Top 10 best books of the year 2016

    1How To Be a Person In the World by Heather Havrilesky.

    A time when politics have dominated the national conversation in a way that can often feel overwhelming, the best books of 2016 so far have provided escapism and comfort.

    If Americans really wanted a president who “tells it like it is,” Heather Havrilesky would be running for office right now. At a time when most self-help gurus are charlatans, the world could use a less bullshitty, more emotionally connected leader, one with equal parts compassion and charisma. Enter Havrilesky, who writes the advice column Ask Polly for The Cut, and who has compiled a collection of many new columns along with some old favorites. Havrilesky uses a liberating blend of straight talk, empathy, many F-bombs, and pop culture references (see the extended metaphor about Kanye West she uses in a reply to a woman searching for ways to build her self-esteem). Havrilesky’s advice answers each question specifically, but they also contain universal truths that will empower just about anybody. —Maris Kreizman.

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