MEMOIR

Unhappy Achiever: Rejecting the Good Girl Image and Reclaiming the Joy of Inner Fulfillment

by Ashley Jordan
Wonderwell. Apr. 2024. 288p. ISBN 9781637560433. $26.99. MEMOIR
COPY ISBN
In this memoir, journalist Jordan chronicles years of striving toward impossible ideals, which ultimately resulted in her realization that people—especially women—might never attain happiness or life satisfaction if they insist on chasing societal expectations for success. Her book is not about giving up or letting go of focused, intentional goals. Instead, it’s a gentle reminder that one’s dreams and needs can tell a person more about their worth and own definition of “success” than external sources, such as a job, salary, or neighborhood. Jordan delivers a deeply personal work, but she includes enough cultural touchstones to make it feel relatable to most readers who are ready to loosen the girdle of traditions and expectations that keep so many women from living bigger, bolder lives.
VERDICT Readers will gravitate toward this book, which emphasizes that people shouldn’t be judged by a list of achievements. Perfect for fans of Elise Loehnen’s On Our Best Behavior or Katherine Morgan Schafler’s The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control.
Reviewed by Emily Bowles , Feb 23, 2024
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

NONFICTION

I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This: (But I’m Going To Anyway)
by Devantez, Chelsea
NONFICTION

I Can’t Remember If I Cried: Rock Widows on Life, Love and Legacy
by Tucker-Sullivan, Lori
NONFICTION

Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk
by Hanna, Kathleen
NONFICTION

Blue Remembered Hills
by Sutcliff, Rosemary
NONFICTION

Home and Alone
by Stern, Daniel
NONFICTION

Seeing Through: A Chronicle of Sex, Drugs, and Opera
by Gordon, Ricky Ian
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?