The Girl's Guide: Getting the Hang of Your Whole Complicated, Unpredictable, Impossibly Amazing Life

Lena Dunham. Mindy Kaling. Zooey Deschanel. All girls of the moment, all proof that girl culture has reached a veritable tipping point. But as young women look to claim their "girl" territory, they need a guide more than ever. Welcome, Melissa! Hailed as "a veritable bible for post-college and premarital women" ("Newsday") and "required reading for any woman with ambition" (Susan Jane Gilman), "The Girl's Guide"--previously published as "The Girl's Guide to Absolutely Everything"--is the indispensable source of information for women striking out on their own, a colossal cheat sheet on everything from surviving a first real job to the delicate enterprise of defriending. In this fully updated and revised edition of her guidebook, now for a new group of readers, Melissa Kirsch navigates the most stressful and personal subject matter with the wit and humor of a recently been-there smart older sister. She is authoritative and compassionate, funny and approachable, lively and intelligent. In addition, she draws on the wisdom of sexperts, psychotherapists, a nutritionist, an internist, and a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The book covers everything a reader will need to know about everything: why you shouldn't wear peep-toe heels to a job interview or spray on your favorite perfume before a plane trip; how to clean up a Facebook faux pas, find an apartment, identify the dateable few from the psychotic masses, deal with overanxious parents, make quick money (hello, TaskRabbit and Airbnb), and live a life that doesn't suck. "The Girl's Guide" is the book that shows the way forward for every young woman graduating from school and heading off to find her place in a big, exciting, uncertain world.