If I’d Known Then: Women in their 20s and 30s Write Letters to Their Younger Selves

Spragins’s ingenious book is the rare self-help volume that young women would elect to read and decidedly enjoy. The author profiles 35 highly accomplished women and asks them to write a letter of counsel or encouragement addressed to their younger selves. The result is a collection of life directives that are highly personal and disarmingly honest. The contributors—who include actress Jessica Alba, activist Zainab Salbi and comic book artist Ariel Schrag—are stars in their own right, but their letters reveal that even winners have problems—the same fears, concerns and shortcomings as anyone else. And in many cases they are still struggling—which raises the question: how wise can women in their 20s and 30s (no matter how accomplished) be? Very, it turns out. These artists, athletes and entrepreneurs compassionately address bad relationships, bullies, eating disorders and crises of faith without ever sounding jaded or condescending. This book offers sound advice and is highly recommended for women just starting out. (May)