In Praise of Messy Lives

* Brilliant and unflinching, on everything from divorce to Mad Men to sex to the food we eat. Every sentence is an eye-opener -- India Knight * [A] devastatingly good new book -- Dwight Garner The New York Times * Roiphe strides across the modern culture with [these] magnificent essays... In Praise of Messy Lives is a worthy successor [to Joan Didion] -- Joy Lo Dico Independent on Sunday * Daring, vivid, combative...the refreshing irreverence of her book might well be unique among writers of her generation. Wall Street Journal * I am in awe of Roiphe's style and range, her scholarly attention to detail, that she clearly has an impressive intellect... Roiphe is a brilliant writer and thinker -- Sarah Vine The Times * An edgy, subversive critique of this dreary era Independent * No sacred cow, exalted personage, or sanctimonious hypocrisy is safe from the sharp eye of Katie Roiphe. In In Praise of Messy Lives, she delivers timely, coruscating verdicts on everything from working women's fantasies to Philip Roth to the rage of Gawker. An essential read for our cultural confusion. Tina Brown * Katie Roiphe is one of the most insightful, exciting writers of her generation. She's daring, fierce, and entirely original. Gay Talese * Roiphe's writing is prickly and provocative...courageous, and most welcome when it cuts deep. Publisher's Weekly * Her work is personal, and often topical, funnelling her ideas about the world while exploring popular culture or politics Irish Times * Bracing...and hilarious...Roiphe writes with an archer's aim and a bullfighter's bravado. Booklist * A thoughtful and beautifully written examination of topics ranging from modern parenting to the complicated joys of authors such as Joan Didion and Susan Sontag... this book is a treat for the brain Sunday Business Post