My Year with Eleanor

A Memoir

By: Noelle Hancock

Narrated by: Emily Beresford

After losing her high-octane job as an entertainment blogger, Noelle Hancock was lost. About to turn 29, she'd spent her career writing about celebrities' lives and had forgotten how to live her own. Unemployed and full of self-doubt, she had no idea what she wanted out of life. She feared change - in fact, she feared almost everything. Once confident and ambitious, she had become crippled by anxiety, lacking the courage required even to attend a dinner party - until inspiration struck one day in the form of a quote on a chalkboard in a coffee shop:

"Do one thing every day that scares you." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Painfully timid as a child, Eleanor Roosevelt dedicated herself to facing her fears, a commitment that shaped the rest of her life. With Eleanor as her guide, Noelle spends the months leading up to her 30th birthday pursuing a "Year of Fear". From shark diving to fighter pilot lessons, from tap dancing and stand-up comedy to confronting old boyfriends, her hilarious and harrowing adventures teach her about who she is and what she can become - lessons she makes vital for all of us.

©2011 Noelle Hancock (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

“A charmingly candid memoir of the year a young journalist spent conquering her deepest fears.... Inspired, white-knuckled fun from start to finish." ( Kirkus)

Right on time!

I was pretty excited to have found this book because this is my year of doing things scared. I'm challenging myself to do the things that I've wanted to do, but that make me uncomfortable.
While I'm not doing something every day, I am so motivated after listening to this story. I have done things in these past few months that I haven't done in many years....all scared.
Best I've heard in a very long time.

Thoughts?

I’m almost mad that it’s over, it was so easy, fun and funny to follow. While also being throughly thought provoking. I would 100% recommend this book!

Distracting narration

I wonder if I might have enjoyed this book more if I had read it with my eyes instead of my ears. I found the narration distracting. The narrator was rather cartoonish in her reading, particularly the silly male voices. The premise of Ms. Hancock's memoir is very interesting but I didn't feel invested in her journey at all.

witty and insightful

clever concept. witty writing but at times a bit choppy. enjoyed the information on eleanor

Very humorous!

This book was much funnier than I expected. It was a joy to listen to!