30 Before 30
How I Made a Mess of My 20s, and You Can Too: Essays
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5.0 • 4 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A charming, relatable and hilarious collection of essays documenting a young woman's attempt to accomplish thirty life goals before turning thirty.
Something was nagging Marina Shifrin. As a freshly minted adult with student loan payments, a barely hospitable New York apartment, a “real” job she hated that paid her enough to get by if she also worked two other jobs, something needed to change. Over a few bottles of Two Buck Chuck, Marina and her friend each made lists of thirty things they’d do before the age of thirty. The first thing on Marina’s list was, “Quit My S****y Job.” So she did, and just like that the List powered her through her twenties.
In 30 Before 30, Marina takes readers through her list and shares personal stories about achieving those goals. Ranging in scope from the simple (Ride A Bike Over the Brooklyn Bridge, Donate Hair) to the life-changing (Move to A Different Country, Become internet Famous), each story shows readers that we don’t all have it figured out, and that’s okay. But for Marina, she did become internet famous (a viral video of her quitting her job after moving to Asia has nearly 19 million views on You Tube) and now writes for Comedy Central’s hit show @Midnight, is also an in-demand stand up, and had a very popular Modern Love column published in the New York Times. None of that would have happened if she didn’t start her list that night. Thank you, Two Buck Chuck.
Told with humor and heart, 30 Before 30 will entertain, motivate, and challenge readers to get out of their comfort zones and live their best lives.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Shifrin, a standup comedian and TV writer, debuts with a ribald and witty collection of essays. Each piece is devoted to a specific wish made and fulfilled over the course of her 20s, including "Fall in Love (for Real)" and "Buy Real Furniture." Shifrin's intention, she writes, is not to boast, but to encourage readers to "dominate twenties too." She proves an affable narrator, combining humor with self-effacement. In the opening essay, "Go to a Nude Beach," she documents how she overcame discomfort with her body, declaring, "Maintaining and projecting a body that's considered to be a wonderland' is an unreasonable standard and also a waste of time." Through the hangovers and failed romances over the rest of the book, she remains perceptive and charming. As the daughter of Russian immigrants, she continually reflects on her luck in being born "a few lost documents away from brutal Soviet oppression or at least that's what my parents tell me." Hand-drawn illustrations, including a "Dating Gesture Timeline" and a graph measuring "Emotional Needs Vs. Dog Size," appear throughout. In Shifrin's journey to confidence and success, she provides a genuinely inspirational example without ever taking herself too seriously.
