Based on the long-running Slate advice column, a collection of the most eye-opening, illuminating, and provocative installments during Daniel M. Lavery’s tenure as the titular Prudence.
Every week, millions of readers visit Slate for the irresistible “Dear Prudence,” an advice column that promises a healthy dose of reality and good humor alongside its indispensable suggestions and life lessons. The ever-hilarious and insightful Danny Lavery was one of “Dear Prudence”’s most beloved columnists, and he recounts his time as Prudie in this side-splitting, candid collection—complete with new commentary and exclusive stories—drawing out the broader themes of his informative, unfailingly illuminating guidance.
From guilt and blame (“Am I in the Wrong Here?”) to downright confusion (“Maybe This Is All a Misunderstanding”), from recently discovered wrenches-in-the-machine (“The Other Shoe Just Dropped”) to the travails of parenthood (“My Kids Are Growing Up. Can Someone Please Stop This?”), Dear Prudence isn’t afraid to go the extra mile in its search for the much-needed corrective, gentle reminder, or tough love. This is the go-to guide for anyone who’s just trying to figure it all out—with a helpful nudge.
What happens when the person giving advice is navigating life-altering changes of their own?
- Candid Memoir: Lavery reflects on his own journey—including his transition and a public family estrangement—offering a perspective unlike any Prudence before him.
- Modern Relationship Advice: Tackles everything from disastrous dates and meddling in-laws to impossible breakups and the thorny ethics of sexting your wife’s aunt.
- Witty Humor: A side-splitting look at everyday dilemmas, from calamitous bidets to the proper etiquette for stealing a dead ex-lover’s ashes.
- Fan-Favorite Columns: Revisit the most provocative and illuminating installments from the beloved Slate column, now with exclusive new commentary from the author.