Becoming Duchess Goldblatt (Anonymous) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
Deeply satisfying, unexpectedly moving.… As lovable as the duchess herself…. Duchess and Anonymous subtly, slowly become one person. She no longer feels alone; neither do her subjects. People find solace in this fictional character—and Anonymous does, too.
Julie Klam - New York Times Book Review


There's no recipe for Duchess Goldblatt tweets, but they often amount to one part conventional wisdom and two parts surrealism, with some grandmotherly tenderness or saltiness sprinkled in for good measure.… Her feed is one of the few places on the internet devoted to spreading unadulterated joy.… Becoming Duchess Goldblatt recontextualizes the Twitter account as a therapeutic exercise.
Kate Dwyer - New York Times


Her proclamations sound like pithy lines from a standup special—that is, if the comedian was God and if God was an 81-year-old woman from the 17th century.… [H]er community.… [finds] her amusing, comforting, assuring.… It's loving the bizarre and cherishing the weird that Goldblatt does best. And it's why so many people trust her to tell them how to live, how to treat themselves with more compassion, how to treat each other better, too.
Boston Globe


Becoming Duchess Goldblatt is many things, all of them splendid…. The best sort of self-help, demonstrating that creativity, generosity and even Twitter… can offer salvation and lift all boats…. The book is enriched by two distinct voices: one frank and vulnerable, the other all-knowing.…This sort of anonymity, in a time of too much oversharing on too many platforms, is a respite. We need magic. The book's timing is inspired. It's a summer cocktail of a book.
Washington Post


A source of wry wisdom and off-kilter commentary...A testament to the powers of redemption, reinvention, and yes, country singer Lyle Lovett.
Christian Science


A life-affirming memoir packed with hilarity and candid observations about life and love.
Marie Claire


Surely you follow Duchess Goldblatt on Twitter? If not, do yourself a favor and hit that button to subscribe to her delightful musings. In Becoming Duchess Goldblatt, the Duchess' real-life anonymous creator writes about crafting one of Twitter's (if not the Internet's) best accounts and healing herself in the process.
Real Simple


The Duchess is a light shining in the darkness, a beacon for troubled souls…. Her presence has uplifted her human avatar, even as it heartens Her Grace's ever-growing audience of "loons" and "rascals." … [A]s the Duchess would say—her love is real.
BookPage


A surprising, joyful story of social media at its best.
Booklist


(Starred review) How does a fictional character write a real memoir? Very, very well.… [The author has] created a long-term fever dream of humor, compassion, wordplay, and dog photos. A fascinating memoir by a 21st-century original.
Kirkus Reviews