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How to Murder Your Life
How to Murder Your Life | Cat Marnell
At the age of 15, Cat Marnell unknowingly set out to murder her life. After a privileged yet emotionally-starved childhood in Washington, she became hooked on ADHD medication provided by her psychiatrist father. This led to a dependence on Xanax and other prescription drugs at boarding school, and she experimented with cocaine, ecstasy... whatever came her way. By 26 she was a talented doctor shopper who manipulated Upper East Side psychiatrists into giving her never-ending prescriptions; her life had become a twisted merry-go-round of parties and pills at night, and trying to hold down a high profile job at Cond Naste during the day. With a complete lack of self-pity and an honesty that is almost painful, Cat describes the crazed euphoria, terrifying comedowns and the horrendous guilt she feels lying to those who try to help her. Writing in a voice that is utterly magnetic prompting comparisons to Brett Easton Ellis and Charles Bukowski she captures something essential both about her generation and our times. Profoundly divisive and controversial, How to Murder Your Life is a unforgettable, charged account of a young female addict, so close to throwing her entire life away.
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DrLReads
Pickpick

Love or hate Marnell, this is a compelling read. The behind-the-scenes look into the glossy world of beauty magazines of the 2010s is fascinating. Set against Marnell‘s harrowing descriptions of her addiction, this is a unique memoir of celebrity, fashion, and addiction. CN: drug use, disordered eating, sexual assault.

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NataliePatalie
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Pickpick

Quiet night at work - which meant I was able to finish reading this! I wish Litsy had an option in between so-so & pick. If we were on GR I'd give it 4 stars. It was a very engrossing read, but there were a lot of sad bits & shaking your head "why are people like this" bits. I work in a crisis center, and as this is a memoir about a woman's addiction it was really interesting to get a better understanding of what our patients may be going through.

NataliePatalie I was going to tag @Blueberry in this post but I ran out of room. Where can I suggest to Litsy to up the character limit? Lol. 4y
TrishB You can take using the button without it being in your characters. 4y
Blueberry Maybe on their Facebook page? Or maybe on their webpage? 4y
13 likes3 comments
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annamae
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Pickpick

This book is hard for me to give a rating to, but it was extremely readable! I listened to the audiobook, which was written by the author. It was look into life that I have no personal experience with. It is a drug addiction memoir that also gives a look into working at high powered fashion magazines.

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NataliePatalie
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Quiet morning at the @Blueberry house ? My schedule is out of whack so I wake up earlier than everyone ? I'm here visiting, which I know is a weird time to be doing so! Everything is closed so we haven't been running around; it's been nice to just hang out and "be."

I just wrote a long paragraph to tell you about the book I'm reading, then I noticed Litsy has a character limit and wouldn't let me post it ? So that'll have to wait!

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Jhullie
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Pickpick

Sequel to the tagged book.

I didn‘t know what to expect when I began this book but within the first few paragraphs I was mesmerized by Cat‘s writing. She tells the tale of her travels through Europe with humour and fun which bring to life her adventures, these stretch from floating out to sea and wizard walks to losing her bank cards. I was disappointed to finish.

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Suicidal_thot
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Pickpick

Guys I shockingly liked this book. I initially picked it up as kinda of distraction read cuz I‘m going through a v shitty time in my life and was having trouble concentrating on “serious” literature but props to Ms. Marnell because this was really great. Cat never compromises who she is and manages to be both self aware and in on a jokes while also sincere and reflective. I was engrossed in her voice and rooting for her in spite of myself :)

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Laughterhp
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Hi friends, can you recommend some good books about addiction? It can be fiction or nonfiction. I‘m hoping to listen to it on Audio.

I started listening to the tagged book and it‘s read by the author and I don‘t think I can stand to listen to it for 10hrs.

#booked2019

alisiakae And not good for audiobook, but this graphic novel is fantastic. 5y
See All 18 Comments
TheShaggyShepherd This one is pretty new. It reminded me a lot of Beautiful Boy. 5y
BlameJennyJane This one was recommended to me when I asked a similar question myself. I‘m not done with it but follow the author on social media and this one was recommended numerous times by several people. 5y
BlameJennyJane I really like this one for its practicality, no BS relatability and it‘s a quick read. 5y
Laughterhp @BlameJennyJane Wow, High Achiever is definitely popular. A 24 week wait time at my library! 5y
Laughterhp @4thhouseontheleft @IvoryLunatic and @BlameJennyJane Thanks for the recs! I‘m definitely going to check them all out!! This helps me a lot! 5y
sblbooks Book one of a trilogy 5y
BlameJennyJane @Laughterhp 24 weeks on that one? Wowzers! And I‘m glad you‘ve gotten some good recommendations! I‘m noting others‘ responses myself. 5y
Cinfhen So glad you asked for audio suggestions..... I‘m taking notes!!!! 5y
sprainedbrain I‘ll be reading this one for this prompt. 5y
Scochrane26 Dopesick, Dry by Augusten Burroughs (edited) 5y
39 likes18 comments
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cariashley
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Mehso-so

Such a hard book to rate. I liked her honesty, and I was eventually impressed by her full commitment to vocal sound effects in the audiobook once I got used to her voice, but this was a tough listen. While she acknowledges her privilege a few times, it‘s really nauseating. And so. Many. Drugs.

