Tell Me About It: Lying, Sulking, Getting Fat... and 56 Other Things Not to Do While Looking for Love [Paperback]

Carolyn Hax (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 2001

As an advice columnist for The Washington Post, Carolyn Hax has gained a fanatically loyal following in print, online, and over the airwaves with a very direct, humorous take on matters of the heart. As the number of people seeking her advice surged she began to notice certain recurring dilemmas and snags in the accounts of affairs gone wrong. As she puts it, "The letters I receive form a virtual catalogue of the most counterproductive ways to interact with other human beings. Not just romantically either; platonically, too, and professionally, parentally, and every-otherly." With this in mind she has put together a handbook of some of the most common mistakes made during the pursuit of love. Some of the Don'ts:
- Be desperate, seem desperate, or even stand next to a desperate person without a protective suit
- Start sentences with, "I'm the type of person who..."
- Shop online
- Scan the room for better prospects while we're talking to you
- Stockpile porn
- Have sex before you mean it
- Rule out the possibility that you might always be single
- Look for love
- Read relationship books

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Carolyn Hax is a columnist for The Washington Post and author of "Tell Me About It," a syndicated column for readers under 30. She is a Harvard graduate and a 10-year newspaper veteran, and lives outside Washington, D.C., with her husband Nick Galifianakis, who illustrates her column, and their dog, Zuzu.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Miramax (January 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078686673X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786866731
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #371,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What not to do, December 31, 2003

By 

Steve Stowers (Springfield, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tell Me About It: Lying, Sulking, Getting Fat... and 56 Other Things Not to Do While Looking for Love (Paperback)

Unlike some of the other reviewers here, I was completely unfamiliar with Carolyn Hax before reading this book. Here, she comes across as wise, witty, funny, realistic--and yes, a bit unapologetically preachy and moralistic, but in a good way. There's good advice here for any woman or man whose love life is less than 100% satisfactory. It's mostly obvious, common-sense type stuff, but there are plenty of people who need to hear it. (And yes, I found a couple of words of wisdom here that I personally need to take to heart.) This is the kind of advice that your best friends would give you, if they were smart enough to see it and foolish enough to risk offending you.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tough advice from one who's lived it, January 3, 2002

By 

"karbo" (Reston, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tell Me About It: Lying, Sulking, Getting Fat... and 56 Other Things Not to Do While Looking for Love (Paperback)

I've been an obsessed fan of Carolyn's column and online discussions for years. I finally bought her book for myself and for my equally obsessed best friend, and I read it all in one night. For me, it was like hearing old stories from an old friend, because the points she makes in her book are issues she has covered many times before -- always with wit and naked honesty.

Carolyn has always maintained that love is not the answer to everything, and sometimes divorce is the best solution (after, in her words, you've "worked like dogs to fix it"). To me, her divorce represents an honest attempt to follow her own wise advice. I don't think it makes her any less credible -- in fact, it makes her more so, because she's been through it, and it's not advice she gives lightly.

Finally, to quote Nick, her ex: "Who would you rather have leading you into battle? The novice West Point graduate or the grizzled, battle-hardened warrior?"

Battle on, Carolyn.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars false advertising!, May 1, 2001

By 

David L Zumchak (Rochester, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tell Me About It: Lying, Sulking, Getting Fat... and 56 Other Things Not to Do While Looking for Love (Paperback)

The title may say that this regards "things not to do while looking for love", but actually most of the "tips" are just as relevant to life in general -- regardless of your romantic situation.

I prefer reading her online discussions to reading the book, but that's only because I suspect she is a little constrained by the book's format. She really shines when in a give-and-take with people.

Buy the book so you can get a "Carolyn fix" anytime you want. Check her out online at washingtonpost.com