Illustration: Nathalie Lees / Penguin
It is a rare – and fortunate – person who hasn’t felt the cold grip of panic that they are quite inexplicably out of their depth, whether that’s in the workplace or a swimming pool. ‘Imposter syndrome’ has become common parlance over the past decade, particularly with, but not unique to, the millennial condition.
In fact, it was first defined in 1978, by the psychologists Pauline Rose Clane and Suzanne Imes. They argued that women were unique in being affected by imposter syndrome, though more recent studies have shown that all sorts of people are capable of experiencing the tell-tale signs of feeling inadequate or like they might be found out at any moment: imposter syndrome is particularly prevalent among high achievers, creative people and students, which means that authors are all too familiar with it. In fact, renowned novelist Maya Angelou may have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize (and earned 50 honorary degrees), but it didn’t mean her immediate reaction to filing another manuscript wasn't, as she once said: “Uh-oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody.”
Our book list below aims to tackle the different ways imposter syndrome manifests itself, so read on for the ultimate fiction and non-fiction guide for surviving it.
Books by successful women on dealing with imposter syndrome
Our favourite interpretation of imposter syndrome comes from Dolly Alderton , whose self-doubt didn’t get in the way of her debut book, Everything I Know About Love
In 2013, Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings examined creative talent and the envy and self-consciousness it could induce in her epic portrayal of four summer camp friends from different backgrounds, who grow up to achieve varying levels of riches and happiness (the two, we learn, don’t always come hand-in-hand). If you’ve ever greeted your closest friends’ successes by smiling through a secret sense of crushing inadequacy, Wolitzer may help (in her subsequent novel, The Female Persuasion , the feminist icon Faith Frank is full of trite, but nevertheless helpful, nuggets of motivational advice such as “anyone who ever gave a speech was once someone who didn’t”).
Based on Moran’s autobiography, this is a fictional coming-of-age story about belonging and self-discovery. Our protagonist is a cautionary tale for what overly reinventing ourselves can do – in order to survive the male-dominated music industry, Johanna Morrigan becomes the rebellious and gothic Dolly Wilde, modelling herself on Oscar Wilde’s scandalous niece. As Johanna/Dolly gets more sucked into the persona of the cynical music critic, abandoning herself and her family, her life starts to fall apart. The message is clear – losing ourselves can mean losing our way altogether, and one worth bearing in mind as we tackle imposter syndrome.
Books on how to build confidence
When it comes to reassuring yourself against self-accusations of fraudulence, certain non-fiction titles may prove more useful. Founders of The Squiggly Career platform Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis are experts in making your career work for you, teaching you how to make all of your experience useful and tackle those all-consuming confidence gremlins head-on. Part handbook, part toolkit, if you use this book right and it really does feel like a one-on-one coaching session from the pros that will ground you in all of the confidence you need.
Do you have an existential crisis every time your alarm goes off? Did you used to be fun/effervescent/happy or just less of an old b*tch? These are the questions Ash Ambirge poses in the opening of the book, spawned from her multi-award-winning company of the same name. It’s an unsurprisingly outspoken guide to achieving success in spite of what your brain may be telling you, packed with wit and a contagious no bullshit attitude. If you’ve ever felt stuck, restless or doubtful, this is the one for you.
Mostly, The Idiot is preoccupied with love – the kind that comes in the form of searing, unrequited crushes. But its subject, second-generation Turkish student Selin, is also no stranger to imposter syndrome when she joins Harvard University in the mid-90s. The kind of unintentionally witty naif who asks of an ethernet cable, “What do we do with this, hang ourselves?”, Selin’s adventures through the Ivy League school are addictively poignant in their awkwardness.
Best memoirs to read on overcoming imposter syndrome
If you’re allergic to self-help, there’s salvation to be found in memoir, too. Tara Westover’s Educated
Perhaps the best advice – and motivation – to shirk your pesky imposter syndrome lies in Michelle Obama’s autobiography, Becoming
Self-professed “gobby MP” Jess Phillips has built her career on speaking the truth, and it’s an incredibly successful one at that. She’s been a Labour MP for eight years and a campaigner for issues such as online abuse and violence against women and girls. Everywoman
