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.

"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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Kind of Woman: Poems

What does it mean to be good? What are the consequences of doing what we want? Who determines what is selfish?

These are the questions that haunted Kerry Docherty--the co-founder of Faherty brand, mother of two, and wife--as she realized she was giving away too much of herself: to a marriage with her college sweetheart, to the fast-paced family startup, and to a growing household that demanded attention she didn't always want to give. Determined to feel seen--as 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. However, as she leaned more deeply into her passions and purpose, she found herself veering into an ambiguous relationship with a musician, a potentially destructive direction that would seriously test her marriage.

With incisive observation, biting humor, and searing honesty, Selfish details Kerry's twisting, sometimes conflicted journey to self-understanding. It chronicles her efforts to reconcile capitalism with her own heart's desire, her complicated family dynamics, her struggles with motherhood, and her efforts to rediscover parts of herself buried under other people's expectations. Her example invites us to demand to be seen, do what we need to do, and dare to put ourselves first--and shows how doing so can actually be a gift to others. Selfish is both a love letter to the Self, and an unapologetic call to action for women everywhere to meet their own needs.

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.