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Life Honestly: Strong Opinions from Smart Women
Life Honestly is compendium of feminist takes on a broad range of topics, comprised of chapters on work, life, family, health, food and love and sex. Within each chapter is a curated selection of the best and most-read articles from the Pool – an award winning digital platform for women – written by real women, for real women.
Featuring introductions by co-founders Sam Baker and Lauren Laverne, this fabulous collection is full of articles to inspire you. The pieces vary in length, which makes this a perfect collection to dip into for a few minutes while you wait for the kettle to boil, or something meatier for your morning commute. Some are long and some are short but they all pack a punch. From Sali Hughes on blended families to Viv Groksop offering fresh perspectives on daily problems, Life Honestly is a collection of advice, comment and opinion that acts as a complete guide to modern life.
These writers are empowering, engaging and unapologetic about their views: Life Honestly is full of lessons and observations on what it means to be a woman now.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2018
22 people are currently reading
418 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 11, 2018
A WOMAN'S PLACE:
Lifestyle counselling from the female perspective.
Don't worry, this collection is not the strident feminist outpouring one might expect from the subtitle and contributors with high professional or social media profiles. Instead, this is a candid and generous sharing of valuable lessons-learned from personal experience. There are some trendy catchphrases to discover, such as “charm” (and “imposter”) syndromes, “himpathy” and “emotional labour”, as well as the topical and ubiquitous #Me too tag line - and the quality of the writing is variable, but on the whole, the psychobabble is kept to a minimum and there is genuine and thought-provoking insight.
My thanks to my he publisher for the ARC via Netgalley
Lifestyle counselling from the female perspective.
Don't worry, this collection is not the strident feminist outpouring one might expect from the subtitle and contributors with high professional or social media profiles. Instead, this is a candid and generous sharing of valuable lessons-learned from personal experience. There are some trendy catchphrases to discover, such as “charm” (and “imposter”) syndromes, “himpathy” and “emotional labour”, as well as the topical and ubiquitous #Me too tag line - and the quality of the writing is variable, but on the whole, the psychobabble is kept to a minimum and there is genuine and thought-provoking insight.
My thanks to my he publisher for the ARC via Netgalley
August 28, 2018
I went into reading Life Honestly never having heard of The Pool which is an online platform for women with a great deal of relevant and timely content. It’s contributors are a wide range of women from all walks of life and Life Honestly is a collection of short essays on a myriad of topics from the women of The Pool. I’m so glad I now know about this group and I found reading their book both educational and interesting.
I genuinely found every essay in Life Honestly relevant to today’s society and to me personally as a 26 year old woman. The essays are split into different broad topics like work, friendship, style and money. They are all short enough to feel snappy and to the point but also don’t feel rushed at all. The women writing for The Pool all lead such different lives and have variable experiences so there is a real wealth of accumulated knowledge between them. I could relate to all of their stories because they feel like the sort of women I know and encounter all the time. The essays on topics like gender politics and women’s health felt incredibly timely and intelligently written. I really enjoyed reading the ideas and opinions of these women and it gave me a great deal of food for thought. In addition, I have to say that even the topics which did not directly apply to me personally like parenting were still of interest to me. It was fascinating to read about the experiences of women who are in a stage of their lives that I could conceivably be in in a few years time. I always think the best way for women to gain true equality is for women to support each other completely and this book feels like a big step in the right direction.
All in all, I found Life Honestly to be a smart and coherent collection of honest and genuine stories from real women. I will definitely be keeping up with content that is created by The Pool as it feels like exactly the kind of information and opinions that I would like to inform the choices I make in my life.
I genuinely found every essay in Life Honestly relevant to today’s society and to me personally as a 26 year old woman. The essays are split into different broad topics like work, friendship, style and money. They are all short enough to feel snappy and to the point but also don’t feel rushed at all. The women writing for The Pool all lead such different lives and have variable experiences so there is a real wealth of accumulated knowledge between them. I could relate to all of their stories because they feel like the sort of women I know and encounter all the time. The essays on topics like gender politics and women’s health felt incredibly timely and intelligently written. I really enjoyed reading the ideas and opinions of these women and it gave me a great deal of food for thought. In addition, I have to say that even the topics which did not directly apply to me personally like parenting were still of interest to me. It was fascinating to read about the experiences of women who are in a stage of their lives that I could conceivably be in in a few years time. I always think the best way for women to gain true equality is for women to support each other completely and this book feels like a big step in the right direction.
All in all, I found Life Honestly to be a smart and coherent collection of honest and genuine stories from real women. I will definitely be keeping up with content that is created by The Pool as it feels like exactly the kind of information and opinions that I would like to inform the choices I make in my life.
November 30, 2018
This book made me more of a feminist than anything I’ve ever read. It’s intelligent women talking about the highs and lows of life and when they find it unjust they don’t blame men. They are not looking to point fingers. Some essays that do go deeper into the question of who’s at fault find that it’s society itself, women as much as men and often equally themselves.
It’s an eye-opening read about womanhood and although it doesn’t paint a glittery-perfect picture of building a family and growing old, it arms the youth (like myself) with realistic expectations.
