Credit: Momtrends MediaHow to Start arrived at the perfect time to help me stop spiralling. Perhaps I’ve been living under a cultural rock, but I had no idea that Jodi Kantor and Ron Lieber were married. They are two of my favorite New York Times writers. Kantor covered the Supreme Court and was responsible for much of the reporting on Harvey Weinstein that led to his trials and a national — even international — reckoning about power and how men abuse it in the workplace. Ew.
Lieber helped guide my family through the college process with his book How to Pay for College. His thoughtful ideas helped me look for value beyond the big-name schools (see full review here).
I subscribe to Lieber’s newsletters, and his most recent one suggested his wife’s new book. That’s when I put the pieces together about this literary power couple. Side note: I was impressed that Lieber replied to my personal note. I wrote to him about my daughter’s frustrating search for a summer internship and my broader concerns about this current generation of graduates. Based on Lieber’s recommendation, I bought the book.
The premise is simple: offer hope and direction to new graduates. Back in 2025, Jodi delivered the commencement speech at Columbia during a particularly turbulent moment for the university. Amid leadership upheaval and campus unrest, Kantor deliberately chose not to center the Gaza conflict. Instead, she focused on what students most wanted to hear: what comes next.
For the Grads
Our 20-somethings need direction — and a little good news. This book offers both. Kantor doesn’t look at the world through rose-colored glasses. Instead, she uses her reporter’s lens to examine who is succeeding and why opportunities are finding them. Her message is reassuring: you don’t need hundreds of offers. You just need one good match that can launch your career.
The book includes a handful of actionable tips, but more importantly, it offers a mindset for navigating this confusing season of life.
For the Parents
Exploring the themes she writes about leaves you feeling both hopeful and purposeful. Vague optimism is next to useless; we all want advice we can actually use. This is the kind of book you’ll underline, revisit, and keep nearby for the days when things feel especially bleak.
Our Story
This year’s summer internship search was pretty brutal. My daughter’s decision to study abroad took her to Lisbon last fall, and while she was away from the on-campus recruiting cycle, she missed many internship opportunities. I don’t see this as a failure on her part at all. I wanted her to travel freely and fully experience Europe during her semester abroad. Spending every spare moment networking and job hunting didn’t feel like the best use of her precious 90 days before her visa expired.
By the time she seriously began applications and networking in late November — which honestly didn’t seem that late to me — many deadlines had already passed.
What It’s Really Like Out There
Once back in the States, she threw herself into the process. We were fortunate that friends and acquaintances generously shared their time and expertise, but there still weren’t any offers. I could sense her growing fear. Had studying abroad somehow derailed her future?
This spring, she widened her search and finally started seeing some success. That small glimpse of what comes next left both parent and college student feeling nervous. Jodi’s book arrived at exactly the right time.
This is going to be one of the top graduation gifts this season. At under 100 pages, it can easily be read in an hour, but I promise it will spark meaningful dinner-table conversations. Kantor’s work made me feel better, and I plan to recommend this slim little tome to every friend compassionately spiraling alongside their young adults.
Final Thoughts
Practical, reassuring, and deeply timely, How to Start offers both graduates and parents a much-needed reminder that careers rarely unfold in a straight line — and that one meaningful opportunity can change everything. Get it on Amazon here.
One-line takeaway: How to Start is a smart, hopeful read for graduates and the parents cheering them on through an increasingly complicated launch into adulthood.
For fans of: Readers of Ron Lieber, anxious parents of college students, recent graduates, and anyone looking for thoughtful perspective on careers, ambition, and finding direction in uncertain times. And if you loved Anna Quindlen’s A Short Guide to a Happy Life, this is for you.
Where I read it: On a flight while navigating my daughter’s stressful summer internship search — which made every page feel especially relevant.
You can find this—and everything else I’m reading this year—on my running 2026 book list.
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