Self Help?

I just finished a 10 mile walk, during which time NPR was burbling away in my ear. Walking is a decisive element of my scone-seeking, you see. Walk, and have a scone (or perhaps a sticky bun). That's a lot for one girl to do, yes. But it is fun and unquestionably satisfying.

NPR today offered up an (excruciating) interview with Joaquin Phoenix, followed by something much more interesting - an hour with Jessica Lamb-Shapiro, looking into the 'Self-Help Genre'. I wasn't thinking of the Self-Help Genre, or any genre for that matter. But after Joaquin finished baffling his listeners, Jessica's reasonableness and sense of humor caught my interest.

Jessica's father was himself a self-help author, so she had spent a lifetime surrounded by suggestions for improving, if not perfecting, one's path. She had read numerous of these books, but most of them were either unhelpful or downright ridiculous. One spoke of 'Landing and Marrying a Man' (a concept I am on board with). Being single at the time, she was intrigued and gave it a go.


The concepts highlighted within its pages were (and I am quoting Jessica's interview here):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/millzero/2408535634/

• play 'hard to get'
• never call a man on the telephone
• if a man calls you, never speak with him for more than 10 minutes (set a timer just to be sure)
• never be seen without makeup
• have plastic surgery if you need it
• always dress smartly when in his presence
• if a man happens to come to your apartment, hide things like dirty bathrooms, medications, and - get this one - self help books!
• let perfection be your goal when with him

In other words, be a Mirage (someone who seems real but isn't).

As I said, I am on board with getting married. I in fact married a terrific man whom I may have called on the phone, who wouldn't be the least bit upset by a dirty bathroom. And who would howl at the idea of plastic surgery.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobrayner/3432132628/

So the book's suggestions sounded exhausting and unappealing to Jessica. What would such a husband do after the wedding, when you woke up without makeup the next morning? What if he found you reading a self-help book in the middle of the night? Would the whole thing be a disaster?

In the end, Jessica found most of the self help babble to be more laughable than not. So she decided to write her own interpretive book - 'The Promised Land: My Journey Through America's Self-Help Culture".  Probably an interesting book to read, judging by the interview I heard today.

I might read her book. But when it comes to self-help books, there is just one that I can really recommend perusing. It opens with the words, "In the beginning, God..."

...which, appealingly, has nothing to do with Self at all.


See you along the way!
the SconeLady



photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/millzero/2408535634/">Millzero Photography</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">cc</a>

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobrayner/3432132628/">bobrayner</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>