I'll Try Anything Twice: Misadventures of a Self-Medicated Life

by Carly Schwartz

For readers who wish Elizabeth Gilbert had a cynical streak comes this propulsive, wildly original memoir about a journalist’s quest to conquer depression and addiction, set against the backdrop of international adventures and modern communal living.

Through the eyes of others, Carly Schwartz seems to have everything going for top editor at the world’s biggest news site, fancy college degree, a seemingly endless parade of friends and parties. But she’s been struggling with crippling, suicidal depression since she was a teenager, and by her late twenties she has learned to cope with a steady diet of drugs, alcohol, and unavailable men.

Then she meets a charismatic guy who invites her to move to the mysterious “sustainable town” he’s building in the Panamanian jungle. As Carly chases her appetite for adventure down to the equator, she ends up consumed by a darkness she can no longer hide from. And when she finally conjures the courage to confront her demons, she finds help where she least expects it. 

Equal parts hilarious and heart-wrenching, I’ll Try Anything Twice is a vivid and vulnerable portrayal of the search for belonging, the definition of success, and the risks we’re willing to take in order to learn how to love ourselves. 

280 pages, Paperback

Expected publication March 10, 2026

About the author

Carly Schwartz is the former editor in chief of the San Francisco Examiner and founding editor of HuffPost’s San Francisco bureau. Editor & Publisher magazine named her one of 10 “Women to Watch,” and her writing has appeared in the San Francisco Standard, ELLE magazine, MSNBC, and more. As an advocate for suicide prevention and addiction recovery, Carly has been a spokesperson for the Jed Foundation and Google’s Recovery Month. She’s also the founder of Mindwriters, a workshop series designed to help people transform their lives through storytelling. She lives in San Francisco’s Mission District. For more, visit carly.ink.

Reviews

[Books Forward · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'll Try Anything Twice" was a beautiful memoir that was equally hilarious as it was interesting. Schwartz writes beautifully about her struggles with her mental health and drug addiction and I couldn't put the book down. This book is perfect for fans of introspective memoirs who enjoy great storytelling.