You Deserve the Truth: Change the Stories That Shaped Your World and Build a World-Changing Life

Snapchat executive Simon deconstructs faulty narratives in her gratifying debut, a blend of advice and personal experiences aimed at millennials pondering how to find success while also leading meaningful lives. Simon, a self-described hard worker, found success early in her career; she first managed a ritzy spa while in college, then worked in politics and for nonprofits before becoming head of The Creator’s Lab at Snapchat and starting the Man Repeller podcast. She starts off by relating a transitional period when, while at a nonprofit, she felt the buildup of discontentment that had accumulated from years of overwork; she impulsively decided to quit. She went on to dissect her beliefs on success, politics, happiness, and her Christian faith, and concluded that life is shaped by four types of stories: internal, firsthand, produced, and myths. Simon asserts that all stories, including internal ones, are told from one perspective and often are not completely factual. She shares stories from her past as a jumping-off point to encourage readers to reevaluate their lives using “narrative intelligence” (a person’s ability to understand patterns in their own thinking). Millennials looking for advice from a perceptive peer will appreciate Simon’s refreshingly blunt take on happiness. (May)

Correction: An earlier version of this review mischaracterized the duration of the author's past nonprofit work.