It’s an eye-opening read about womanhood and although it doesn’t paint a glittery-perfect picture of building a family and growing old, it arms the youth (like myself) with realistic expectations.
June 23, 2019
I'm a fan of the site and there is some really great content in this book, but I felt too young, too poor and far too disinterested in having children to relate to a lot of this book. It's a bit frustrating listening to numerous people complaining how London is too expensive to raise kids when you can't afford to live anywhere near London in the first place. I'll try again in 10 years.
December 19, 2018
This is a wonderful collection of essays that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. All the authors are passionate about the topic they have written about and each essay was so inspiring. I turned the pages in anticipation and devoured this book. There are topics to suit every woman including work, beauty, health, self-esteem, and more. The stories are show and sweet but each one will leave you thinking and they're all relatable. I had never heard of The Pool before but since reading this book, I have visited the website and found even more great articles. This is the perfect book if you don't have a lot of time to read or you like to dip in and out. It's positive, affirmative, and I know I will be re-reading it time and time again.
September 1, 2018
Life Honestly by the pool a four-star read that will empower you. This read is subtitled “Strong Opinions from Smart women” and I couldn’t agree more, I hadn’t come across the pool before but I am sure I will be a regular visitor from now, each women has their own voice in this, some I agreed with and some I couldn’t abide, but that’s the genius behind this idea as each section means that you can pick it up and put it down when needed, and if you don’t like one you can drop it and move to the next each story comes with its own point of view. If I had to describe this book to someone I would say it would be the written version of watching ted talks, you learn something new with each view/read.
August 14, 2018
I have never read through a book so fast. This collection of essays should be read by everyone.
Each piece has an author that is versed and passionate about the topic in which they are writing about.
There’s a bittersweet beauty in some of the articles, and I certainly hope they reach out to the people who need them the most.
Each piece has an author that is versed and passionate about the topic in which they are writing about.
There’s a bittersweet beauty in some of the articles, and I certainly hope they reach out to the people who need them the most.
January 25, 2019
A book that resonates.
Refreshing advice, insight and opinion from The Pool (including writers such as Lauren Laverne and Sali Hughes), with an introduction from Sam Baker, co-founder of the platform. This book is subtitled "Strong Opinions from Smart Women", and that's exactly what you get.
Written by a group of thought empowering women, the book tackles many powerful yet sensitive subjects such as sexual harassment in the 21st century. Not only do these women tell stories of their pain, they give advice and opinions in an honest but truly interesting way.
With each woman writing small sections it is easy to pick up and read it when you get a spare chance, as well as letting you read the stories which really interest you. It is original, inspiring and empowers women to stand up for what they deem right.
I’d encourage all women to read it whatever your age.
Lucy
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Refreshing advice, insight and opinion from The Pool (including writers such as Lauren Laverne and Sali Hughes), with an introduction from Sam Baker, co-founder of the platform. This book is subtitled "Strong Opinions from Smart Women", and that's exactly what you get.
Written by a group of thought empowering women, the book tackles many powerful yet sensitive subjects such as sexual harassment in the 21st century. Not only do these women tell stories of their pain, they give advice and opinions in an honest but truly interesting way.
With each woman writing small sections it is easy to pick up and read it when you get a spare chance, as well as letting you read the stories which really interest you. It is original, inspiring and empowers women to stand up for what they deem right.
I’d encourage all women to read it whatever your age.
Lucy
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
March 11, 2019
I enjoyed this as it covered a diverse range of topics and perspectives. Id probably go back and read an article or two again.
March 14, 2019
Ended up just skimming what was relevant. I think there's just too much crammed into this book.
June 30, 2019
It was, and is, a struggle for me to rate this essay collection. I partly didn't get as much out of it as I had hoped because I didn't relate to it (many of the essays discussed the trials of motherhood, the weakening of the pelvic floor, the struggles of accepting that one is growing old- things relatable to those older than me), but then again, why am I entitled to rate it lower just because I, a heterosexual, cisgender, white and middle class female, to whom a lot of the media is targeted, didn't relate to it? But here are my thoughts. Take them with a pinch of salt though!
My ten favourite essays (in order of where they appeared in the book) were 'Why single-tasking can make everything better' by Lauren Laverne, 'Our on-going denial of period poverty is a stain on the entire nation' by Sali Hughes, 'Stop calling me a drama queen' by Natasha Devon, 'The in-between of grief when you have to remind yourself to cry' by Catherine Gray, '10 best things about being a British woman' by Lauren Laverne, 'Keep on learning for as long as you live' by Lauren Laverne, 'My Dad is an LGBTQ+ ally and a hero. This is my thank you to him' by Vic Parsons, 'How do grandparents respond when their grandson becomes a granddaughter?' by Laurie Frankel, 'Is it possible to pull off looking French?' by Emma Beddington, and 'The real power of a good compliment' by Ana Kinsella.
I'm very glad that this wasn't very heavily marketed as 'feminist', because although some of the essays DID discuss extremely important issues, others felt anecdotal, and others were more instructional for everyone, not just for women. I truly think that, as per the description, this book is a 'modern guide to life'.
