Lori Gottlieb's book "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone" is a masterful work. Her insights as a therapist and as a therapy client are brilliant. I loved this book and I was sad when it ended— that's always a sign of a first-rate book. I'm grateful for authors like Ms. Gottlieb who are willing to share honestly and movingly about their lives without making it into a "TMI" spectacle.

I have to admit i was put off by how long this book is and how many chapters there are, but I'm so pleased I took the plunge and started to read it. Ms Gottlieb has managed to perfect a style in which she is neither preachy nor full of inspirational quotes, but recounts life how it is and ways it may be possible to live it better. I admired her honesty in sharing some of her life and above all wrapping everything in the warmth of looking for the good in people and, where appropriate, laugh out loud humour.
Thank you to netgalley and Houghton, Mifflen, Harcourt for an advance copy of this book

“Will you see the human in my being?”


Well, well, well…it’s been a long time since I’ve been so surprised in a book! But I sure was with “Maybe you Should Talk to Someone”.

I don’t know how to classify it. It is a non-fiction book that reads like a fast-paced novel. It is like an introductory book to therapy interwoven with some deeply personal and sometimes heartbreaking stories. There is even a devastating plot twist in the middle of the book that literally brought tears in my eyes.

I agree with the publisher that it provides “the rarest of gifts: a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human”. Lori Gottlieb, a therapist herself, could have used lighter, “humorous” incidents from her practice but she didn’t. She used three heavy subjects: one is about a newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness after she comes back from her honeymoon. And this is where I think the preciousness of the book lies. It is so wonderful and uplifting to see how she works with her therapist to confront, accept and come to peace with one of the subjects that we most fear to think about: our own mortality.

One of the gifts of therapy is that it gives you the confidence, the serenity and the clarity of thought to realise that life is a precious gift and that no matter what happens, you have the ability and the strength to face it, to figure it out and, ultimately, to move on.

This book is excellently written. It is written with a boldness and a frankness that I, personally, find mesmerizing.

Would I buy this book as a gift to a friend? No. Therapy is a controversial subject as it is so I think it is better to choose a “safer” book. Would I buy this book as gift to myself? Absolutely. It is life-affirming, it is humorous, it is ambitious and it is one of those books that you are going to pick up again and again just to read a few pages.

Lori Gottlieb an actual therapist brings us into her world her profession the always mysterious world of therapy sessions.Lori Gottlieb also shares with us the shocking end to a relationship she thought was leading to marriage till the day he ended it.Then the therapist goes for therapy and the fun the pain begins.Lori s book is entertaining hysterical informative. A great read highly recommend. #netgalley #hmh.

Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advanced reader copy.

I absolutely loved this book. There was laughing, crying and lots of learning. I'm not sure if I want Lori to be my friend or therapist. She seems like she'd be great as either.

Pros:
This book made me realize I can never be a therapist. They sit through a lot of nonsense that I could not handle without rolling my eyes. You all are the real heroes!
I loved walking through the process of helping people though. I think some of that patience and understanding stuck with me.
Her candid recounting of her own journey through therapy was great too. It really makes you realize that no one is perfect and we all need a little help.
This read like fiction. I was able to fully immerse myself in her stories and was eager to pick it back up every chance I got.

Cons:
I've got nothing.