Bitch Is the New Black: A Memoir

Strong, sassy, always surprising—and titled after a Saturday Night Live “Weekend Update” monologue by Tina Fey—Bitch Is the New Black is a deliciously addictive memoir-in-essays in which Helena Andrews goes from being the daughter of the town lesbian to a hot-shot political reporter… all while trying to answer the question, “can a strong, single, and successful black woman ever find love?” Fans of Sloane Crosley (I Was Told There’d Be Cake) will love the bold and brassy Bitch Is the New Black.

• Witty Nonfiction: A collection of sharp, unapologetic essays fueled by pop culture, razor-sharp observations, and the kind of brutal honesty you only get from your best friend after midnight.
• Humorous Memoir: Follow Helena’s journey from being the daughter of the town lesbian to a political reporter navigating the D.C. shark tank, one professional and personal disaster at a time.
• Dating and Relationships: A hilarious and painfully relatable look at the search for love as a successful Black woman, from dodging the "Nigerian E-mail Scam of ex-sorta-boyfriends" to being cursed as the "perfect girl."
• Mother-Daughter Stories: Explore the one-of-a-kind bond between Helena and her mother, Frances, in brutally honest and funny tales of kidnapping, life lessons, and riding in cars with lesbians.

Bitch Is the New Black follows Andrews—sexy, single, and a self-described smart-ass—on her trip from kidnapped daughter of a lesbian to Washington, D.C., political reporter who can't remember a single senator's name. Told in Andrews's singular voice, this addictive memoir explores the roller coaster of being educated and single while trying to become an "actual adult" and find love. In these unafraid and often brutally frank essays, she comes to realize that being a bitch is sometimes the best way to be...except, of course, when it's not.

“The scathingly witty author examines a wide variety of topics that, beneath the jokes and sarcasm, address weighty issues (depression, aging, abortion) with wry astuteness…An irreverent, savvy and sharp memoir.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Bitch Is the New Black is an authentic fresh exploration of what it is to be young, black, and single right now—from a voice both outrageously funny and heartbreakingly honest.” - Shonda Rhimes, creator of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice"

“I didn’t like this book. I loved it....I’m giving copies to all of my girlfriends who have crazy families, love lives that revolve around IM, and, of course, I’m pretending I helped Helen write it.” - Angela Nissel, author of Mixed and The Broke Diaries

“[A] bitingly funny — and honest — read....[Andrews] establishes herself as an individual, proving that the women who fit into the “strong (single) black woman” category are more complex than the one-dimensional persona lets on.” - Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers

“Andrews’ combination of personal anecdote and analysis of success and race makes her tales unique. And at the same time, her exploration of gender in America is one surely any woman can relate to.” - Bust Magazine

“With honesty and wit...Andrews is not afraid to reveal anything, even her bra size.” - Washington Post