However, this book does seem like it's targeted at young women- the 'guide to life' seems like it's experienced women imparting their wisdom in order to steer the young women of the United Kingdom towards the right path. Upon reading though the majority of essays seemed more intended to be anecdotal and relatable, which doesn't seem like a guide to me.
I think though, overall I'm just going to leave this book be. I'll let these women tell their stories, and I won't tell them to stop. To be honest, these essays have great potential to impact somebody, but that somebody isn't me.
My ten favourite essays (in order of where they appeared in the book) were 'Why single-tasking can make everything better' by Lauren Laverne, 'Our on-going denial of period poverty is a stain on the entire nation' by Sali Hughes, 'Stop calling me a drama queen' by Natasha Devon, 'The in-between of grief when you have to remind yourself to cry' by Catherine Gray, '10 best things about being a British woman' by Lauren Laverne, 'Keep on learning for as long as you live' by Lauren Laverne, 'My Dad is an LGBTQ+ ally and a hero. This is my thank you to him' by Vic Parsons, 'How do grandparents respond when their grandson becomes a granddaughter?' by Laurie Frankel, 'Is it possible to pull off looking French?' by Emma Beddington, and 'The real power of a good compliment' by Ana Kinsella.
I'm very glad that this wasn't very heavily marketed as 'feminist', because although some of the essays DID discuss extremely important issues, others felt anecdotal, and others were more instructional for everyone, not just for women. I truly think that, as per the description, this book is a 'modern guide to life'.
However, this book does seem like it's targeted at young women- the 'guide to life' seems like it's experienced women imparting their wisdom in order to steer the young women of the United Kingdom towards the right path. Upon reading though the majority of essays seemed more intended to be anecdotal and relatable, which doesn't seem like a guide to me.
I think though, overall I'm just going to leave this book be. I'll let these women tell their stories, and I won't tell them to stop. To be honest, these essays have great potential to impact somebody, but that somebody isn't me.
September 15, 2018
My copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
I hadn’t heard of The Pool website before now, although some of the authors in this book are familiar to me. Having gone over to look, it’s probably a good thing that I wasn’t aware of the site before getting the book: advertising itself as “a platform for women who are too busy to browse” with tons of odd scheduling, with a layout that doesn’t fit onto my oversized laptop screen (?!), I think I’d have been a lot more sceptical about committing to this title if I had. I’m sure at one point my life philosophy would have fit more comfortably into The Pool’s “squeeze more essay reading into your Woke-but-still-trying-to-do-it-all middle class professional woman lifestyle”, and maybe one day it will again. But for now, I’m quite happily not doing it all, and don’t need a website to help me try to.
Anyway, this is not a review of my instinctive reactions to a website, it’s a review of my instinctive reactions to a book (which might, by definition, struggle to engage its target audience of “women too busy to read”, but I’m sure they’ve got their market research covered). Life Honestly is a collection of content that’s appeared on the website, alongside some things that haven’t, broken down by theme and covering a range of viewpoints within that theme. Although, as I note, the concerns raised are very much of a particular type of woman: aged 30-40 with a good career but living in London and therefore unable to get onto the housing market (a demographic I’m literally joining at my next birthday), there is attention paid to getting a range of viewpoints within that group: women of colour, trans women, one non-binary author and some disabled perspectives are all included. There’s also a real focus on lived experience in each essay – I can’t think of a single example which was not, in some way, connected to the author’s life experiences.
In grounding itself in the lived experiences of multiple authors, with all the contradictions and incompleteness that entails, Life Honestly is inherently going to be hit-and-miss for any given individual reader too. Honestly, I found large parts of the first half frankly quite irritating, and not just because the introduction gushes about creating space for honest conversations like those found in Cosmopolitan magazine, of all places. Sections on politics and work felt in hindsight like a necessary starting point for the book, but they’re also sections where the topics covered are quite narrow without any clear acknowledgement of what’s missing. The “love, sex and relationships” section was unrepentantly heteronormative. Similarly, “body” and “womb” sections contain no acknowledgement of the diversity of experience on these topics, particularly for trans women. I am sympathetic to the fact that feminist reproductive justice does mean autonomy over our wombs and vaginas for many women – and that the lack of attention paid to the needs of non-male, generally female-coded bodies, in healthcare is also an enormous problem – but that’s it’s not the only issue that women face, nor is it relevant for everyone.
It wasn’t until I got to the section on mental health that I started consistently appreciating the essays, and I’m very aware that this is because I reached a section which directly interested and impacted me. Even here, the slice of context being presented is narrow: it does feel at the moment that conversations around mental health are a constant call to arms over the need for conversation and assistance, without much acknowledgement that unless you can afford to pay for private healthcare, those of us in the UK are stuck with extremely poor and inconsistent infrastructure for meeting these needs. Still, it helped to reach a section that I actually enjoyed, because it set me up for greater enjoyment and less scepticism towards the rest of the book. Still, the nagging feeling that I was reading something incomplete that doesn’t really own its incompleteness never really went away.
