My Year with Eleanor: A Memoir

By Noelle Hancock

“I honestly loved this book.”
—Jim Norton, New York Times bestselling author of I Hate Your Guts

“Eleanor taught Noelle that, first and foremost, Courage Takes Practice. Her yearlong quest to face her terrors, great and small, is moving, enriching, and hilarious—we readers are lucky to be along for the ride.”
—Julie Powell, bestselling author of Julie & Julia

In the tradition of My Year of Living Biblically and Eat Pray Love comes My Year with Eleanor, Noelle Hancock’s hilarious tale of her decision to heed the advice of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and do one thing a day that scares her in the year before her 30th birthday. Fans of Sloane Crosley and Chelsea Handler will absolutely adore Hancock’s charming and outrageous chronicle of her courageous endeavor and delight in her poignant and inspiring personal growth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jun 7, 2011
• ISBN: 9780062092137

Noelle Hancock

NOELLE HANCOCK is a former staff writer for the New York Observer. Her work has appeared in GQ, Gawker, Us Weekly, and elsewhere. She was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and graduated from Yale University. She lives in Manhattan with her parakeets, Jesus and Stuart. Her parents are still holding out for law school.

Reviews for My Year with Eleanor

[plancultivatecreate · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book is a memoir of the author's experience around fear and courage - I liked the idea, but I think I have read a few too many "year-long" project books, so I am shelving this a little more than mid-way through. I just couldn't relate. However, if you like this genre, you will be sure to enjoy this book.

[ladykat_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book is a memoir of the author's experience around fear and courage - I liked the idea, but I think I have read a few too many "year-long" project books, so I am shelving this a little more than mid-way through. I just couldn't relate. However, if you like this genre, you will be sure to enjoy this book.

[readingfiend_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Noelle Hancock loses her job as a blogger for a website for one of the current celebrity magazines. With no job in sight and having read a few books about Eleanor Roosevelt, she decides to spend the year dealing with her fears. They included skydiving, swimming with sharks as a few of the major fears. She tried to put herself out there in her fear every day in some manner.It was an interesting book because it made me want to know more about Eleanor Roosevelt! I sometimes had trouble reading about someone who although she probably could have gotten a new job quickly - didn't. She spent the year spending money on adventures to conquer her fears - and write this book, so I guess there was an end to the means!Enjoyable, quick read and I enjoyed the Eleanor insight.

[rayski_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Noelle Hancock provides us her experience of a year of facing her fears head on. I found her very easy to read, funny and insightful. Often I found myself unexpectedly pausing to reliving my own experiences and whether I handled them as best I could or did I take the easy way out and why did I. I also found the book as a good introduction for me to Eleanor Roosevelt. I knew very little about Eleanor but am thoroughly intrigued now to read more about her as she seems to be a fascinating person who accomplished amazing things and apparently put her mark on this country.

[vantine-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is impossible not to like Noelle Hancock in her year long journey of self-discovery. Yes, she is lucky to be able to take a year away from paid employment to devote herself to nothing but facing her fears but she does not allow herself to paint an overwhelmingly flattering picture of herself.
Eleanor Roosevelt is a supporting character in the book and receives the same honest assessment that Hancock gives herself.

This book would be recommended for fans of books like Julie and Julia and similar memoirs as well as
self help fans looking for something along the lines of Augusten Burrough's recent book, This is How.

[bogopea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book. Well-written, funny, charming, forthcoming and a lot of it resonated with me.

[nancyjak · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Noelle Hancock loses her job as a blogger for a website for one of the current celebrity magazines. With no job in sight and having read a few books about Eleanor Roosevelt, she decides to spend the year dealing with her fears. They included skydiving, swimming with sharks as a few of the major fears. She tried to put herself out there in her fear every day in some manner.It was an interesting book because it made me want to know more about Eleanor Roosevelt! I sometimes had trouble reading about someone who although she probably could have gotten a new job quickly - didn't. She spent the year spending money on adventures to conquer her fears - and write this book, so I guess there was an end to the means!Enjoyable, quick read and I enjoyed the Eleanor insight.

[debnance_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Noelle is full of fears. She is afraid of all the usual things, like heights and public speaking. And she has many, many other fears, big and small.But she copes with these. Until one day she doesn’t. She loses her job and all her fears come flooding her brain. Paralyzed.Then she runs across a quote of Eleanor Roosevelt: “Do one thing every day that scares you.”So she does. She choose one thing every day that frightens her and she does it. She gets better and stronger every day. Note: She is guided by a wise and caring therapist. Some of my favorite parts of her year long challenge were her meetings with her therapist, and the gently clever ideas he shared with her.

[mlake_22 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book! Noelle is smart and funny and just like the rest of us she struggles with being afraid. After being fired from a celebrity blogging job she is at loose ends, until she sees a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt that changes her world - at least for a year. "Do one thing every day that scares you." is taken to heart as Noelle begins her year of fear. Karaoke, skydiving, small airplanes, past boyfriends are a few of the fears she faces. I didn't want her year to end and look forward to reading more by this author.

[reviewsbymolly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm not a big memoir reader, but, every once in a great while, I come to one that absolutely calls to me before I ever open the book. Noelle Hancock's is one. When I read the description of the book, I just knew that I had to read it. I knew it would be funny, yet deeply enlightening book about facing your fears. I've had a few fears that I wish I could have taken on the way Noelle did, that's for sure. I mean, I'm sure everyone's got some fear of something. Noelle's book of how she tackled them will help you get through them! I loved the writing style the Noelle used. It read so fast and easy like a fiction novel. It was entertaining in the way that she created her life story,after being laid off , and how Eleanor Roosevelt inspired her. She really pulled me into the heart of her work, and took me for a ride beside her! And, oh what a ride it was! One quote was all it took to turn Noelle's life into a whirl wind of challenge. Seeing the way it changed Noelle after her fear facing year, really made me think about my fears and whether or not I have TRULY faced any of them. And, the answer is no. I haven't completely faced them at all. But, after this, I will definitely be making a list of my fears and working hard to face them all! If you are a memoir lover, or someone looking for an inspiring and laugh out loud, un-put-downable book, then I HIGHLY recommend this fantastic 5 star book by Noelle! You'll certainly be thinking about that one year challenge long after you've shut the book! Great job, Noelle!