You're Not That Great

October 23, 2017
Gale, a reality-show producer, shares his decidedly antipositive approach to “being better.” In modern American culture, Gale writes, the “drug of choice is positivity.” The secret to improving your circumstances, he shares, is simple—stop hiding from your “anger, sadness, self-loathing, and desperation” and “start making them your bitch.” Clearly, the book’s coarse language and tone will not be a perfect fit for everyone, but Gale’s approach is appealingly simple—in moments of failure or dismay, ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” and use regrets as tools. To illustrate his point, Gale parlays his showbiz background into interviews with entertainers who have used negative feelings or experiences for motivation. Comedian and writer Rachel Bloom describes how professional competition and bullying gave her the following insight: “There’s no such thing as fate. I’m in charge of my fate.” Author and screenwriter Jon Ronson believes that “it’s anxiety that propels me to be my best.” And, yes, Gale shares his own source of anxiety (“the nuclear bomb in the emotion arsenal”): namely, insecurity over his weight. Those who can get past Gale’s acerbic tone should find him funny, and perhaps even instructive. Agent: Jessica Regel, Foundry Literary + Media.