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emilyhaldi
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Is there anything #sobeautiful as a delivery from #bookoutlet 😍
#septemberdanes

LeahBergen 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Oooo! Strange New Things is good! My Book Outlet shipment is on its way and Im checking the tracking irrationally often. 6y
emilyhaldi @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled honestly, Strange New Things sounds a bit fantastical for me, but it has such amazing reviews I thought I would try it! And Crimson Petal is my FAV so I am itching to read another from Faber 🤗 6y
See All 9 Comments
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Yes! Crimson Petal! ❤️ 6y
Cathythoughts ❤️❤️❤️ 6y
BarbaraBB Strange new things is so good, especially when you keep in mind that his wife was dying when Faber wrote it 💔 6y
Reviewsbylola Doubtful! 6y
Kalalalatja Oh, another Faber! Excited to see what you think of it 👍 6y
britt_brooke 🤩🤩🤩 6y
107 likes1 stack add9 comments
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Reagan
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I love memoirs of addiction. This is unbelievable. I had never heard of this woman, and I will never forget her. Seriously messed up and I cannot wait to finish it.

33 likes1 stack add
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BMB
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Mehso-so

It kept me turning the page, but it was an interesting read. A drug addiction who struggles through life‘s highs and lows.

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echalpan
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Mehso-so

Just finished this memoir for my July book club on the way back from the lake today. In it, Cat Marnell candidly details the way drug addiction has taken over her life. It‘s often frustrating and depressing to read, but that‘s the story of addiction. Also, it‘s truly unreal the ways privilege can enable addiction.

Kindle marked the book as finished before the afterword. If you‘re planning on reading this book, do NOT skip the afterword.

cariashley My coworker just strongly recommended this one to me, and I was going to do it on audio... 6y
echalpan @cariashley I always like when authors read their own memoirs for audio (which I‘m almost sure she does), but there will likely be some parts you want to speed through! 6y
24 likes1 stack add2 comments
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sixxreads
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Sunday afternoon & time to dive into this! Bought it this week but was only able to get in 12 pages at work.... already hooked 📚

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tapgurl
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I can't turn the pages fast enough! This book is crack-a-lackin!

14 likes1 stack add
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Mannoth

I would recommend to anyone. Such a raw, honest, and fun read. I read the book in two days!!!

swishandflick Welcome to Litsy! 🎉 7y
3 likes1 comment
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Tori_rose
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Been interested to read this memoir for a while... hopefully it lives up to my expectations.

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TiffReadsAndRuns
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Pickpick

I was a fan of xoJane.com from its beginning. Cat Marnell garnered comparisons to Hunter S. Thompson early on and I can see the resemblance. Not because they are anything alike in content or word choice or much of anything else apart from the drug use. But they both write in a sort of careening, disorienting, no-holds-barred style that puts everything out on the table: drugs, bad behavior, crimes, parties.

33 likes3 stack adds
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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Panpan

I don‘t know what I was expecting to get out of this book. I don‘t love drug stories, where the author waxes poetic about getting high and being fucked up. That was exactly what this book was. I should have guessed that, given the author.

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Nic_butler
Pickpick

I've read past reviews about the author being self-absorbed in her writing; a typical story about a sad little rich girl who was too privileged & went down a bad path. I can somewhat agree, but we all have a story to tell. I enjoyed the book. Im not a drug addict but, there were parts in her story I felt I could really relate to Cat. The way she told her story captivated me. My only concern was the glorification of the drug use alongside the bad.

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IReadThereforeIBlog
Panpan

In this repetitive, glib, self-absorbed memoir that lacks any nuance or depth, Cat Marnell sets out a broad account of the chemical highs and emotional and physical loss of her life to date as a beauty editor and journalist and demonstrates only that a white girl born into a well-to-do family will be forgiven the most emotionally and abusive behaviour provided she can string a sentence together.

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Tanzy13
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"It‘s not always going to feel the way it feels today."

LauraBrook Great photo/quote combo! 7y
Sharpeipup What a perfect photo/quote pairing! (Which I totally needed to see today) 7y
Hollie That photo is gorgeous! 7y
96 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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AlizaApp
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Mehso-so

As an addiction memoirist, Cat Marnell (a magazine beauty editor) is not the most sympathetic. She is a good and entertaining writer, sharing gruesome personal details as well as some genuine pathos. But I frequently got frustrated by the name-dropping and blatant privilege.

24 likes1 stack add
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Saltyblonde26
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New Stack 🤓😍

4 likes1 comment
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luckymushroom
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Mehso-so

I had never read anything by Cat Marnell before this book, but I knew before I got it that it was going to be an addiction memoir. Which it is. The author uses way more exclamation points than I am accustomed to, and I found it hard to relate to her even though I have issues of my own. But overall, it is a decent read.

