Selfish - by Kerry Docherty (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

In this provocative memoir, one woman discovers that after years spent prioritizing other people's needs (her husband, their business, their children) over her own, she has reached a threshold she is ready to cross: putting herself first.

Women everywhere are wrestling with all kinds of self-development challenges: perfectionism, boundaries, people pleasing, the pressures of mothering, the patriarchy, having a career. There are, of course, books to help us cope with each of these discrete issues, but what if the next frontier in all manner of personal growth is to put ourselves first? What if we reclaimed the word selfish to ignite a movement of women who actually do what they want?

In this beautifully crafted and propulsive memoir, Kerry Docherty--a businesswoman, mother of two, and wife--details her journey to rediscover parts of herself buried under other people's expectations, and how counterintuitively, the more she focused on saying yes to the things that made her feel good, and no to the things that did not, the more she overflowed with creativity, ease, presence, and purpose.

In cinematic detail and with breathtaking honesty, Kerry describes the events that made her realize she was giving too much of herself--to a marriage with her college sweetheart that wasn't as fulfilling as she'd hoped, to the family startup, and to the growing family that demanded attention she didn't always want to give. Determined to feel seen as the woman she wanted to be--an artist, activist, poet, romantic--she began to steal simple moments for herself, replacing her to-do lists with poems, pushing the business towards the things she cared about, and widening her circle of creative friends. As Kerry chased her desire to be understood, however, she found herself veering in a potentially destructive direction--one that would seriously test her marriage.

Along her journey to self-understanding, Kerry wrestled with the demands of capitalism, complicated family dynamics, what it means to be good and bad, and the consequences of telling the truth. With incisive observation, biting humor, and a willingness to start uncomfortable conversations, Selfish is an unapologetic call to action for women everywhere.

Review Quotes

"Selfish is a revelation--a brave reminder that choosing yourself isn't betrayal, it's truth-telling. Kerry Docherty writes with clarity and grace about what it means to come home to your own life. A must read."--Kate Baer, New York Times bestselling author of What Kind of Woman: Poems

"This book is a dangerous invitation as well as a life-affirming hand to hold as you ask: Is there a better way to live? Kerry's undaunting humanity had me laughing with her, crying with her, and nodding at how hard growing up is for all of us."--Jedidiah Jenkins, New York Times bestselling author of Like Streams to the Ocean and Mother, Nature

"For any woman who has been called selfish or is scared to be called selfish . . . this is a must read. Kerry has written a memoir of brutal honesty, and her courage gives the reader permission to make her own voice louder."--Jennifer Freed, PhD, author of A Map to Your Soul

"In this book, Kerry Docherty articulates a lot of things that very, very few women have the courage to say about motherhood, relationships, and commitment. It's a book that's going to set a lot of women free to at last express the things they need for themselves. Selfish is a gift of a book and I salute Kerry Docherty for writing it!"--Laura McKowen, author of Push Off from Here and We Are the Luckiest

About the Author

Kerry Docherty cofounded the lifestyle clothing brand Faherty with her husband and his identical twin. A graduate of Yale University and Pepperdine Law School, she is passionate about community building, sustainability, and creativity. Kerry is also the author of the children's book Somewhere, Right Now, featuring art by New York Times bestselling illustrator Suzie Mason. She lives with her husband and two children on the New Jersey shore, where she is constantly looking for sea glass.