Everything I Know About Love: Love, Laughter and a Pinch of Therapy

     Everything I Know About Love is the first published book by British journalist Dolly Alderton. Throughout the book, the author involves the reader in the complex themes of love, friendship and change. Dolly shares the experiences of her youth with readers in an authentic and funny way. In this way, she invites people to navigate a universe where she describes in detail how she fell in love, got a job, got drunk and was abandoned, only to discover that her best friends are the best people there are.

Photo: Wook

Photo: Alexandra Cameron

  In her book, the author writes in a way that connects directly with readers, in an intimate way, as if the reader and Dolly were having a conversation side by side. The accounts of her experiences in her twenties are so personal and so detailed that it's impossible for anyone, male or female, who reads it not to identify at least once with a part of the story. What makes the narrative more engaging and captivating is her refusal to show herself as a love expert and to admit her mistakes and failures on her journey.

    What's more, Everything I Know About Love goes beyond romantic feelings. It discusses the value of friendships, self-care and personal development. Alderton offers a complete understanding of what it really means to love and be loved, emphasising the beauty and complexity of platonic relationships.

 

“Nearly everything I know about love, I've learnt from my long-term friendships with women.”

    However, the book isn't just about happy and comic moments. It also tackles deeper issues such as loneliness, self-esteem and emotional trauma.  The author doesn't hesitate to confront her own insecurities and disappointments, making for an emotionally raw and sometimes challenging read.

 

“I am always half in life, half in a fantastical version of it in my head.”

  In short, Everything I Know About Love is a work in which the author invites us to reflect on all the adventures of her youth through the themes she addresses, such as love and loneliness. Everything I Know About Love is about dates that go wrong, good friends and, above all, realising that we are enough.

Rating: 7/10

Portuguese Version: https://www.comumonline.com/2024/03/everything-i-know-about-love-amor-risos-e-uma-pitada-de-terapia/