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Tryhard: A Cautionary Tale of Clocking In and Spinning Out
Not yet published
Expected 7 Jul 26A superstar podcast producer delivers a unique, laugh-out-loud, cry quietly invitation to examine our delusional obsessions with work in this eye-opening book—part memoir, part mentoring, part confessional guide—that dissects the emotional ties that bind us . . . to our desks.
For any type-A, high achiever out there, this is the book that sees you. And provides a cathartic, funny, emotionally charged insight into what drives the perfection-oriented.
Laura Mayer was born a girlboss. As a child in suburban Illinois, she played "V.P. of Sales" in her bedroom, dictating important memos to her twin brother and swapping Judy Blume for the buzzy business books of the day. While other kids dreamed of being pop stars or pro athletes, little Laura had a single-minded the corporate ladder.
Some thirty years later, from a dizzying perch on that very ladder—as Executive Producer of Podcasts at ABC News, with such blockbuster shows as Revisionist History, Bad Blood, and Happier with Gretchen Rubin to her credit—and with an identity shaped by annual reviews, performance indicators, and “executive presence” (whatever that means) a disillusioned Laura is calling "bullshit" on the whole work-is-life thing. Sort of.
Workhorse is a gonzo memoir for 9-to-5 devotees who have read every business book and C-suite-or-bust instruction manual yet still find we’re burnt out and unhappy. It is also a deeply personal and poignant examination of why we race at all. Laura detangles this delusional mess of priorities we've created, rejects the “boss-at-any-cost” culture, and invites us to laugh at ourselves (and her) along the way. She offers the modern office worker a new path forward through her own revelations, and implores us, for the love of God, to chill out a little bit.
This is Laura's messy, somewhat enlightened, possibly transformative, heart-wrenching and always entertaining story—a one-of-a-kind sightseeing trip on the Great American hamster wheel.
For any type-A, high achiever out there, this is the book that sees you. And provides a cathartic, funny, emotionally charged insight into what drives the perfection-oriented.
Laura Mayer was born a girlboss. As a child in suburban Illinois, she played "V.P. of Sales" in her bedroom, dictating important memos to her twin brother and swapping Judy Blume for the buzzy business books of the day. While other kids dreamed of being pop stars or pro athletes, little Laura had a single-minded the corporate ladder.
Some thirty years later, from a dizzying perch on that very ladder—as Executive Producer of Podcasts at ABC News, with such blockbuster shows as Revisionist History, Bad Blood, and Happier with Gretchen Rubin to her credit—and with an identity shaped by annual reviews, performance indicators, and “executive presence” (whatever that means) a disillusioned Laura is calling "bullshit" on the whole work-is-life thing. Sort of.
Workhorse is a gonzo memoir for 9-to-5 devotees who have read every business book and C-suite-or-bust instruction manual yet still find we’re burnt out and unhappy. It is also a deeply personal and poignant examination of why we race at all. Laura detangles this delusional mess of priorities we've created, rejects the “boss-at-any-cost” culture, and invites us to laugh at ourselves (and her) along the way. She offers the modern office worker a new path forward through her own revelations, and implores us, for the love of God, to chill out a little bit.
This is Laura's messy, somewhat enlightened, possibly transformative, heart-wrenching and always entertaining story—a one-of-a-kind sightseeing trip on the Great American hamster wheel.
- GenresMemoir
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley & HarperOne for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Nora McInerny recommended this book and as a forever Tryhard myself, I knew I needed to request it. What I didn’t expect was to find a moving and self aware memoir into being a try-hard, and how we can advocate for ourselves and set boundaries. I don’t know how much I’ve learned from this book - except maybe I’m not alone in my need to pursue perfection - but I laughed out loud at so many stories and felt a kindred spirit in Laura.
Nora McInerny recommended this book and as a forever Tryhard myself, I knew I needed to request it. What I didn’t expect was to find a moving and self aware memoir into being a try-hard, and how we can advocate for ourselves and set boundaries. I don’t know how much I’ve learned from this book - except maybe I’m not alone in my need to pursue perfection - but I laughed out loud at so many stories and felt a kindred spirit in Laura.
March 18, 2026
Fantastic memoir about keeping track of yourself and giving yourself time to get self-care. 5 stars. thanks for the arc.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews