{"title":"Lisa Portolan","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the captivating world of Lisa Portolan, where thought-provoking narratives and insightful commentary come together across a range of genres. Lisa Portolan, an accomplished author, invites readers to explore diverse themes in her engaging books, from relationships and personal growth to societal observations. Whether you're delving into the complexities of modern romance in \u003cem\u003e\"Ten Ways to Find Love … and How to Keep It\"\u003c\/em\u003e, or contemplating societal expectations in \u003cem\u003e\"High Maintenance Women\"\u003c\/em\u003e, you are sure to find something that resonates deeply.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePortolan brings both wit and wisdom to her stories, offering keen observations and intelligent analysis that challenge conventional thinking. Her inclusion of the book \u003cem\u003e\"Boobs\"\u003c\/em\u003e within her repertoire underscores her boldness in addressing subjects often left undiscussed, offering readers fresh perspectives in Science \u0026amp; Nature. Meanwhile, \u003cem\u003e\"The Overthinkers\"\u003c\/em\u003e dives into a narrative that many will find familiarly introspective, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in General Fiction or a reflective look at modern life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond fiction, Lisa’s work extends into Education \u0026amp; Reference, and Parenting \u0026amp; Family, enriching her readers with enlightening content that broadens horizons and stimulates thoughtful conversation. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to her work, Lisa Portolan’s books promise a fulfilling and enriching reading experience.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"high-maintenance-women-by-lisa-portolan-9781922896162","title":"High Maintenance Women","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHigh Maintenance Women\u003c\/em\u003e was so funny and hugely relatable, being a modern woman. I felt like I was having a conversation with one of my girlfriends and sharing our experiences. HIGHLY RECOMMEND and cannot wait to pass onto my friends to read.” - Brooke Blurton (Director) – The Barefoot Company\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA modern-day women’s manifesto: a look at how love, romance, and the digital domain police women's behaviours.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBe the cool girl and get the guy. Otherwise you're ... Too fat or too thin; too clever or too stupid; too free or too restricted. You need to be .... Pretty but relatable, not difficult, not demanding - yes, virtually invisible. Play down your attributes, your wants, your needs and most definitely, don't be high maintenance!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe term “high-maintenance” is part of everyday speech, and usually refers to a woman who places a high value on her personal image, wants or needs. Often uttered within the context of dating, the implication is the woman in question is too much hard work. Rarely, if ever, do we come across the term “high-maintenance man”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn a daily basis women are deliberately portraying themselves as “low-maintenance”, “chill” and “cool”. Hidden behind these seemingly insignificant, even innocuous words, is something far more sinister. They tend to describe the multitude of ways women reign themselves in to appease men.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe “high-maintenance” woman is too much to handle – confirming known stereotypes that women are expected to be quiet, subservient, opinion-less, and always amenable. That they shouldn’t be difficult. This rhetoric is dangerous. It teaches women around the world, and distressingly, the next generation that they need to play into a male stereotype of what a woman should be – and that’s smaller, and less than.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a call to arms to women. To take up as much space as you like. To be as clever, as made-up, as dull, as vibrant, as curious, or as difficult as you choose. To live wildly. To occupy and embrace different spaces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is your moment to be, yes, high maintenance. Embrace it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46657889009900,"sku":"9781922896162","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/17372743482872.jpg?v=1752494954"},{"product_id":"the-overthinkers-by-lisa-portolan-9781922488176","title":"The Overthinkers","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour people, figuring out sex, love, and how to ‘adult.’ Sydney - one of those places that just consumes you. A private school boy, a tortured drug dealer, a starving writer, and a gay outcast try to do their best as they navigate through the unspoken rules that govern the fast-paced, status-obsessed harbour city.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenji:\u003c\/strong\u003e desperate to stand on his own, and be perceived as separate from his status-driven family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrancesca:\u003c\/strong\u003e plotting her remarkable and glamorous future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLeo:\u003c\/strong\u003e the confident gay-sian, but despite the pretence, lacks a sense of identity and self-worth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHamish:\u003c\/strong\u003e fell into drugs to distinguish himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFour stories interlaced together. Anxiety masked as confidence. Ambitions as arrogance. Insecurities which fester … until the cracks appear in the perfect façade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"I laughed. I cried. Sometimes at the same time!