You Deserve the Truth

March 18, 2019
Snapchat executive Simon deconstructs faulty narratives in her gratifying debut, a blend of advice and personal experiences aimed at millennials pondering how to find success while also leading meaningful lives. Simon, a self-described hard worker, found success early in her career; she first managed a ritzy spa while in college, then worked in politics and for nonprofits before becoming head of The Creator’s Lab at Snapchat and starting the Man Repeller podcast. She starts off by relating a transitional period when, while at a nonprofit, she felt the buildup of discontentment that had accumulated from years of overwork; she impulsively decided to quit. She went on to dissect her beliefs on success, politics, happiness, and her Christian faith, and concluded that life is shaped by four types of stories: internal, firsthand, produced, and myths. Simon asserts that all stories, including internal ones, are told from one perspective and often are not completely factual. She shares stories from her past as a jumping-off point to encourage readers to reevaluate their lives using “narrative intelligence” (a person’s ability to understand patterns in their own thinking). Millennials looking for advice from a perceptive peer will appreciate Simon’s refreshingly blunt take on happiness. (May)Correction: An earlier version of this review mischaracterized the duration of the author's past nonprofit work.

April 1, 2019
Having reached national stages in media and politics, Simon appeared to find success before 30. Then, without planning or even giving notice, she quit her job. What had she done? And why? Our lives are filled with story; Simon's book deconstructs her personal stories about fear, dreams, work, money, time, faith, and love. Simon spent the year after leaving her job developing her narrative intelligence. This book breaks the process down for readers, arguing that it can change individuals and the world. For example, a significant portion of Simon's mental energy was spent on her hair: maintaining its length, making styling appointments, and taking photos for Instagram. What story drove that behavior? More important, could she reframe the story into a narrative that helped, rather than hindered, her? These questions forced her to challenge her story about beauty; she cut off her hair and learned to love herself without it. Simon mixes her personal experience with national and global examples of nascent narrative intelligence. Her writing style is readable and engaging, and her message matters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)