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Help Me!

How Self-Help Has Not Changed My Life

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Help Me!

By: Marianne Power
Narrated by: Marianne Power
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About this listen

'I love it! Hilarious and thought-provoking!' - Fearne Cotton
'A sweet sharp read' - Jessie Burton
'A laugh-out-loud funny book.' - Lucy Diamond

Marianne Power was stuck in a rut. Then one day she wondered: could self-help books help her find the elusive perfect life?

She decided to test one book a month for a year, following their advice to the letter. What would happen if she followed the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? Really felt The Power of Now? Could she unearth The Secret to making her dreams come true?

What begins as a clever experiment becomes an achingly poignant story. Because self-help can change your life – but not necessarily for the better . . .

Help Me! is an irresistibly funny and incredibly moving audiobook about a wild and ultimately redemptive journey that will resonate with anyone who’s ever dreamed of finding happiness.

Perfect for listeners who enjoyed Everything I know About Love by Dolly Alderton, Mad Girl by Bryony Gordon and Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig.

 Personal Development Women Funny

Critic Reviews

I love it! Hilarious and thought-provoking! Love! (Fearne Cotton)
A laugh-out-loud funny book that also manages to be thought-provoking, perceptive and devastatingly honest. I loved it. (Lucy Diamond)
A sweet sharp read, and the last chapter made me cry . . . it’s perfect (Jessie Burton, author of The Miniaturist)
Marianne’s writing makes me smile and has moved me to tears more than once. She combines a journalist’s no-nonsense investigative skills with a tenderness and honesty that sets her apart (Erin Kelly, author of He Said/She Said)
Couldn't put this book down – Marianne's honesty and wit shone through . . . a hugely enjoyable, fantastic read. (Poorna Bell, author of Chase the Rainbow)
Sublime and ridiculous . . . Britain’s answer to Sarah Knight, with Amy Schumer’s naked hilarity and Matt Haig’s soul-deep profundity chucked in. (Catherine Gray, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober)
Wonderful. I’ve laughed and cried my way through it’s pages . . . I’d highly recommend this book . . . It’s a wonderfully refreshing approach. It’s worth picking up just for Marianne’s Mum’s sassy one liners alone. Give it a try! (Keegan Hirst (on Instagram))
Sparkling . . . a laugh-out-loud odyssey
Marianne Power is a delightful companion and one who (putting all natural misanthropy aside) acts a powerful reminder that the traditional ways of denigrating or demanding too much of ourselves ain’t going to get us anywhere . . . excellent
Funny and fearless, I loved Help Me! almost as much as I loved Marianne’s mum who was always on hand with some no-nonsense advice and really needs to write her own self-help book. (Sarra Manning)
What starts out as a simple idea for a journalist looking to try something quirky (live your life by a different self-help book every month for a year) rapidly changes into something far more real and worthwhile as she explores just exactly what is wrong with her life and whether any of it can help her! Super stuff. (Rick O'Shea)
It is a charming introduction to the world of self-help and a good gift for any sucker addicted to self-improvement.
London-based journalist Power chronicles the harrowing, often side-splitting adventures she embarked on while pursuing happiness and inner peace . . . Throughout this consistently entertaining book, she writes with unflinching honesty - and bald hilarity, especially as she encountered deadpan reality checks from her mother, sisters, and skeptical friends—about the throes of facing her fears, tackling money issues, living in the present, opening herself up to rejection, and getting over her hang-ups with men . . . A winner. Bridget Jones meets Buddha in this plucky, heartwarming, comical debut memoir.
All stars
Most relevant
What an amazing book, did not expect to go to such real and vulnerable places, offering a place for many of us to relate to in our most vulnerable moments. Loved from start to finish , and I’ve often found it hard to listen to audio, this is the first Audible I’ve listened to from start to finish , I started doing more cleaning just so I had an excuse to put headphones on a listen to her more . Subtly life changing , thanks Marianne. X

Incredibly relatable, lovely to listen to , honest and truly helpful

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It was interesting hearing her journey through the self help books. She is funny and honest while sharing her personal story

fun and interesting listen

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I loved & binge listened this book. I really appreciated Marianne's searing honesty & her humour made me chuckle. Great storytelling & a natural heartfelt performance/narration (incl the Mum bits).

Loved it!

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This (audio) book surprised me, in the best possible ways.

1) The cover and blurb made it sound like it was going to be light and fluffy and fun. It was actually a fairly deep, serious act of gonzo journalism. It got heavy - for Marianne, but not heavy for the reader / listener.

2) it was narrated by the author - and I love that in a memoir. Even better, the bits of the book where she talks to her mother - are recorded by her mother. Gold.

Highly recommend. Entertaining with an solid heart and thoughtfulness.

Even better than I expected

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great summaries of some good self help books delivered with a relatable human perspective. made me reflect on things I already knew but need to be reminded of now and again. Maybe "the secret" is more powerful than I believe... after all, most of what she put out has potentially occurred.

maybe the secret?

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