\"\u003c\/em\u003e - Tim Ferguson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Portolan and Cheong’s voices stitch seamlessly together to lay out a funny, honest and extremely relatable story, so clearly born of the 2020s. I couldn’t get enough of it!\"\u003c\/em\u003e - Marlee Silva.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46672311025900,"sku":"9781922488176","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/1b7aea24d9b550aa8bceab50f80424a7.jpg?v=1752989294"},{"product_id":"boobs-by-amanda-goff-9781760689919","title":"Boobs","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor most of her life, unconcernedly flat-chested author and academic Dr Lisa Portolan had never really thought about her breasts, or boobs in general. But then she met Amanda Goff—aka former escort Samantha X—fellow author, journalist and owner of a huge pair of breasts. A friendship formed, then a working relationship... and as the two women embarked on business dealings together, the monolithic power of mammary glands became glaringly apparent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAll too often, men would ogle Amanda's chest in meetings, text her romantic\/perverse messages, and try to get into her pants. The same men would focus their attention on Lisa’s face, send her professional emails, and otherwise ignore her. Lisa was left pondering whether she should have her breasts augmented in order to become more visible, while Amanda wondered whether she should have hers reduced. But they both found themselves asking the same question: why all the fuss about boobs?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLisa and Amanda don't pretend to have all the answers—they're not even sure how they feel about them most of the time. But that's precisely the point. \u003ci\u003eBoobs\u003c\/i\u003e is a smart, irreverent, wide-ranging and often hilarious conversation about the human and social-historical journey of breasts, richly illustrated with personal anecdotes and perspectives from coauthors at opposite ends of the bust spectrum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its eclectic mix of chest-related topics—from our fixation with symmetry to the judgy debates about breastfeeding—\u003ci\u003eBoobs\u003c\/i\u003e celebrates our messy, often ridiculous and always complex relationship with these culturally charged appendages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46854119948524,"sku":"9781760689919","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/eeb988d9720a87631b5245cabf7785aa.jpg?v=1759271028"},{"product_id":"ten-ways-to-find-love-and-how-to-keep-it-by-lisa-portolan-9781760689667","title":"Ten Ways to Find Love … and How to Keep It","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEveryone is looking for love ... but the search for love in the 21st century is fraught with obstacles (not least among them pandemics), uncertainties (does romantic love really exist, and if it does, are we worthy of it?) and contradictions (the popularity of dating apps versus our cynicism about them).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough modern society and media have sold us the fairytale of that one big, romantic love, most people don't think it can be discovered on dating apps. Sure, you can find a hook-up, but \u003ci\u003ethat person\u003c\/i\u003e needs to be announced by some special, face-to-face, meet-cute experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eComplicating the issue is our consumer culture's fixation on the disposable and the new. When it comes to finding love, many of us become stuck in a cycle of looking for the next, \u003ci\u003eeven better\u003c\/i\u003e relationship. Ironically, while we're on this quest for romantic novelty, we may also be craving long-term partnerships, feeling like failures if we don't achieve them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHow can we reconcile these conflicting desires?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA media commentator, podcaster, and academic, with a PhD in dating apps and intimacy, Dr Lisa Portolan has conducted hundreds of interviews over many years on the question of what love looks like in the digital age. Drawing on her findings, she presents strategies to help you navigate the complexities of real-world relationships in order to achieve — and maintain — a successful, committed partnership. Case studies are woven throughout, representing all aspects of the seeking, finding, and keeping of love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd what is the most profound lesson to be drawn from this incisive, compassionate, often humorous handbook? Ultimately, the pursuit of love is not just about finding a soulmate — it's about becoming a better version of ourselves in the process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47082669998316,"sku":"9781760689667","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/ed9aa6d3c522dfc24dbdeca7329cd3ea.jpg?v=1765311841"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/lisa-portolan.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}