I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself

One Woman's Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris

De: Glynnis MacNicol

Narrado por: Glynnis MacNicol

“A delight, the literary equivalent of a long catch-up with a brilliant friend.” —New York Times

“One of the most talked-about books of the year.” —Gayle King

When you’re a woman of a certain age, you are only promised that everything will get worse. But what if everything you’ve been told is a lie?

Come to Paris, August 2021, when the City of Lights was still empty of tourists and a thirst for long-overdue pleasure gripped those who wandered its streets.

After New York City emptied out in March 2020, Glynnis MacNicol, aged forty-six, unmarried with no children, spent sixteen months alone in her tiny Manhattan apartment. The isolation was punishing. A year without touch. Women are warned of invisibility as they age, but this was an extreme loneliness no one can prepare you for. When the opportunity to sublet a friend’s apartment in Paris arose, MacNicol jumped on it. Leaving felt less like a risk than a necessity.

What follows is a decadent, joyful, unexpected journey into one woman’s pursuit of radical enjoyment.

The weeks in Paris are filled with friendship and food and sex. There is dancing on the Seine; a plethora of gooey cheese; midnight bike rides through empty Paris; handsome men; afternoons wandering through the empty Louvre; nighttime swimming in the ocean off a French island. And yes, plenty of nudity.

In the spirit of Nora Ephron and Deborah Levy (think Colette . . . if she’d had access to dating apps), I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself is an intimate, insightful, powerful, and endlessly pleasurable memoir of an intensely lived experience whose meaning and insight expand far beyond the personal narrative. MacNicol is determined to document the beauty, excess, and triumph of a life that does not require permission.

The pursuit of enjoyment is a political act, both a right and a responsibility. Enjoying yourself—as you are—is not something the world tells you is possible, but it is.

Here’s the proof.

Over thought?

Several interesting points. Some of the viewpoints are very singular. The comparisons to women of history and artwork is a great idea but over done.

Great book, pronunciation of French words was cringe

I loved the writing, and this is probably nit picky, but the pronunciation of French words was distractingly bad. For someone who’s been to Paris multiple times and who is curious about the world, you would think she’d at least learn how to pronounce basics like “vin” correctly. That aside, this was a great mix of personal narrative, history, and meditation on the joy of growing older as a woman. I’d definitely recommend this book (but brace yourself or go for the written version if you’re a French speaker).

Well written and relatable

I found this book to be fun, relatable, inspiring, and empowering. Highly recommend. I also don’t mind her voice as it feels familiar and endearing. Enjoy!

Boring

The narrator had very limited tone and very crisp style, not easy to listen to.

Loved it!

Went by like a breeze. Glynnis puts you in Paris and along for her pleasurable ride!