Nora McInerny does not dance like no one is watching. In fact, she dances like everyone is watching, which is to say, she does not dance at all. As a bestselling author and host of the beloved podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking, she has captured the hearts of millions by discussing grief and loss with wit and warmth. Now, with Bad Vibes Only, she turns her eye on our aggressively, oppressively optimistic culture, our obsession with self-improvement, and what it really means to live our lives online.

In a series of essays that span her childhood to present, Nora introduces us to her mind and her world while inviting us to more closely observe our own. We meet the people that challenge, question, and make Nora reflect on her own life, habits, and personality: her children, and their homework meltdowns, job searches, and online personalities; her college friend Kathleen, who now lives as a cloistered nun; and her uncle, a philosopher who has never used the internet (gasp!).

Bad Vibes Only is not only a response to a society that tells us to live, laugh, love--it's a reminder that in a world where we are more connected to and observed by our peers than ever before, we still deserve the freedom to be ourselves.