Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
How to Fail
- Everything I’ve Ever Learned From Things Going Wrong
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Day
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.00 for first 30 days
How to Fail
Buy Now for £12.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
Inspired by her hugely popular podcast, How To Fail is Elizabeth Day’s brilliantly funny, painfully honest and insightful celebration of things going wrong.
This is a book for anyone who has ever failed. Which means it’s a book for everyone.
If I have learned one thing from this shockingly beautiful venture called life, it is this: failure has taught me lessons I would never otherwise have understood. I have evolved more as a result of things going wrong than when everything seemed to be going right. Out of crisis has come clarity, and sometimes even catharsis.
Part memoir, part manifesto, and including chapters on dating, work, sport, babies, families, anger and friendship, it is based on the simple premise that understanding why we fail ultimately makes us stronger. It's a book about learning from our mistakes and about not being afraid.
Uplifting, inspiring and rich in stories from Elizabeth’s own life, How to Fail reveals that failure is not what defines us; rather it is how we respond to it that shapes us as individuals.
Because learning how to fail is actually learning how to succeed better. And everyone needs a bit of that.
This audiobook includes an extra chapter, exclusively available in the audiobook, called ‘Everything I’ve Learned About Failure’.
Listeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"A book full of wisdom, humour, humility, tenderness and heart. Elizabeth Day’s beautiful, reassuring stories and observations are a guide to self-compassion, a celebration of all things imperfect and will galvanise you to try, try again." (Dolly Alderton, author of Everything I Know About Love)
"How To Fail has rapidly become my essential companion in this over-competitive, demanding world. By turns profound, witty, and extremely reassuring, Elizabeth Day's sublime deconstruction of the myth of 'success' – and the journey to find our own markers of contentment – is a life-changing gift to us all." (Jessie Burton, author of The Muse)
"Brilliant Elizabeth Day, who you could probably trust to talk eloquently about anything." (Evening Standard)
What listeners say about How to Fail
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- SK
- 17-04-19
To treasure and share
This was a brilliant read/listen. Not only because there was such beautiful honesty, pathos and humour but because I felt like I’d had a night out with a loving but honest friend who wants the best for me. Respect Elizabeth Day!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 10-06-19
I want to be friends with Elizabeth Day!
A great book. And it’s okay to say miscarriage hurts. It’s private and painful. I cried and laughed. Talented beautiful writer. Thank you.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lucy Petrie
- 12-04-19
How to fail
Such honesty and humour which make this such an uplifting listen. It is what it is. Brilliant!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 25-04-19
Fantastic listen
I loved this book.Well written and left me with lots to think about I loved the extracts from the how to fail podcasts as I had listened to them all so it gave me more of what I had enjoyed so much.Well done Elizabeth and you have restored my faith in that honesty is always the best policy as is celebrating and accepting human failures.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Perry
- 18-09-20
Loved it!
So engaging, comforting and uplifting, easily 5 stars!! Highly recommend for any ladies in particular, struggling in different areas of their life.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Roo
- 08-11-19
How to fail
Honest, open and utterly brilliant. Well read and each chapter makes for easy listening in chunks.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 25-07-20
really enjoyed this memoir/love story to failure!
cc'd cc'd cc'd c cc c c c c c c c c c c c c c c m m m v h u f g g
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ramesh Valapil
- 18-12-22
Technical glitch with playback... Otherwise good
Great story and very relevant with many anecdotes... Well presented, contemporary and great narrative.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Laura
- 05-01-21
Witty, eloquent and relevant
Enjoyed listening to Elizabeth’s and her guests’ relatable ‘failures’, or better described as ‘challenging experiences that shaped the person standing today’.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 09-03-20
Simply wonderful!
Such an amazing and moving book! Really identified with so much of it! Definitely recommend to everyone!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!