Can't Help Myself

By: Meredith Goldstein

Narrated by: Meredith Goldstein

Part advice, part memoir, Am I Doing It Wrong? is a funny, disarmingly honest book by the woman behind the Boston Globe's enormously popular "Love Letters" column.

Now one of The Boston Globe's most popular and most emailed features, Meredith Goldstein's Love Letters column has created a booming nationwide community of readers and letter writers - over 1,000,000 strong and growing exponentially by the day.

Am I Doing It Wrong? gives listeners a little more insight into the behind-the-scenes of their favorite advice column. Meredith divides it into 12 delicious chapters, each focusing on an issue with which audiences are struggling, including topics such as how to cope with dating fatigue and infidelity, work romances and tired marriages, true love and true loss. She begins every chapter with an essay that talks about the topic and that includes stories about her own loves and losses. This is followed by a question from a reader, Meredith's wise answer and then a symphony of short responses from the Love Letters community.

Meredith's unique voice and her touching relationship with her audience makes this a must-listen book, entertaining and relatable because it tells the extraordinary (and often hilarious) story of a single woman navigating her mercurial love life, and both moving and comforting because it immerses you into her compassionate community of big-hearted love-seeking confederates.

©2018 Meredith Goldstein (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"To say this book made me laugh and cry doesn't do justice to how many times it made me snort and deeply moved me. In this hilarious and heartwarming quest for answers, Meredith Goldstein is as wise as she is fallible, as compassionate as she is prescriptive, and a true maven of the heart." (Faith Salie, author of Approval Junkie)

"A witty, entertaining memoir [that offers] guidance on the precarious integration of life and love." (Kirkus Reviews)

"The book's strength is the way Goldstein shows the blurring of personal and professional boundaries from the unique perspective of an advice columnist...her story of coping with her mother's illness is moving and tenderly wrought." (Publishers Weekly)

Loved and laughed

Dry humor, brutal honesty and a family crisis, read by the author. Fun, engaging and not at all self indulgent. Highly recommend.

Listen if you can!

I don’t typically go for audio unless traveling, which is why I downloaded this book. I’ve been a long time reader of LL and enjoy reading Meredith’s advice and the feedback and banter of the contributors.
This book is a lovely extension of that, with a touching, relatable, funny, irreverent (at times) and sweet peek at the story behind the story. Hearing it told in the authors voice brought me totally into the room. Such a great way to pass the trip and, unlike the letdown of other books, I can continue look forward to LL in the Boston Globe while Meredith finishes her next book 👍

I want more!

I have been following Love Letters and this book never fails. Meredith is the person you wish you could talk to on a daily. This is the book I wish would never end... but atlas everything good must come to an end. Can’t wait to see what else Meredith has to offer.

If a book could be a hug from your best friend

Reading this felt more like spending time with that good friend you only see once or twice a year but makes you feel like a better person when you do. Meredith brilliantly mixed a compelling story with wit, wisdom, humor, and , and pragmatic advice that we need to hear. This is one of those books that I couldn’t stop reading but also wanted to savor as long as I could because it was going to eventually end.

Finishing it felt like getting a great hug while saying goodbye. You don’t know when you’ll see them next but hope it is soon.

Excellent listen.

If you’re a fan of the Love Letters column and/or Podcast, you’ll love this book. Meredith shares a lot of significant experiences in her life while weaving in letters she has responded to her in column that are in line with the theme of the chapter. It’s really well-written (would we expect any less?), honest, and insightful. I really enjoy audiobooks that are read by the author and I knew this would be a great one.