As a pragmatic reaction to the newfound “quarterlife crisis” genre, Katy McColl interviews real men and women “stuck” in their twenties and early thirties and solicits a variety of experts for advice on how to get unstuck. McColl employs a distinctively droll brand of humor and a “self-help without self-pity” approach to inspiring those disenchanted by their initial forays into the heady real world. The themes here are universal — how to negotiate that with a career, how to study a craft in an un-lucrative field, how to break into glamour industries, and what to do when laid off. Help comes via those who overcame the same problems and blazed their own trails in the most desirable fields, from noted fashionistas like Heatherette to successful musicians like Chris Conley. Organized by case study but filigreed with McColl’s comic commentary, the book offers ace advice on achieving that elusive career that’s rewarding in every respect.
