The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*Ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Paperback – 13 Sept. 2016

This book provides you with solid advice when compared to other self help books. It drives away from the usually feel good advice were you need to be more positive and change your thinking. Instead this book makes you think about who you are and what are your values. Enjoyable read with interesting stories and well informed knowledge.

"The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson is nothing short of a life-altering masterpiece. This book has transformed the way I perceive and navigate through life, and I cannot recommend it enough.Manson's raw, unapologetic, and refreshingly honest approach to self-help is a breath of fresh air in a genre often plagued by clichés and empty promises. From the very beginning, his witty and irreverent writing style grabs your attention and refuses to let go. This isn't your typical self-help book filled with sugar-coated affirmations; it's a no-holds-barred guide to living a more meaningful and fulfilling life.One of the book's most powerful insights is the idea that we have a limited number of f*cks to give in our lives, and it's crucial to choose them wisely. Manson persuasively argues that not caring about everything and everyone is the key to finding genuine happiness and purpose. By embracing our limitations and focusing on what truly matters, we can break free from the constant need for validation and external approval.Manson's personal anecdotes and real-world examples make the book relatable and down-to-earth. He candidly shares his own struggles and failures, making it easy for readers to connect with his message. His writing is peppered with humor, which not only keeps you engaged but also makes some tough truths easier to swallow.Furthermore, Manson's emphasis on embracing life's inherent struggles rather than running from them is a game-changer. He teaches us that it's okay to feel pain, disappointment, and discomfort because they are an essential part of the human experience. By learning to confront and accept these negative experiences, we can grow and become more resilient."The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" is a book that challenges conventional wisdom and societal norms, forcing you to question your values and priorities. It encourages self-reflection and introspection, prompting you to reevaluate what truly matters to you. Whether you're feeling lost, stuck, or simply seeking a fresh perspective on life, this book has the power to spark a profound transformation.In conclusion, Mark Manson's "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" is a five-star masterpiece that I believe should be required reading for everyone seeking a more meaningful and authentic life. It's brutally honest, thought-provoking, and, most importantly, it works. If you're ready to take control of your life, stop sweating the small stuff, and focus on what truly matters, do yourself a favor and read this book. You won't regret it!

Like most people in the comments, it was the title of this book that attracted me. I didn’t actually know it was a self-help book per se, only that the title was eye-catching and something that resonated with me.The reviews reflected this fact in that they were very polarised with most people loving it and some people hating it because “Manson just talks about himself” or “It is just regurgitating other philosophies with swearing thrown in”. Does he talk about himself a bit too much? Well yeh but that was sort of expected, is it regurgitated philosophies from other sources? It could well be - but I’d argue that that’s the point of the book. The title and the colloquial style are what attracts someone like myself who has never read anything like this before and wouldn’t have without those qualities.Overall -Good parts:Very easy to read, not a chore or not like a text book on self help that i would have expected as a first time reader of anything like this. It made it a easy to engage with and easy to read.Drawing parallels to figures I knew and were familiar with was the most powerful literally device in this book. The epitome of this as a big music fan was the Dave Mustaine and Pete Best stories which I thought articulated the overall theme of the book in the best way possible. It is what you care about that drives your happiness and what you are willing to overcome that drives the value in anything in your life. Any Megadeth fans probably know how that worked out for Dave Mustaine …Personal stories. Yes Manson does bang on a bit about himself but the stories themselves are used well to articulate the point he is trying to make. The story of his girlfriend cheating on him for example was useful in how we can be responsible and take action for what feel like injustices against us.Bad points:Chapter 6 and 9. Chapter 6 is pretty confused and lacks structure making it quite hard to follow and even making it seem a little against the tide at times. If it was being redrafted I expect that this chapter would get a total do-over. Chapter 9 addresses death and how we can’t escape it. It felt like too much of a Camus contrast to the practical nature of the rest of the book and it just wasn’t for me.Not enough parallels to people: one of the best features of the book highlights a big flaw (which if you have read the book is kind of fitting!). The people examples that were not about the author themselves were the most powerful and best at painting the picture that was needed. I wish they did more famous examples like this as it didn’t just add a clear mental picture for the reader but it also added structure that in some parts of the book slipped a bit.Lack of visuals or diagrams. I don’t know if this is because I read it on my Kindle but a few mind maps or visuals to visualise the concept of values and problems etc. would have been really helpful. This was done a bit with the concept of action leading to motivation and even something that simple was helpful. Small comment but it would have been helpfulOverall I would say READ THIS BOOK. Ignore the 1* reviews, I think anyone giving it 1* means they got nothing out of it at all which I doubt very much. As someone who is going through a lot of changes in life (job, relationship, lifestyle) this helped me structure more of my thoughts in a way that I never guessed a book like this would. Essentially it’s great for beginners :)Is it the best book of its kind ever? Probably not, but it helped structure thoughts and introduced the genre in a very relateable way. That’s greatAm I going to read the book end to end again? No very unlikely but if I’m ever feeling jealous I will be reading about Pete Best again and thinking how miserable the wrong values has made Dave Mustaine for 20 years.Would I recommend you read this book? ABSOLUTELY. Why not? If you don’t like what’s in it, don’t listen, if it helps you then brilliant. One thing I would advise is take notes throughout where you think something is important. It helps create a structure in places where it might be lacking and helps relate the proposed thought process to your life.Give it a go! Doing something is better than doing nothing at all, what have you got to lose :)?

Brilliant book. Bought as recommended by a friend and now I recommend it to others. Great read.