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crissyreads

Goooood. Read in a day.

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LauraTFrey
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Pickpick

Loved this. Went in with few expectations, came out with my head spinning! Funny and sad, and as honest a portrayal of teenage pregnancy as I've ever read- and I've read many.

13 likes1 stack add
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JessieReadsInBK
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Pickpick

Read this book ASAP! Cat Marnell offers an uncensored look into the life of an addict who is trying to maintain a career as a magazine editor. I hope she writes another book. I'd read it in a heartbeat. #bookclub

LauraTFrey Same. I wanna go back and read all her essays now. 8y
12 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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BookishKateNYC
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Pickpick

Rave rave RAVE review. Dark subject matter meets the most colorful writing. Rolling Stone called Cat Marnell "Hot Bukowski" and that sums it up perfectly. Just... So. Damn. Good!

mabell Love the photo! 8y
Audrey Which ice cream store has all these lovely treats? 8y
LauraTFrey Ooh man, the ice cream... so wrong but somehow so right! I loved this book too. 8y
21 likes1 stack add3 comments
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KerriArista
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Pickpick

This was redundant and exhausting... and fitting since it's a memoir of addiction. I feel so fortunate to have never struggled with addiction personally... But as I read this, I sorta felt like I was at times. I appreciated the honesty of the ending. And I hope I don't read about Cat's overdose online anytime in the future.

LauraTFrey Lots of one star reviews on Goodreads complaining about just that. She's supposed to be self involved and immature... that's the point! I loved the way she wrote it. 8y
4 likes1 comment
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Verity
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Mehso-so

Cripes. Just finished this. For a large part of the book I detested Cat, but I kept turning the pages. This is a fascinating insight into high functioning addiction but I found it hard to work up enough sympathy for the author to make it bearable.

BookishKateNYC @Verity did you read this or listen to the audiobook? 8y
Verity @BookishKateNYC I read it. I'm not sure I'd have coped with it in audio -faster to get through on paper (for me anyway!). Sorry for late reply, manic few days. 8y
16 likes2 comments
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KerriArista
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Just starting on this- it's my lunch companion today.😊

4 likes1 stack add
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MorganNotMegan
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Mehso-so

This was an odd listen. I kinda knew what I was getting into with this book, but it was still very weird getting through this. The author has had ... a journey. And it's hard to emphasize with some of her choices, because the title is really applicable she does destroy/murder her life all the time. Her choices aren't always reasonable, and often unbelievable.

Mariposa_Bookworm I'm intrigued. 8y
BookishKateNYC @MorgansMenagerie did Cat do the audiobook? 8y
MorganNotMegan Yes! She was about average in regards to reading, but it worked since she mostly discussed her hardcore partying ways, comes across like a party girl talking to you about all the parties she attended. 8y
87 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Michreads
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Finished this book in two days! Memoirs about addiction are aplenty but this was so much more: family dynamics , an inside into the beauty magazine world and of course a look into life as an addict. A functioning addict. I'm amazed at all Cat has gotten through and glad that she has lived to tell her story. It took guts and perseverance to write this memoir!

Reviewsbylola Sounds very compelling! 8y
Michreads It really was compelling! It was hard to read in the beginning because she starts the book at a very young age. You end up rooting for her through it all. At least I did. 8y
13 likes2 comments
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gentlepet
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Pickpick

chick addiction memoirs are, well, pretty chic these days but i haven't read one this good since elizabeth wurtzel was still relevant. this book probably won't change your life (or cat's) but it's not fluff - it's funny (even when it shouldn't be), self-aware, & contains some of the genius-flashes that always made her so compelling to begin with. #popsugarreadingchallenge2017 (published 2017)

9 likes2 stack adds
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guinsgirlreads
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LauraBeth Great haul! 8y
guinsgirlreads TY! 😽👋🏻 8y
Read4life I loved Fear Nothing 8y
18 likes1 stack add4 comments
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LauraBeth
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Bought this too - I'm completely drawn in by a good book jacket synopsis 😀

RanaElizabeth Uh oh...I read the title/author too fast and thought it said How to Murder Your Cat. 🐈 8y
Gina Oooooh that looks like a good read. 8y
LauraBeth @RanaElizabeth 😹😹 that would be a good book title! 8y
LauraBeth @Gina I know, right? It checks all of my boxes 😀 8y
122 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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simonbooks
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"Even though I wrote articles about how to take care of yourself - your hair, your skin, your nails - I was falling apart..."

12 likes2 stack adds
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eapye
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Just arrived!!! #bookmail

4 likes1 stack add
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simonbooks
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"A 24 hour read. A rip-roaring memoir of addiction that is at once glamorous and nasty, both gaspingly funny and thoroughly gutting. Cat Marnell may have murdered her life but certainly not her writing. These pages have a pulse." - LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE author Jessica Knoll

19 likes1 stack add