First published 2009
In "Smile or Die," Barbara Ehrenreich skewers the relentless pressure to maintain a sunny, upbeat attitude in the face of adversity. When a cancer diagnosis forces her to confront her own mortality, Ehrenreich finds herself bombarded by a barrage of simpleminded self-help platitudes and New Age nostrums. Rejecting the tyranny of forced optimism, she embarks on a subversive journey to uncover the darker truths hidden beneath the veneer of relentless positivity. With sharp wit and biting social commentary, Ehrenreich lays bare the ways in which the "positive thinking" movement serves to absolve society of its responsibilities and push the burden of success or failure onto the individual.
Genres: psychology, self-help, social-issues, non-fiction
Vibes: critical, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, social-commentary
Setting: United States
235 pages · Paperback · Granta Books
Content warnings: mental-illness, terminal-illness