How to Resist Guilt

Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publish date: 21 May 2026
Pages: 304
Language: English

Subjects: Social Science, Feminism & Feminist Theory

A powerful exploration of self-blame, where it comes from, why women are prone to it, and what we can do about it.

Many of us regularly hear a sarcastic, malevolent voice echoing in our heads, attacking us, lecturing us, putting us down. It tells us that whatever we do, we're wrong. It says we're worthless. We don't deserve anything good. We're fundamentally flawed. Our very existence is unjustified. It's a voice that rings out particularly loudly if we're women and belong to a minority group.

In How to Resist Guilt, acclaimed feminist writer Mona Chollet shines a light on this enemy within. What exactly are these fears that have managed to enter the deepest recesses of our minds? How can they be identified? And, importantly, kept at bay?

Exploring the guilt-tripping of women, especially mothers, the cult of work, which indexes our worth strictly in terms of our productivity, and the resurgence of mindsets intent on punishment or retribution, this is a powerful book about that little voice inside us and how to silence it.