Not Safe For Work: Author of the viral essay 'My boyfriend, a writer, broke up with me because I am a writer'

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For fans of The Morning Show and My Dark Vanessa , a compulsively readable debut novel about a young woman trying to succeed in Hollywood without selling her soul You are young, ambitious, college-educated and a feminist. Your new job is in television. To climb the ranks, you do whatever it takes- - Pull all-nighters - Lean on your powerful mother's contacts - Stay in shape at cult-like fitness classes - Secretly wear your boss's fitbit to improve his stepcount - and his temper You know the rules of this world. When someone senior tells you how pretty you look, you smile and thank him - and make a mental note never to wear that dress alone with him again. When whispers start to circle that your office might have 'a bit of a rape problem,' and your close friend confesses her own unsettling encounter, you know there is plenty to gain from staying silent, and all too much to lose through speaking out. And of course, you know your own boss is one of the good guys . . . don't you With blisteringly sharp prose and a darkly humorous voice, Not Safe For Work is an unflinching exploration of the grey area between empowerment and complicity, and a searing, unforgettable portrait of what success costs in a patriarchal world.

Reviews

Glittering. A funny, spiky compulsive story about toxic workplaces, lean-in culture and #MeToo * Evening Standard *
A frank account of leaning in and its inherent filthiness. Kaplan captures the psychological, and at times literal, gymnastics required of striving women -- Raven Leilani, New York Times bestselling author of Luster
Readers who were obsessed with My Dark Vanessa, this one is for you. A blistering look at the hidden side of Hollywood * Glamour, 'BEST NEW BOOKS' *
Wholly engrossing and shrewdly observational . . . that rare kind of read that made me giggle just as much as it left me gutted -- Zakiya Dalila Harris, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Black Girl
Sharp, funny . . . The writing is fresh and stylish and the conversational tone helps the thought-provoking narrative zip along. I loved it * Daily Mail *
Frank, funny and unputdownable . . . behind the glitter and the justice, everyone is tarnished and compromised - including even our narrator. Kaplan, with her sharp and nuanced eye, sees it all, and tells it brilliantly -- Claire Messud, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman Upstairs
Deliciously sharp, ridiculously funny, and surprisingly heartfelt . . . I cannot wait to discuss it with everyone I know -- Coco Mellors, author of Cleopatra and Frankenstein
Brilliantly deadpan and spiky in all the right ways. An accurate, darkly funny but also brutal portrayal of everyday workplace and world power dynamics. I couldn't put it down -- Emily Itami, Costa-shortlisted author of Fault Lines
With her sun-bleached Hollywood setting, Kaplan transports us to another world - one which is achingly familiar. A novel which makes us examine our own complicity, while also weaving in threads of tenderness, drive and office-based humour which at times feels delightfully absurd . . . I inhaled this book - and came up for air still reeling -- Katie Hale, author of My Name is Monster
Ambition bites back in Isabel Kaplan's Not Safe For Work, a novel that hits close to a few recent news events . . . So visceral is the narrator's voice that every time I opened the book felt like sliding into uncomfortable heels. Brave * New York Times *
An intoxicating exploration of male-dominated workplaces . . . NSFW is gripping, with a lot to unpack, making it excellent book-club fodder * TIME, Best Books of July 2022 *
An energetic page-turner with plenty of delicious insights into Hollywood . . . and countless witty, wry passages * Jewish Chronicle *
Frank, funny and unputdownable, Isabel Kaplan's NSFW takes you on an ambitious young woman's wild ride through Hollywood. Her mother's a famous feminist lawyer, and she's a rising executive star, mistress of her destiny. But behind the glitter and the justice, everyone is tarnished and compromised - including even our narrator. Kaplan, with her sharp and nuanced eye, sees it all, and tells it brilliantly. -- Claire Messud * - *
A frank account of the inherent filthiness of leaning in. A study of the psychological, and at times literal, gymnastics that are required of striving women. -- Raven Leilaini * - *
I read this steely investigation of workplace ambition and patriarchal complicity in one sitting, my alliances shifting with every page. Funny, insightful, and enraging in all the best ways, NSFW is a fiercely smart debut that turns its gaze back on the reader, forcing you to ask just how far you'd go - and who you'd throw under the bus - for a seat at the table. -- Julie Buntin * - *

Author Bio

Isabel Kaplan graduated from Harvard and holds an MFA in creative writing from NYU. She was born and raised in Los Angeles.