So, by all means, if you are in its target audience, you will likely find things to enjoy in this book – although its probably one to be dipped into over a long period of time rather than read through from cover to cover in dedicated sittings. I guess my disappointment stems from the fact that Life Honestly feels shallow – less an Olympic swimming pool than a kid’s water play area. I’m not sure what the counterfactual to this looks like: I suppose it would be less reproduction of essays which worked in website format but don’t sit super well in a book, and more attention to coherent, dedicated content that would fit well in this format, which would entirely defeat the purpose of publishing a collection of essays from a website. Life Honestly also, unfortunately, joins a long and disappointing tradition of feminist viewpoints which – despite in this case including a range of identities within its authors – still centres the a particular type of White, middle-class, heteronormative female experience while relegating anything that does not fit this mould into the margins. And honestly, in 2018, I think we all need a bit more than that.
Rating: Six essay-inducing feelings about the London housing market out of ten
I hadn’t heard of The Pool website before now, although some of the authors in this book are familiar to me. Having gone over to look, it’s probably a good thing that I wasn’t aware of the site before getting the book: advertising itself as “a platform for women who are too busy to browse” with tons of odd scheduling, with a layout that doesn’t fit onto my oversized laptop screen (?!), I think I’d have been a lot more sceptical about committing to this title if I had. I’m sure at one point my life philosophy would have fit more comfortably into The Pool’s “squeeze more essay reading into your Woke-but-still-trying-to-do-it-all middle class professional woman lifestyle”, and maybe one day it will again. But for now, I’m quite happily not doing it all, and don’t need a website to help me try to.
Anyway, this is not a review of my instinctive reactions to a website, it’s a review of my instinctive reactions to a book (which might, by definition, struggle to engage its target audience of “women too busy to read”, but I’m sure they’ve got their market research covered). Life Honestly is a collection of content that’s appeared on the website, alongside some things that haven’t, broken down by theme and covering a range of viewpoints within that theme. Although, as I note, the concerns raised are very much of a particular type of woman: aged 30-40 with a good career but living in London and therefore unable to get onto the housing market (a demographic I’m literally joining at my next birthday), there is attention paid to getting a range of viewpoints within that group: women of colour, trans women, one non-binary author and some disabled perspectives are all included. There’s also a real focus on lived experience in each essay – I can’t think of a single example which was not, in some way, connected to the author’s life experiences.
In grounding itself in the lived experiences of multiple authors, with all the contradictions and incompleteness that entails, Life Honestly is inherently going to be hit-and-miss for any given individual reader too. Honestly, I found large parts of the first half frankly quite irritating, and not just because the introduction gushes about creating space for honest conversations like those found in Cosmopolitan magazine, of all places. Sections on politics and work felt in hindsight like a necessary starting point for the book, but they’re also sections where the topics covered are quite narrow without any clear acknowledgement of what’s missing. The “love, sex and relationships” section was unrepentantly heteronormative. Similarly, “body” and “womb” sections contain no acknowledgement of the diversity of experience on these topics, particularly for trans women. I am sympathetic to the fact that feminist reproductive justice does mean autonomy over our wombs and vaginas for many women – and that the lack of attention paid to the needs of non-male, generally female-coded bodies, in healthcare is also an enormous problem – but that’s it’s not the only issue that women face, nor is it relevant for everyone.
It wasn’t until I got to the section on mental health that I started consistently appreciating the essays, and I’m very aware that this is because I reached a section which directly interested and impacted me. Even here, the slice of context being presented is narrow: it does feel at the moment that conversations around mental health are a constant call to arms over the need for conversation and assistance, without much acknowledgement that unless you can afford to pay for private healthcare, those of us in the UK are stuck with extremely poor and inconsistent infrastructure for meeting these needs. Still, it helped to reach a section that I actually enjoyed, because it set me up for greater enjoyment and less scepticism towards the rest of the book. Still, the nagging feeling that I was reading something incomplete that doesn’t really own its incompleteness never really went away.
So, by all means, if you are in its target audience, you will likely find things to enjoy in this book – although its probably one to be dipped into over a long period of time rather than read through from cover to cover in dedicated sittings. I guess my disappointment stems from the fact that Life Honestly feels shallow – less an Olympic swimming pool than a kid’s water play area. I’m not sure what the counterfactual to this looks like: I suppose it would be less reproduction of essays which worked in website format but don’t sit super well in a book, and more attention to coherent, dedicated content that would fit well in this format, which would entirely defeat the purpose of publishing a collection of essays from a website. Life Honestly also, unfortunately, joins a long and disappointing tradition of feminist viewpoints which – despite in this case including a range of identities within its authors – still centres the a particular type of White, middle-class, heteronormative female experience while relegating anything that does not fit this mould into the margins. And honestly, in 2018, I think we all need a bit more than that.
Rating: Six essay-inducing feelings about the London housing market out of ten
April 2, 2020
The honest guide to modern life from the UK’s number one platform for women. These are intimate and un-airbrushed stories of all the things that spark hope, outrage and connection. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Ob. Sessed.
I mean, WOW.
