O's Little Guide to Starting Over

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O's Little Guide to Starting Over
192 pages; Flatiron Books
Change is a challenge. But it can also be freeing and healing, which is precisely the message of O's Little Guide to Starting Over, a collection of some of the most inspiring essays ever to appear in the magazine. 

Each of the stories in this stirring anthology centers on life after loss—be it of a job, a loved one, a relationship, or even one's idea of herself—and just how transformative such losses can be. Martha Beck explores the role that failure has in success (hint: it's a big one!). Caitlin Flanagan, terrified by a cancer diagnosis, discovers that her fears don't have to consume her. Kelly Corrigan finds that while we may have little control over what happens to us, accepting that uncertainty can be liberating. Junot Díaz describes the triumph that can come from forging ahead even when it feels impossible. And Lauren Slater reveals that, however counterintuitive it may seem, even small tweaks can set us on an entirely new path. 

However varied these stories may be, each shares a common bond: It serves as a potent reminder that what may feel like the end is often just the beginning.