Everything I Know About Love
“Intensity and intimacy. How could I have gotten them so mixed up?”
I should have read this book six years ago. Whether you’re heading to college, navigating your roaring twenties, or swaying on a porch swing with your soulmate, Dolly Alderton’s poignant memoir, Everything I Know About Love, is for you.
Some context…
Beginning with everything she knew about love as a teenager, Dolly takes readers through the tumultuous chapters of her life, uncovering all of love’s hidden corners and evoking a deep sense of solidarity. From bad dates to bad sex to bad fights with friends, there is no struggle or setback she’s afraid to share. Narrated with sarcastic insights, awkward text chains, heartbreak and hangover recipes, and endless personal tales, this book doubles as a survival guide for growing up. Unflinchingly vulnerable, Dolly helps readers confront their insecurities with grace, while also offering hope for the future. She proves that love is not an object to seek or an interest to find. It manifests in more than just a plus-one or a three-tiered cake with white frosting. It is in the childhood friend who calls every week. The roommate who debriefs on the living room couch over coffee and mismatched pajamas after a big night. The mom who buys your favorite ice cream every time you come home. In short, love is all around.
Some thoughts…
Spanning from her schoolgirl days to her thirtieth birthday, this memoir might be mislabeled as a youth-focused self-help book. Instead, it should be spotlighted for its profound understanding of the trials and tribulations of self-loathing, self-respect, and self-love. In relatable but surprising anecdotes, readers embark on a journey of discovery and acceptance that leaves them feeling fuller than a kid with a whole classroom of valentines.
Whether you’re reeling with regrets for mistakes made or for risks not taken, you will see yourself in this book—or, it will see you. In a judgment-free zone, Dolly draws on experiences of alcohol abuse, job rejections, and even lies to her therapist to prove that it is not only okay to screw up, but that it’s never too late to make amends. There’s always time to pursue that career, save for that apartment, or reach out to the person you’ve been thinking about for years. You should always make that call.
Dolly draws heavily on the lives of her friends, as well as their vibrant, distinct personalities, passions, and perspectives. The choice to include a wide ensemble makes the text feel more grounded, allowing readers to insert their own inner circles into the story. These characters also offer a greater view into Dolly’s mind and heart, as people are often defined not just by their loved ones, but by how they care for them.
Full of satire and sentiment, tender and tough love, silliness and brilliance, Everything I Know About Love demands to be devoured. What are you waiting for?
RATING: ★★★★★