I’m just gonna get straight to it. If you are a female, if you are a man, if you’re both, if you’re neither - READ THIS BOOK ASAP. It has sat on my shelf for too fucking long (excusez mon Française). Who knew a text containing such fabulously important information and points of view has been RIGHT THERE all this time? Damn me to hell.
Here we have my new religious text - I will worship it, abide by it and appreciate it for the rest of my days.
It’s overflowing with VERY REAL opinions and experiences on gender politics & power, work, friendship, bodies, love, sex & relationships, mental health, money, parenting, style, and life lessons. Things that I have experienced tenfold, still am, and am yet to. These women are outstanding, inspirational and so relatable that I’m almost convinced we are the exact same people living the exact same lives.
You’ll learn things about this world, these women and even yourself that you didn’t even know you knew. You’ll also be reminded consistently of a fact that you do know, whether it’s apparent to you or something that you need to be prompted to remember - you’re fabulous, you’re strong and you’re mighty. This book is empowering and women all over the world need a copy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Never allow someone to tell you your opinion is not valid. Never be anything but loud and clear in voicing what you feel is right. Never doubt yourself or let someone treat you like anything other than the Queen you are. We are in the same boat and we are all strong women.
What a book. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#thepool #lifehonestly #strongopinionsfromstrongwomen #bookreview #bookblogger #bookreviewsandcoffee #bookstagram #bookreviewers #bookreviewblogger #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookcommunity #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #ireadbooks #goodreads #instareads #bookish
Ob. Sessed.
I mean, WOW.
I’m just gonna get straight to it. If you are a female, if you are a man, if you’re both, if you’re neither - READ THIS BOOK ASAP. It has sat on my shelf for too fucking long (excusez mon Française). Who knew a text containing such fabulously important information and points of view has been RIGHT THERE all this time? Damn me to hell.
Here we have my new religious text - I will worship it, abide by it and appreciate it for the rest of my days.
It’s overflowing with VERY REAL opinions and experiences on gender politics & power, work, friendship, bodies, love, sex & relationships, mental health, money, parenting, style, and life lessons. Things that I have experienced tenfold, still am, and am yet to. These women are outstanding, inspirational and so relatable that I’m almost convinced we are the exact same people living the exact same lives.
You’ll learn things about this world, these women and even yourself that you didn’t even know you knew. You’ll also be reminded consistently of a fact that you do know, whether it’s apparent to you or something that you need to be prompted to remember - you’re fabulous, you’re strong and you’re mighty. This book is empowering and women all over the world need a copy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Never allow someone to tell you your opinion is not valid. Never be anything but loud and clear in voicing what you feel is right. Never doubt yourself or let someone treat you like anything other than the Queen you are. We are in the same boat and we are all strong women.
What a book. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#thepool #lifehonestly #strongopinionsfromstrongwomen #bookreview #bookblogger #bookreviewsandcoffee #bookstagram #bookreviewers #bookreviewblogger #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookcommunity #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #ireadbooks #goodreads #instareads #bookish
August 18, 2018
I haven't read all the essays included in "Life Honestly" because many of them don't apply to the life stage I'm currently at which is why I can't really relate to them at this point, but I look forward to picking this essay collection back up again when I reach my thirties and forties.
The essays I did read, especially on harassment, work culture, and feeling like I haven't hit all the mile stones I should have, all felt really relatable and well written. It felt good to read about other people's experience in the work place and how I wasn't overreacting but actually experienced very similar events and emotions as others in my position.
I like that this book offers a platform to a variety of women at different life stages, with different life experiences, and with different backgrounds. It shows the variability of problems women face throughout their lives but also how many of these problems are essentially the same for all women.
One essay, on the the necessity of having sex in order to have a functioning relationship, bugged me however. Because I'm asexual I mostly skipped over the essays on romantic relationships, because they aren't really applicable to me, but the headline really bothered me and reading the whole thing didn't make it better. Even the implication that sex is a necessary part of a healthy relationship is really off-putting to me and, in my opinion, devalues a lot of of very healthy long-term relationships.
Apart from this one essay, the articles were really interesting and dealt with important topics.
The essays I did read, especially on harassment, work culture, and feeling like I haven't hit all the mile stones I should have, all felt really relatable and well written. It felt good to read about other people's experience in the work place and how I wasn't overreacting but actually experienced very similar events and emotions as others in my position.
I like that this book offers a platform to a variety of women at different life stages, with different life experiences, and with different backgrounds. It shows the variability of problems women face throughout their lives but also how many of these problems are essentially the same for all women.
One essay, on the the necessity of having sex in order to have a functioning relationship, bugged me however. Because I'm asexual I mostly skipped over the essays on romantic relationships, because they aren't really applicable to me, but the headline really bothered me and reading the whole thing didn't make it better. Even the implication that sex is a necessary part of a healthy relationship is really off-putting to me and, in my opinion, devalues a lot of of very healthy long-term relationships.
Apart from this one essay, the articles were really interesting and dealt with important topics.
December 9, 2018
I am massive fan of The Pool - female-focused journalism at its best. This book is a collection of articles from the website, some of which I had read, some of which I hadn't. It features work by Sam Baker, Lauren Laverne, Sali Hughes, Alexandra Heminsley, Bryony Gordon, Dolly Alderton and Viv Groskop to name just a few.
