Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies

Starred review from January 6, 2020
In this fun, debut memoir-cum-guide to “reparenting” oneself and living one’s best life, Schuster, a Comedy Central executive, candidly shares her worst experiences and what’s she learned from them. She writes of how she went from self-medicating and self-sabotaging to reclaiming her life by developing healthy rituals such as journaling, writing thank you notes, using vision boards, and cultivating gratefulness. She also divulges sage advice she’s been given from mentors and friends, including Jon Stewart and Anjelica Huston. Other advice includes tips on how to build a “lady harem” (or dream team of supportive friends), make peace with frenemies, keep one’s home dinner-party-ready, and how to best manage money. For the final chapters, she shares what she’s learned in her relationships with men and members of her family. Schuster is jovial throughout and relies on the authority of her experience as she surveys but never overly lauds her impressive career. Filled with gems of wisdom, Schuster’s chronicle of her ups and downs is a winner.