Supposedly, your third decade of life (that is, ages 20–30) is one of your most crucial. During that time, it feels like you’re generally supposed to figure out your career, your outlook on life, your love situation, your family plans — no pressure.
Luckily, if you’re in the midst of doing more flailing than to-do-list-checking during these years, there are plenty of people who’ve come before to commiserate, elucidate or simply provide a few laughs through the churning waters of young adulthood.
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Behold, 12 great essay collections by women that are perfect for the 20-something in your life (which may be, well, you).
Scaachi Koul, "One Day We'll All Be Dead And None Of This Will Matter"
Picador
Audre Lorde, "Sister Outsider"
Crossing Press
Sloane Crosley, "I Was Told There'd Be Cake"
Riverhead
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Roxane Gay, "Bad Feminist"
HarperCollins
Chloe Caldwell, "I'll Tell You in Person"
Coffee House Press
Leslie Jamison, "The Empathy Exams"
Greywolf
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Rebecca Solnit, "A Field Guide to Getting Lost"
Penguin
Alana Massey, "All the Lives I Want"
Grand Central Publishing
Issa Rae, "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl"
Atria
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Chelsea Martin, "Caca Dolce"
Soft Skull Press
Durga Chew-Bose, "Too Much and Not the Mood"
FSG
Joan Didion, "Slouching Towards Bethlehem"
FSG
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