How to Fail cover art

How to Fail

Everything I’ve Ever Learned From Things Going Wrong

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How to Fail

By: Elizabeth Day
Narrated by: Elizabeth Day
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About this listen

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’.

©2018 Elizabeth Day (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers
Art & Literature Journalists, Editors & Publishers Personal Development Personal Success Women Feel-Good Funny Inspiring Witty Thought-Provoking

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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)

All stars
Most relevant  
Enjoyed listening to Elizabeth’s and her guests’ relatable ‘failures’, or better described as ‘challenging experiences that shaped the person standing today’.

Witty, eloquent and relevant

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Such an amazing and moving book! Really identified with so much of it! Definitely recommend to everyone!

Simply wonderful!

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At the end of the book, Elizabeth says that she will view this book as a success if any reader can recognise any part of themselves in what she has to say. I recognised a lot. I would like re-listen to chapters in order to take in more of the wisdom provided. I loved hearing snippets of her podcast interviews and have resolved to listen to them as well. Some of the reviews were really negative for this book, which I think is very unfair, as she gives an honest and pretty universal account of her experiences and those of others. I love the premise here. Well done to Elizabeth Day!

Life affirming!

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My god
I am in tears
This is such a special book
It is the biggest hug you could wish for as a woman of any age.
Personally I am early twenties and, as she describes in the final chapter ‘Feeling lost & left behind and as if everyone is doing better than me’. And honestly, feeling a bit depressed and this has helped me feel far less alone. It’s also brought me so much compassion for other women- you truly don’t know what any woman is going through, and I was naively unaware of the struggles that come with accepting infertility. Thank you Elizabeth Day. Going to re-listen now and probably buy a hard copy for my friends and my mum

Such a special book

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There was so much in this book with which to identify. Elizabeth Day is a writer of wit, high intelligence and excoriating honesty. Thoroughly recommend this.

Such a powerful book.

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moving, relatable and beautifully read was drawn to read this from her podcast as i think she's so articulate and well informed oh and delightful.

very fab book

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I enjoyed from beginning to end, very in powering. Well worth a read. Great book

Great read

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Brilliant, well written, inspiring, truthful. It makes you smile and makes you relate to the story in every step of the way.

Brilliant!!

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I was sceptical, no more. Listen to the whole thing and I challenge you not to be inspired

Truly moving and inspiring

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What a fantastic book - deeply moving in its honesty yet heartwarming and funny. Great as an audio book.

Fantastic! Loved it.

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