Overview

A witty, behind-the-scenes memoir of life as Iceland's First Lady, national bestselling author Eliza Reid's story reveals how resilience, humor, and boldness can turn unexpected challenges into extraordinary opportunities. What if finding your voice matters most when you feel out of place? In early 2016, Eliza Reid's biggest daily goals were modest but meaningful: showering without one of her four kids bursting into the bathroom, juggling clients without dropping a deadline, and growing the writers' retreat she was building from scratch. What wasn't on her bingo card? That her husband--a bookish, cardigan-wearing history professor -- would run for president of Iceland ... and seven weeks later, actually win. Suddenly, Canadian-born Eliza was catapulted into a new life as First Lady of her adopted country, with the eyes of a nation watching her every move--as someone's wife. Absent an instruction manual (she Googled how to curtsey before meeting the Queen of Denmark), she decided to do what she'd always done: figure it out on her own terms. Part fish out-of-water story and part fairy tale, The First Lady Next Door takes readers from rural Ontario to Timbuktu, and from the White House to Buckingham Palace. Eliza shows how embracing authenticity in all its messiness can become our greatest strength, even when the world expects polished perfection. After all, our everyday moments are what create the roadmap for making the unexpected count.

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9781464243042

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Reviews

""I think what Eliza has managed to do in her new memoir is to cheer on the inner nerd who lives inside of us all. I laughed out loud so many times at the banal yet totally fascinating situations she found herself in--and could relate to how life can be completely and wonderfully unpredictable. Read this book and get to know one of the most interesting women I've ever met."" -- Jann Arden, #1 bestselling author of The Bittlemores and Feeding My Mother ""What do you do when your ordinary life suddenly includes royal carriages, state visits, photo sessions, and invitations to the White House? I raced through this delightful, thought-provoking memoir, in which Eliza Reid explains how she made the most of an unexpected opportunity by finding and using her voice as Iceland's First Lady."" -- Gretchen Rubin, #1 New York Times bestselling author ""An intimate, engaging memoir the details Reid's life as Iceland's First Lady, this book is also a potent argument for female identity and being true to yourself even when you're on constant display. This is a warmhearted, smart read that is a real delight."" -- Susan Orlean, #1 national bestselling author ""Eliza Reid is brilliant, passionate, and accomplished--yet funny as heck and so down to earth. Read The First Lady Next Door and you will feel you have made a truly remarkable new best friend."" -- Jeannette Walls, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle ""With her lovely debut memoir, former First Lady Eliza Reid shows women (and anyone paying attention) how to set their own course and defy expectations. She does so with a disarming humor, deep self-reflection, and a core set of values that never waver, even when her life takes dramatic turns."" -- Stacey Abrams, #1 New York Times bestselling author, politician, and voting rights activist

""What do you do when your ordinary life suddenly includes royal carriages, state visits, photo sessions, and invitations to the White House? I raced through this delightful, thought-provoking memoir, in which Eliza Reid explains how she made the most of an unexpected opportunity by finding and using her voice as Iceland's First Lady."" -- Gretchen Rubin, #1 New York Times bestselling author ""An intimate, engaging memoir the details Reid's life as Iceland's First Lady, this book is also a potent argument for female identity and being true to yourself even when you're on constant display. This is a warmhearted, smart read that is a real delight."" -- Susan Orlean, #1 national bestselling author ""Eliza Reid is brilliant, passionate, and accomplished--yet funny as heck and so down to earth. Read The First Lady Next Door and you will feel you have made a truly remarkable new best friend."" -- Jeannette Walls, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle ""With her lovely debut memoir, former First Lady Eliza Reid shows women (and anyone paying attention) how to set their own course and defy expectations. She does so with a disarming humor, deep self-reflection, and a core set of values that never waver, even when her life takes dramatic turns."" -- Stacey Abrams, #1 New York Times bestselling author, politician, and voting rights activist

Author Information

Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, and cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for more than twenty years. Her first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors' Pick, and translated into numerous languages. From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland. Eliza lives in the outskirts of Reykjavik with her husband and four children.

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