Based on the long-running Slate advice column, a collection of the most eye-opening, illuminating, and provocative installments during Daniel M. Lavery’s tenure as the titular Prudence.
Every week, millions of readers visit Slate for the irresistible “Dear Prudence,” an advice column that promises a healthy dose of reality and good humor alongside its indispensable suggestions and life lessons. The ever-hilarious and insightful Danny Lavery was one of “Dear Prudence”’s most beloved columnists, and he recounts his time as Prudie in this side-splitting, candid collection―complete with new commentary and exclusive stories―drawing out the broader themes of his informative, unfailingly illuminating guidance.
From guilt and blame (“Am I in the Wrong Here?”) to downright confusion (“Maybe This Is All a Misunderstanding”), from recently discovered wrenches-in-the-machine (“The Other Shoe Just Dropped”) to the travails of parenthood (“My Kids Are Growing Up. Can Someone Please Stop This?”), Dear Prudence isn’t afraid to go the extra mile in its search for the much-needed corrective, gentle reminder, or tough love. This is the go-to guide for anyone who’s just trying to figure it all out―with a helpful nudge.
This collection delivers Lavery’s signature blend of literary wit and compassionate advice on:
- Relationship Advice: Guidance for every stage of love, from awkward first dates and impossible crushes to navigating breakups and figuring out if you can stay friends with an ex.
- Family Conflict: Sharp, compassionate takes on meddling in-laws, sibling rivalries, and the difficult, necessary work of estrangement.
- LGBTQ+ Perspectives: Candid reflections on identity, coming out, and navigating queer life from one of the most insightful voices in modern letters.
- Workplace Dilemmas: From meddling coworkers and terrible bosses to the eternal question of office etiquette, practical advice for the modern worker.
- Candid Memoir: Features brand-new essays and commentary where Lavery reflects on his own life-changing transition, public family struggles, and what it means to give advice for a living.
Daniel M. Lavery is a former Dear Prudence advice columnist at Slate, the cofounder of The Toast, and the New York Times bestselling author of Texts from Jane Eyre, The Merry Spinster, Something That May Shock and Discredit You, and Women’s Hotel. He also writes the popular newsletter The Chatner.
