Some of Our Parts

‘Some of Our Parts is asking us to make an effort to think with curiosity and without having already decided on our conclusion, to showcase our unique identities regardless of how they might not ‘fit’, and this is excellent’ – Marian Keyes‘In a world where everyone is starting to sound the same, I can recognise a Laura Kennedy essay at fifty paces. Sharp and deeply funny, Laura arms her readers to interrogate the world with greater wisdom and depth. She’s that rare thing: a philosopher that you actually want at a dinner party’ – Caroline O’Donoghue‘Laura Kennedy’s wise, thoughtful and provocative memoir challenges us to consider the very modern rush to define ourselves using labels and identities. Do we really need them to tell the story of who we are? Are such rigid definitions useful or limiting? Might there be freedom in rejecting them? Kennedy explores all of this with warmth, humour and searing intelligence. An important book for our times’ – Roisin Ingle‘A fascinating dissection of the labels we apply to ourselves, and others apply to us, executed through the lens of Laura Kennedy’s unique incisive mind’ – Liadán Hynes * author of How to Fall Apart *‘Women deserve better than to be soft-served self-help and personal development via crystals and any other number of intangible nonsense. Some of Our Parts cuts through the all the platitudinous garbage of understanding who you are, what you stand for and what you want from life in a way in a way that’s accessible, real and achievable. If you want self-actualisation, Laura Kennedy has you covered’ – Emma Guns * the Emma Guns Show *‘I greatly enjoy writers whose work leaves me feeling loads more learned than I actually am. Kennedy is one of them and this intensely thoughtful and philosophical exploration into identity has left me feeling as though I should give myself an honorary doctorate. Brilliantly written, expertly presented and with her always-present touch of humour’ – Ruth Crilly * A Model Recommends *‘Laura Kennedy has the gift of bringing philosophy to life by applying those “big questions” to the everyday, familiar, shared experiences of being human. Some of Our Parts is a deeply intimate, thought-provoking, accessible (and often humorous) look at how we become who we are and thinks about how we can be more thoughtfully present in that process’ – Helen Pluckrose * author of Cynical Theories *‘Laura is an acute, intelligent and accurate observer and this book successfully combines psychology, philosophy and modern thinking in a fresh and vibrant way’ – Brian O’Connell * journalist *‘A sharp and distinctive book … There are moments of warmth, humour and naked honesty, and the end product is wise, thoughtful and much more’ * Psychologies Magazine *

Laura Kennedy is an Irish writer. She writes a weekly column on Substack called Peak Notions, a thought-provoking exploration of the questions we’re not supposed to ask. She has a PhD in the philosophy of psychology and has contributed to titles including The Irish Times, The Sunday Times Style, Grazia and Vogue. Her writing spans culture, lifestyle and politics.

In Some of Our Parts, Kennedy explores the complexity of identity labels through memoir with warmth, insight and signature humour, considering how we might figure out who the hell we are in a world so eager to tell us.