Who Cares What You're Supposed to Do?: Breaking the Rules to Get What You Want in Love, Life, and Work

This advice book isn't as naughty as it sounds: Dickerson is a clinical psychologist with years of experience working with women in their 20s and early 30s, and her goal is to help them free themselves from others' expectations. Friendly and understanding, she encourages young women to trust their intuition about what they want and to identify their own values. They might even find that they want what society proposes for them (say, marriage or a career), but they should be empowered to achieve these things on their own terms, Dickerson says. Chapter by chapter, she deals with the commands that weigh down young women (Get a Man, Look Good, Be Thin, etc.) and shows them how to apply her four steps: name the problem, understand and challenge the expectation, recognize your own values, and find allies against self-doubt. Breaking the rules isn't as easy as it sounds, but with Dickerson's warm support, young women may have an easier time accepting themselves and their own choices.