It's split into eleven sections and my favourite article from each, to give you a taste, is:
1. Gender, Politics and Power - A practical to-do list to make women's lives better by Laura Bates
2. Work - Why single-tasking can make everything better by Lauren Laverne
3. Friendship - The importance of maintaining a girl gang by Sali Hughes
4. Body - When did we lose sight of a regular size 12? By Alexandra Heminsley
5. Love, Sex and Relationships - I want a wife - why a forty-six year old essay is still shockingly relevant by Daisy Buchanan
6. Wombs - Young women are ignoring worrying period symptoms due to social stigma by Kuba Shand-Baptiste
7. Mind - The in-between of grief - when you have to remind yourself to cry by Catherine Gray
8. Money - The Reality of Being a Thirtysomething by Marisa Bate
9. Life Lessons - 10 best things about being a British woman
10. Parenting - Are you an unpaid emotional labourer at home, and at work? By Joanna Thomas-Corr
11. Style - I'm just a girl, standing in front of a high-street shop, asking it to dress her by Sali Hughes
This is an amazing book to dip in and out of, to seek comfort or entertainment from, and most definitely to gift.
It's split into eleven sections and my favourite article from each, to give you a taste, is:
1. Gender, Politics and Power - A practical to-do list to make women's lives better by Laura Bates
2. Work - Why single-tasking can make everything better by Lauren Laverne
3. Friendship - The importance of maintaining a girl gang by Sali Hughes
4. Body - When did we lose sight of a regular size 12? By Alexandra Heminsley
5. Love, Sex and Relationships - I want a wife - why a forty-six year old essay is still shockingly relevant by Daisy Buchanan
6. Wombs - Young women are ignoring worrying period symptoms due to social stigma by Kuba Shand-Baptiste
7. Mind - The in-between of grief - when you have to remind yourself to cry by Catherine Gray
8. Money - The Reality of Being a Thirtysomething by Marisa Bate
9. Life Lessons - 10 best things about being a British woman
10. Parenting - Are you an unpaid emotional labourer at home, and at work? By Joanna Thomas-Corr
11. Style - I'm just a girl, standing in front of a high-street shop, asking it to dress her by Sali Hughes
This is an amazing book to dip in and out of, to seek comfort or entertainment from, and most definitely to gift.
December 9, 2018
I've loved The Pool's journalism right from the start. Funny, honest, intelligent writing about life, relationships, careers, family, beauty and fashion from some fantastic women writers, much of it with a strong feminist perspective. And an interesting business model too - founded by Sam Baker (journalist) and Lauren Laverne (broadcaster) and tapping into a lot of freelance writing talent. This is a model that has supported women fitting their writing around family and other commitments, and has provided a brilliant platform for emerging voices.
To celebrate their third anniversary, the website has published Life, Honestly (review copy from Bluebird), a collection of some of their best writing. If you're a regular reader of The Pool you will recognise most of these pieces, and there won't be much here for you. But Life, Honestly stands well as a snapshot and collection of contemporary women's writing. Freed from some of the commercial constraints of women's print journalism, which relies on puff pieces, advertorials, and pernicious body-shaming, The Pool has given us a better insight into what it's like to be a modern, professional woman in the 21st century.
Witty, authentic and passionate in turns, reading Life, Honestly is like talking to your girlfriends over a glass of wine.
To celebrate their third anniversary, the website has published Life, Honestly (review copy from Bluebird), a collection of some of their best writing. If you're a regular reader of The Pool you will recognise most of these pieces, and there won't be much here for you. But Life, Honestly stands well as a snapshot and collection of contemporary women's writing. Freed from some of the commercial constraints of women's print journalism, which relies on puff pieces, advertorials, and pernicious body-shaming, The Pool has given us a better insight into what it's like to be a modern, professional woman in the 21st century.
Witty, authentic and passionate in turns, reading Life, Honestly is like talking to your girlfriends over a glass of wine.
August 19, 2018
Subtitled “Strong Opinions from Smart Women”, this collection of short articles from the website The Pool really did feel like a breath of fresh air.
I haven’t really encountered the website before but I’m delighted to be introduced to it now and have already had a good browse around and signed up for their emails.
The book is divided into various sections - e.g Gender Politics and Power, Work, Parenting, Body etc - each containing several articles of a few pages each on that general theme, from a wide range of contributors. Some I’d heard of (Lauren Laverne, Sali Hughes, Viv Groskop, Bryony Gordon), many I hadn’t. Hence it’s super accessible and easy to dip in and out of. Each piece is thought provoking and often inspiring. The only thing I would say is that there seems to be a bit of a lack of lesbian voices, with the Love, Sex and Relationships section, for instance, feeling very focused on heterosexual relationships..
A great book which I’m sure I will return to again and again.
I haven’t really encountered the website before but I’m delighted to be introduced to it now and have already had a good browse around and signed up for their emails.
