I have a vivid memory of being in a meeting with a brilliant salesman. I was so impressed by his approach to the sales opportunity we were discussing that I made notes and kept them for future reference. Sometime later an executive was telling me a story that I quickly realised related to the very same salesman. Given his track record of continual success, a group of execs had discussed involving him more in the business. They decided against it however, because "he'd never experienced failure".

Learning from failure is the theme of this book. Elizabeth Day draws heavily on her own life experience such that it is part memoir. She also uses her experience of interviewing celebrities - both for her podcast on failure and generally.

While insightful and reflective, and very readable, for me this is a book to be dipped into, a chapter at a time. Reading about failure and it's consequences and resulting life lessons is quite heavy, and calls for time for reflection in turn.

I wasn't familiar with the How To Fail With Elizabeth Day podcast before I read this book but it seemed like my kind of thing. There isn't really an overall narrative but more a collection of stories on a theme such as 'how to fail at motherhood'. Day goes into excruciating detail about her infertility and it is refreshing to read such a brutally honest account. The book is engaging and interesting throughout and I would thoroughly recommend.

Funny, revealing and insightful. Great read, very funny book! Love the tales from the people interviewed, to stories from Elizabeth’s life. This book cleverly examines at lessons to learn from our failures, in a unique, and hilariously entertaining manor.
Thank you to #netgalley #learntofail #harpercollins for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

So open so honest from the raw momentsthat will have you to the totally hilarious Elizabeth Day shares ,guides is your best girlfriend guide adviser.A memoir and a helpful guide to living your best most honest life. #netgalley #howtofail #harpercollinsuk4thestste.

I’m a huge a fan of this woman. First discovered her work with her fourth novel, The Party. Have since worked through her backlist and then of course have listened in awe at the podcast series “how to fail” which this books takes its inspiration from.
This book though is more than an accompaniment to the podcast. It’s more memoir than self help. And far more personal, honest and raw than I was expecting from the outset. Chapters on relationships and babies brought me to tears, yet at other times I was smiling and laughing and nodding in agreement with Days wisdom.
Felt I’d been granted access to a life in a similar way to Maggie O Farrells I am, I am, I am. Revealing to a point, but without feeling like a voyeur.
I wish there’d been writers like Elizabeth around when I was a teen. Maybe I’d have failed less! But then, as she absolutely demonstrates failures are a necessary part of our life which allow us to become our true selves.