modern women and was left wanting to learn more. This beautiful book, with its gorgeous cover, delightful illustrations, and scalloped pages, is an ode to women author Karen Karbo admires for being 'difficult'. She defi......more

Goodreads review by Chrissie on November 09, 2022

I seem to be on a roll! Even if you know who the women included in this book are, you may learn facts about them you didn't know. This book is well written, and also made me chuckle in places. The audiobook was well narrated, and it was a very enjoyable and interesting listen.......more

Quotes

“Absolutely delightful…Absorbing, inspiring, and often surprising portraits that raise important questions about femininity and culture, power, and bravery.” Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author

“You’ll need two copies!” Stacy Schiff, New York Times bestselling author

“Refreshingly frank, Karbo’s book celebrates women who forged provocative identities and found life fulfillment despite the odds they faced. Inspiring reading about women who have shown ‘that it’s all right to occupy our humanity.’” Kirkus Reviews

“Part biography, part inspiration, all parts fascinating…A wise and hilarious reminder of the importance of being a pain in the ass. Keep it by your bedside.” Meghan Daum, bestselling author of The Unspeakable

“In this marvelous book, Karen Karbo illuminates the paths of women who refused to shut up, sit down, hold still, behave, or smile on anyone’s terms but their own.” Lidia Yuknavitch, author of The Misfits Manifesto

“In twenty-nine takes, Karen Karbo catalogs the ways in which a woman rankles: She can be independent, exacting, impatient, persistent, opinionated, angry, ambitious, confident, or just plain visible. You’ll need two copies!” Stacy Schiff, author of The Witches

“Part biography, part inspiration, all parts fascinating, In Praise of Difficult Women is a wise and hilarious reminder of the importance of being a pain in the ass. Keep it by your bedside.” Meghan Daum, author of The Unspeakable

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