The book is divided into various sections - e.g Gender Politics and Power, Work, Parenting, Body etc - each containing several articles of a few pages each on that general theme, from a wide range of contributors. Some I’d heard of (Lauren Laverne, Sali Hughes, Viv Groskop, Bryony Gordon), many I hadn’t. Hence it’s super accessible and easy to dip in and out of. Each piece is thought provoking and often inspiring. The only thing I would say is that there seems to be a bit of a lack of lesbian voices, with the Love, Sex and Relationships section, for instance, feeling very focused on heterosexual relationships..
A great book which I’m sure I will return to again and again.
February 15, 2019
I hadn't heard of The Pool until I saw Life Honestly on NetGalley, but with authors like Juno Dawson and Louise McSharry involved I thought this collection was going to be a new favourite.
With such a wide range of voices covering a huge selection of topics, I was unsurprised but disappointed to be underwhelmed by rather a lot of the essays featured in this book.
From a writer unquestioningly defending Asia Argento - an actress who helped break the Harvey Weinstein story but was also accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old, a fact which isn't even vaguely mentioned - to various semi-fluff pieces on clothing, there were a few sections that I skimmed over and I did find myself getting bored quite regularly.
However, when more serious topics were addressed they were covered well. I'm definitely planning on checking out more writing by Poorna Bell and Robyn Wilder, but I'm not sure if I'd recommend Life Honestly as much as I'd recommend checking out The Pool and just reading the articles you're really interested in.
With such a wide range of voices covering a huge selection of topics, I was unsurprised but disappointed to be underwhelmed by rather a lot of the essays featured in this book.
From a writer unquestioningly defending Asia Argento - an actress who helped break the Harvey Weinstein story but was also accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old, a fact which isn't even vaguely mentioned - to various semi-fluff pieces on clothing, there were a few sections that I skimmed over and I did find myself getting bored quite regularly.
However, when more serious topics were addressed they were covered well. I'm definitely planning on checking out more writing by Poorna Bell and Robyn Wilder, but I'm not sure if I'd recommend Life Honestly as much as I'd recommend checking out The Pool and just reading the articles you're really interested in.
August 17, 2018
I raced through this book, although I had never heard of The Pool I have already visited the platform and would encourage all woman to do so. It is full of interesting, helpful and funny content which is instantly assessable.
This print version of the platform is divided into various topics such as work,, health and beauty self esteem, parenting and lots more besides. The inclusion of inspiring female writers ( a few I know and some new writers to me ) added to my enjoyment. These writers not only shared their advise and opinions but did so in a honest and entertaining way.
When woman come together we can move mountains and this book has definitely reaffirmed this to me personally. A must read for every woman whatever age, sharing and supporting each other can only make us stronger.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this great book.
This print version of the platform is divided into various topics such as work,, health and beauty self esteem, parenting and lots more besides. The inclusion of inspiring female writers ( a few I know and some new writers to me ) added to my enjoyment. These writers not only shared their advise and opinions but did so in a honest and entertaining way.
When woman come together we can move mountains and this book has definitely reaffirmed this to me personally. A must read for every woman whatever age, sharing and supporting each other can only make us stronger.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this great book.
October 19, 2018
This is a well written account from women, of their different life experiences and is a book you can dip in and out of easily.
It's separated into chapters that then explore various female issues: domestic abuse / gender issues / mental health, however, none in any great depth and a bit 'preachy' for my liking. Some of the views resonated and some didn't, but, that's where I think it adds value, a good mix of voices that would form a solid basis for debate in a book club for example, just not a particularly riveting read alone.
I hope it helps some women and if it does, it's been worth it. Just not a book I particularly enjoyed, although, if read as a compendium to 'dip into' it's a worthwhile read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.
It's separated into chapters that then explore various female issues: domestic abuse / gender issues / mental health, however, none in any great depth and a bit 'preachy' for my liking. Some of the views resonated and some didn't, but, that's where I think it adds value, a good mix of voices that would form a solid basis for debate in a book club for example, just not a particularly riveting read alone.
I hope it helps some women and if it does, it's been worth it. Just not a book I particularly enjoyed, although, if read as a compendium to 'dip into' it's a worthwhile read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.
March 20, 2020
Este livro é uma colectânea de crónicas e artigos do The Pool, uma plataforma/revista online que descobri que já terminou (não conhecia e fui pesquisar depois de começar a ler o livro). Está dividido por diversos temas e apresenta as visões inteligentes e tremendamente bem-escritas das suas autoras. Sem o non-sense que muitas vezes vejo em meios do género que, na minha opinião, cai num excesso de política identitária "woke", esta é uma leitura leve mas assertiva sobre temas da vida relatados pela voz da experiência das várias mulheres: das relações à maternidade, da amizade ao mercado de trabalho, passando ainda brevemente por reflexões sobre a indústria da moda.
Um bom livro para ter à mesa da cabeceira para uma leitura rápida, uma crónica de cada vez.
Um bom livro para ter à mesa da cabeceira para uma leitura rápida, uma crónica de cada vez.
