How to Be a Person in the World Audiobook By Heather Havrilesky cover art

How to Be a Person in the World

Ask Polly's Guide Through the Paradoxes of Modern Life

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

How to Be a Person in the World

By: Heather Havrilesky
Narrated by: Heather Havrilesky
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.75

Buy for $15.75

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

A collection of original, impassioned, and inspiring letters by the author of the popular advice column Ask Polly.

Should you quit your day job to follow your dreams? How do you rein in an overbearing mother? Will you ever stop dating wishy-washy, noncommittal guys? Should you put off having a baby for your career?

Heather Havrilesky, the author of the weekly advice column Ask Polly, featured in New York magazine's The Cut, is here to guide you through the "what ifs" and "I don't knows" of modern life with the signature wisdom and tough love her readers have come to expect.

How to Be a Person in the World is a collection of never-before-published material along with a few fan favorites. Whether she's responding to cheaters or loners, lovers or haters, the depressed or the down and out, Havrilesky writes with equal parts grace, humor, and compassion to remind you that even in your darkest moments you're not alone.

©2016 Heather Havrilesky (P)2016 Random House Audio Personal Development Personal Success Relationships Witty

Critic reviews

"What I love so much about Heather Havrilesky and her new book is that, beside being her usual brilliant, hilarious, equally kick-ass and compassionate self, she actually gives great advice. How to be a Person in the World will change your life, for the way better." (Anne Lamott, New York Times best-selling author of Small Victories)
"Heather Havrilesky is that rare writer who can dish out tangy snark but never fails to aim the knife back at her own damaged, hilarious heart. She's dealing, brilliantly, with the curse of having too much insight - into herself and the world around her. Required reading." (Patton Oswalt, New York Times best-selling author of Silver Screen Fiend)
"Sometimes I think Heather Havrilesky's Ask Polly column is the only true thing on the Internet. Week after week, while everyone else parrots and postures, she addresses the foibles and ennui of strangers, bucking up someone here, giving a kick in the pants there. Along the way, she offers up a slyly powerful critique of the ways in which culture shapes the individual. How to Be a Person in the World distills her salty, expansive wisdom into a guide for better living that's both pragmatic and philosophical, a large-hearted reminder that all of us are struggling, and none of us are alone." (Kate Bolick, author of the national best seller Spinster)
All stars
Most relevant  
loved the whit, writing and positive view to conquer everyones life issues. a must listen.

a must

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Extremely well-read and well-written, I really wished that I had received advice like this when I was younger. Brutally honest and at the same time incredibly inspiring, I felt myself wanting to become a better person simply by listening to how "Polly" handled the problems of others. While probably most appropriate for people in their 20s and 30s, I am in my 40s and still got a lot out it. Thanks.

Sage advice for all ages

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Similar to watching Parks and Recreation on Netflix, you can stop/start watching whenever you want and pick back up at any time without feeling lost. That's how this book is. It's a book of people's written problems and pollys solutions and because I am an aural learner, this book was right up my alley.

Book of stories

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved the selection of questions chosen chosen for this book. Also love when an author narrates her own book! It was a little disappointing that this was just a compilation of her columns but I still couldn't stop listening and breezed through this book.

Excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I deeply enjoyed this book! Highly recommended reading for anyone feeling lost in our current time.

Irreverently Insightful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
i listened to it after going through a break up. i found it very helpful

post breakup

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
At first, I thought the tone was a bit too buoyant for the subject matter but quickly came to appreciate it. The Q&A format worked well because of the curated selection of questions and gradual unfolding of the author's own story in the answers.

The questions cover a range of topics that are somehow both distinct and also universally relatable. Although some topics were heavy, the author's wit and insightfulness made the content fun to listen to.

Easy listen with hard-hitting advice

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
so juicy but extremely rewarding, practical and helpful. it was bittersweet to finish this book..

so juicy!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I wasn't familiar with Ask Polley but really enjoyed Tiny Beautiful Things so thought this might be good... It was great! Her advice is not only salient, but beautiful and kind. Some other reviews talk about her "straight up no BS" style and while it is true that she cuts right to the core of any issue (and gives a butt kick where necessary) she is gentle and never aggressive (absolutely no gimmick involved in her 'tough love'). I've recommended to a few friends and I hope they listen bc I can't wait to talk to someone about this book!

Really great listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Maybe this just isn't my genre & I'm being too harsh, but I did not enjoy this. I felt like the author was just pushing an agenda more than giving sound advice. I hope others enjoy it!

maybe this just isn't my genre & I'm too harsh

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews