Adult Braces Driving Myself Sane

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is get in the car and drive. Especially when you’re not entirely sure where you’re going.

From the bestselling author of Shrill comes her most ambitious and deeply personal work yet — a laugh-out-loud, achingly honest memoir about hitting rock bottom and finding your way back to yourself, one mile at a time.

Behind the scenes of her celebrated career, West was quietly falling apart. Her marriage felt uncertain. Her sense of self had gone missing somewhere between the book tours and the think pieces. So she did what any reasonable person might do: she packed up the car and drove across the country alone. What followed was equal parts road trip, therapy session, and comedy special — a journey through natural wonders, roadside oddities, campground revelations, and some very uncomfortable truths.

Written with the razor-sharp wit and radical candor that made Shrill a cultural touchstone, this book is for anyone who has ever felt like a passenger in their own life. It’s about marriage, identity, depression, and the strange, unexpected grace of just moving.

• A deeply relatable memoir for fans of feminist nonfiction and personal essays
• Perfect for readers of Roxane Gay, Samantha Irby, and Nora Ephron
• A must-read from a local Maine author and celebrated cultural voice

This one’s already earning a permanent spot on our staff favorites shelf here at the Cove. Funny, vulnerable, and quietly transformative — it’s exactly the kind of book you’ll want to press into a friend’s hands the moment you finish it.

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