Book Review — Figuring Out Thirty (and what really matters)
Written by Louis Harrison, originally pitched to RMITV’s In Review, Jan 2025.
If there is one book you pick up the next time you’re facing an unknown in your life, let it be Bridget Hustwaite’s Figuring Out Thirty.
This book is best described as a memoir meets self-help book. It is a warm and authentic approach to covering feminist topics. It’s an honest account of tackling poignant questions. It’s a book that feels like the advice an older sister would give you while drinking tea together on a couch.
While this book is, unsurprisingly, targeted at 20-something-year-olds approaching their 30s, this book can be enjoyed by younger and older audiences.
Figuring Out Thirty contains 13 chapters that deliver on the promise to explore topics such as aging, breakups, friendships, family trauma, body image, and chronic health conditions. Across these chapters, Hustwaite references articles, podcasts, conversations, her podcast, research studies and other sources.
Imbued with the words of listeners of her podcast of the same name, statistics and research from a variety of sources, Figuring Out Thirty is a collection of thoughts, advice and reflections.
If the name ‘Bridget Hustwaite’ sounds familiar, it’s because she was a presenter on triple j’s evening music show Good Nights following her stint as a producer of SYN’s local music show The Hoist and live music TV show, 1700. She’s also an author, a podcaster and a media personality.
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She’s talked openly about her diagnosis of endometriosis and leaving her dream job at the age of 30 as well as the conflicting emotions that come with being a woman in media.
Some of the emotions non-males feel when approaching life milestones such as turning 30 often in some capacity, reflect social constructs and patriarchy. I’m thinking specifically about how ageing can bring about the fear of expiry or becoming redundant. A quick online search will reveal article upon article and a slew of blog posts either unpacking or debunking the idea. It’s everpresent.
This fear is often embedded and rooted in fear of a biological clock when considering parenthood, self-image or marriage but also social currency in careers and personal lives. Hustwaite tackles these qualms in both herself and her audience with empathy and compassion.
Chapter six: ‘Things I Have Learned About Relationships In My Thirties’ brings Hustwaite’s perspective on aging with the comforting reminder that age is just a number. This sentiment continues to weave in and out of the following chapters.
This book is largely centred around Hustwaite’s own life, but each story she tells offers advice to audiences on how they might navigate similar life experiences or challenges.
Fans of Dolly Alderton’s bestselling memoir, Everything I Know About Love and feminist books like Hannah Ferguson’s Bite Back will adore this book and find comfort in Hustwaite’s experiences.
Whether the unknown in your life is that seemingly insurmountable fear of ‘expiry’ as you age, a question of whether you should quit your job, a breakup or something else, the pages of this book will hold you at that moment and give you a second to recompose and pick yourself back up again.
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Figuring Out Thirty is available in bookstores now. For more info about the book and the author, click here.
