The Go Girl Guide: Book Review

Now I'm not one to read self-help books, but it was a requirement for my Psychology of Adjustment class. A month or two ago, I was in the aisles of a two-floor B&N with my dad. While he was busy looking at the wall of cookbooks, I was busy looking at the shelves of self-help books. My professor told the class to focus on something that we'd like to work on to better ourselves. There were just so many options to choose from: time management, stress, relationships, happiness! I didn't know what to choose. All I kept thinking was, man, I must need a lot of help if all these books seem like they would be useful to me. Suddenly I came across the Go Girl Guide: Surviving your 20s with savvy, soul, and style, a self-help book by Julia Bourland. I wasn't only attracted to it because of the cute pictures on the cover, but also because it would help me with a variety of things that I most definitely needed help on in this new decade. She didn't make silly promises or use psychobabble, like most self-help books do, instead she was giving advice as a 20 something year old woman. She even included advice from other 20 something year olds, as well as professionals in fields like counseling, education, and psychologists. 

Synopsis according to Barnes and Noble:

"A woman's 20s are a roller coaster of highs and lows, unseen twists, and frustrating turns. Irreverent yet helpful and information, The Go-Girl Guide covers everything from dating to climbing the career ladder to dealing with a body that has packed on some pounds, exactly what girls just entering or already swimming in this brave new world need to know. Julia Bourland's straight-talking survival guide puts the entire decade in perspective, giving you a sense that the uncensored insider's scoop from an older, more worldly sister.

Julia Bourland is a 20-something freelance writer who has written dozens of articles on women's health, fitness, and lifestyle for such national magazines as Shape, Woman's Day, Conde Nast Women's Sports and Fitness, Parenting, and Rebecca's Garden. Prior to freelancing, she worked as an associate editor at Parenting."

My Review:

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I think it's more for women who are just graduating college, or are in their mid-20s. I'm new to this decade in life and couldn't exactly relate to all that Bourland was talking about. However, I did enjoy the vast array of topics she discussed including: our careers, our love lives, our body and soul, our support group, as well as our finances and other loose ends. Bourland gives honest advice and doesn't sugar coat anything. She uses comparisons in order for readers to better understand what she's saying; for example: she compares getting a job, to getting a date & having your first job to being in a tribe. She also uses humor when discussing the more sensitive subjects, like dating. Bourland even includes quotes from movies such as Jerry Maguire! Not only is this book filled with advice from cover to cover, but the author also throws in "Go Girl Resources" in the back of the book, that has suggestions on other things, whether it be books or websites, to read. 

My favorite part about this book was the Top Ten List of Things to Do in Your 20s:

"10. Learn to guffaw

9. Have a wild and passionate fling

8. Travel far and wide

7. Fulfill those lifelong fantasies

6. Run a marathon, do a triathlon, or bike a century ride

5. Take a women's self-defense class

4. Reform dietary inadequacies

3. Keep in touch with at least one high school friend

2. Don't work too hard

1. Dig on these times"

Overall this book was very informative, and I even took several pages of notes on the book, but I won't bore you with those! If you want help in this turbulent decade of mood swings, body demons, careers, and relationships, I definitely suggest this book for your. 

My Rating: 3.5 stars