DEAR YOUNGER ME

Interview- and research-based profiles of prominent contemporary women of different backgrounds who share some life lessons with readers.

Each clearly written brief biography opens with a black-and-white portrait photograph, includes several pages in which the subject’s impressive achievements are recounted, and concludes with a few lines of advice and reassurance by the interviewee to her younger self. Manal al-Sharif, a Saudi woman who defied the law against women drivers, helped bring about a change in legislation, and wrote a bestselling book, writes, “Question the system, never yourself.” Harvard-trained psychoneuroimmunologist Joan Borysenko, who’s done groundbreaking work in integrative medicine, urges her younger self to be kind, grateful, and curious. Journalist and author Boxer pushes back against the societal emphasis on “doing rather than being” and reminds readers to be themselves, “authentically and unapologetically.” The profiles highlight the subjects’ admirable values and display a multitude of visions of success across a variety of fields, including neuroscience, entrepreneurship, climate-change activism, health care, disability rights, racial justice, and wildlife conservation. Some of the subjects are famous—like Temple Grandin, S.E. Hinton, Gabby Giffords, Nancy Pelosi, and Sheryl Sandberg—but most will be new to readers and are worth learning about. There is some diversity in race, nationality, physical ability, and sexual orientation among the subjects.

Presents many inspiring, resilient role models along with encouraging advice to take away.