Find Your Unicorn Space

July 1, 2021

Of Jamaican and Nigerian heritage and a resident of both London and Brooklyn, PEN Ackerley Prize--winning poet Daley-Ward explains how we can become our own best and truest selves in The How. A principal dancer at the New York City Ballet who starred on Broadway in On the Town, plus a podcast host, MBA student, and mother of three, Fairchild explains The Ballerina Mindset that lets her do it all with apparent ease. In parlous times. Stoic philosophy is suddenly trending, and Fideler's Breakfast with Seneca provides an accessible overview. The first woman and first Black minister at the progressive Collegiate Church in Manhattan, which dates from 1628, Lewis shows how we can cope with today's divisive culture by discussing her own reckoning with racism, her interracial marriage, nine daily spiritual practices that have sustained her, and the importance of Fierce Love. In The Power of Fun, award-winning science journalist Price argues that treating fun as an important part of your life--and she doesn't mean binge-watch your favorite TV shows--will make you happier and more productive. In Saving Grace, Powers leans on her experiences as a CNN senior political analyst and USA TODAY columnist to explain how we can maintain mental well-being without deserting our own convictions during conflict-ridden times. Author of the New York Times best-seller and Reese's Book Club pick Fair Play, Rodsky urges women to rethink their priorities and claim essential healing time for themselves in Find Your Unicorn Space. Having left their New York desk jobs and moved to Montana, leading culture journalists Warzel and Petersen see today's pandemic-driven work-at-home situation as a cobbled-together compromise and explain how we can create true Out of Office work schedules benefiting both workers and employers.

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2021
Best-selling self-help expert Rodsky (Fair Play, 2019) defines "unicorn space" as the time and place in which you can actively pursue creativity and self-expression. For most women, whose time is devoted to the roles of partner, parent, and professional, a unicorn space might seem as elusive as the mythical beast itself. But Rodsky stresses that even the busiest people can carve out this time by giving themselves permission to be unavailable, to burn their guilt and shame, and to ask for the solitude they need. She offers ways to negotiate "free" time and exercises and quizzes intended to help readers find their own what, why, and how. Creativity is built on curiosity, connection, and completion, and Rodsky gives practical suggestions for obtaining these goals despite the limits of COVID-19 and daily challenges. This guide is addressed to all women; Rodsky included members of the LGBTQI community in her studies and interviews. Rodsky's friendly tone is encouraging and reassuring to readers trying to relocate their life's spark and the time to pursue it.

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October 25, 2021
Overburdened women are issued a “permission slip” to explore their creativity in this energizing invitation by Rodsky (Fair Play) to pursue passion projects. Much of the guide deals with how to carve out time for such endeavors, which she terms “the unicorn space.” Rodsky helpfully breaks down common obstacles, both external and self-imposed (key is “learning to say no”), and reminds readers, “You won’t find untouchable space and time... you have to assert and create it.” She takes aim at the guilt-driven sense of constant obligation people often feel and offers concrete tips for enlisting the help of partners in assigning equal time for individual pursuits. She goes on to detail the process of creative exploration, broadly defined as anything that piques curiosity and fulfills personal values. While this brand of creativity boosterism is not especially novel, what resonates are the challenges to reconnect to one’s values and dream big. The stated audience is gender inclusive, but the takeaways will be particularly relevant to women raising children while balancing other commitments. Whimsical design details and plentiful stories round out an attractive package. It would make for a welcome gift passed around the late-night PTA crowd. Agent: Yfat Reiss Gendell, YRG Partners.