Ambition Monster

A Memoir

De: Jennifer Romolini

Narrado por: Jennifer Romolini

An “intimate, intensely resonant memoir about workaholism, unresolved trauma, and the ‘addictive nature of ambition’” (Harper’s Bazaar), this is an anti-girlboss tale for our times for readers of Drinking: A Love Story and Uncanny Valley.

After years of relentlessly racing up the professional ladder, Jennifer Romolini reached the kind of success many crave: a high-profile, C-suite dream job, a book well-received enough that reporters wanted to know the secrets to her success, and a gig traveling around the country giving speeches on “making it.” But beneath this polished surface was a powder keg of unresolved trauma and chronic overwork. It was all about to blow.

Ambition Monster is a gutsy and powerful look at workaholism, the lingering effect of childhood trauma, and the failures of our modern rat race. This is a Cinderella story of success and a brutal appraisal of the cost of capitalism—perfect for people pleasers, overachievers, and those whose traumas have driven them to be perfect, no matter the cost. “If you find yourself on the other end of burnout, trying desperately to figure out a new way forward—wow, is this book for you” (Anne Helen Petersen, author of Can’t Even).

Amazing.

I dont have the words to explain how amazing this book is, just… thank you for writing it!

A very captivating and honest life story

I loved Jen’s writing style and the story of her life’s ups and downs. Very relatable and honest filled with the good bad and the ugly.

Honest, authentic, relatable

While Jenn’s story is her own, her insights and lessons are so relatable. The writing is vivid and emotional. Highly recommend.

Spoke to my soul

I found this book based on a friend recommendation. I knew from the title alone it would be exactly what I needed to hear and I loved Jennifer’s writing style and storytelling as it was so palpable, vulnerable, raw and real. I felt seen, heard, and sometime gut punched as I listened to her story. I didn’t know of Jennifer before reading this book but I’m so thankful to have discovered this book and for her taking the time to share her journey. This was a GREAT read and I highly recommend!

Authentic, smart and thought provoking.

I loved this book! Great narration by the author who is intelligent, articulate and entertaining. She touched on topics around childhood trauma, that I've struggled with and explored in therapy for many years, and shed new light on them. I related to her career stress as if she was describing my own experiences. This is an important book of human emotions that are very relatable.

Hits home in so many ways.

Right book, right time of life. Big thank you to Jenn for writing this - for herself and for those of us who have been running up the ladder with something to prove.

Love love love

Wow, I burned through this book like it was my job! Truly an endearing and heartwarming personal story sprinkled with moments of laughing out loud (which I rarely do). The author feels like a friend who describes life better than you can, making you feel less alone and far more understood.

An important and timely book

I found the story very compelling and relatable as someone who also grew up in a chaotic home and internalized a punishing perfectionist work ethic as my primary means of escape. The author’s story really helped me to understand how my own childhood and familial trauma led to my unhealthy relationship with work. It definitely helped me to be kinder to myself about having spent decades neglecting my health, personal life and relationships due to putting all of my energy and time into my career.
Thank you Jennifer Romolini for putting this into the world!

Authentic and Transcendental

For performance driven females born in the 70s and 80s this assures you are not alone. Thank you Jennifer for writing this book and taking the time to piece the epiphanies together and share them.

Intimate, grungy, and authentic

A collection of well told stories read by the author about the author’s personal workaholic journey of being told what you should want in life, wanting it all, and what it costs (emotional, social, financial, cultural) to get it. Authentic, acknowledging of privilege, while describing emotional, personal and corporate inequities experienced. This story feels intimate, grungy, and validating of my own life experience growing up in the 1990s-2000s. It’s like a long form editorial article that I wish I had read in Sassy magazine in my late teens, early 20s.