October 6, 2018
This was a really insightful collection of articles, ranging from the political to the personal and everything in between. I hadn't previously visited The Pool, but I am now following them and am interested to follow the input they post on different mediums! I particularly enjoyed an essay by Laurie Frankel on the older generations and how grandparents react to transgender grandchildren, as I have experienced a similar thing in my own family. I would definitely recommend this book as I am sure each reader would find at least three articles within which chime a bell!
October 16, 2018
I loved the look of this book, which is effectively a collection of essays on a range of topics by various females, but was worried that this would be a feminist warrior-type collection that would get on my nerves; fortunately, I was very pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed ‘Life Honestly’. With plenty of topics ranging sex, motherhood, and relationships, to workplace issues and equality, there is something for everyone and the different perspectives that are offered mean that this book will please many. There were a few essays on topics which did not interest me, so I skimmed through this, but I think that is the beauty of this book. It’s one that you can dip in and out of as quickly or as slowly as you like. Highly recommended.
December 6, 2018
A little different from my normal reads, but actually quite enjoyable. I had never heard of ‘The Pool’ before but I soon learned that it is an online forum for women from various backgrounds to write articles, essays, anecdotes on a variety of different subjects, of things that are personal to them.
This collection of tales is varied and interesting, written by some strong, smart and some what opinionated women this book makes for a empowering read.
I might be tempted to venture onto the Pool website.
4 stars
Thank you netgalley for this ARC
This collection of tales is varied and interesting, written by some strong, smart and some what opinionated women this book makes for a empowering read.
I might be tempted to venture onto the Pool website.
4 stars
Thank you netgalley for this ARC
January 8, 2019
This is such a strong collection of essays and opinions from a collective that I really value and admire, The Pool. Personally I found the mental health and motherhood sections spoke to me most strongly. But even sections on things such as style, which don't really interest me usually, had pieces in them which resonated. There's a good mix of funny, thoughtful and heart wrenching works in this book, and it's just a great way to celebrate all the fantastic voices of the The Pool. This is the real voice of feminism and women right now, and it made me feel proud to be a feminist woman, flawed and tired and busy and imperfect as we are.
February 16, 2019
I must admit that I had never heard of ‘The Pool’ before I read this book. I have never been one of those women who reads magazines (other than in the waiting rooms of doctors and dentists) much preferring to lose myself in a book. That aside I found most of the articles thought provoking, funny, witty and well-written and liked the fact that I was able to dip in and out of this collection as I wished.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
August 26, 2019
Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
I found this book to be quite hit and miss. I like the concept - women talking about female problems in society - but most of the articles didn't apply to me. It felt like half of them were about raiding children in London with London being massively expensive. Neither children or living in London is applicable to me, so I found myself skimming a lot of this book. Other articles were more interesting, such as the Irish women and repeating the 8th.
I found this book to be quite hit and miss. I like the concept - women talking about female problems in society - but most of the articles didn't apply to me. It felt like half of them were about raiding children in London with London being massively expensive. Neither children or living in London is applicable to me, so I found myself skimming a lot of this book. Other articles were more interesting, such as the Irish women and repeating the 8th.
May 29, 2020
I really enjoyed this collection of essays from women about current themes like love, work life, relationships, and family. They describe personal experience to talk about things that are relevant in today’s society. They are very well-written and engaging. I could relate to some of them, I sympathized with others, and I found them all very interesting. I had this book on my TBR list for quite a while (I regret not picking up earlier) and, before I started reading, I didn’t know what The Pool is, but I found myself completely engrossed in this collection of smart, authentic, and captivating stories and I highly recommend it.
February 28, 2021
When I started reading Life Honestly, I had never heard of The Pool, as I was given the book as a present. It was only after I had finished the book, that I was left disappointed when I discovered that the website no longer exists, as I really wanted to read the other material that had been written.
I absolutely loved certain elements of the book, especially the chapters on Work, Body and Life Lessons as I could relate to it in my current life stage. I found that my already existing Feminist values have been strengthened after reading about what other women have experienced in life, and I would fully recommend this book to anyone!
I absolutely loved certain elements of the book, especially the chapters on Work, Body and Life Lessons as I could relate to it in my current life stage. I found that my already existing Feminist values have been strengthened after reading about what other women have experienced in life, and I would fully recommend this book to anyone!
April 3, 2022
4 stars
Some great essays. Nothing I haven't read before l, really. Lots of 'easy' feminist topics to read about in short bursts, so a good one to dip into. The essays were interesting and diverse, mostly. More queer voices would have been cool, as it was quite cis-het heavy.
There were a couple of essays that felt like they'd been cut short. E.g. a woman was talking about the various types of men she had dated, but only one of these men were listed with a subheading, then the essay ended! There was also no finale, so the book ended abruptly.
Some great essays. Nothing I haven't read before l, really. Lots of 'easy' feminist topics to read about in short bursts, so a good one to dip into. The essays were interesting and diverse, mostly. More queer voices would have been cool, as it was quite cis-het heavy.
There were a couple of essays that felt like they'd been cut short. E.g. a woman was talking about the various types of men she had dated, but only one of these men were listed with a subheading, then the essay ended! There was also no finale, so the book ended abruptly.
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