Title: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Author: Mark Manson
Publisher: Harper Collins; Int edition (19 January 2017)
Paperback: 212 pages

Blurb
Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—“not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society and some of it is not fair or your fault.” Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace
our fears, faults and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity and forgiveness we seek.

There are only so many things we can give a fuck about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience.

A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in the-eye moment of real talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them truly lead contented, grounded lives.

My Review
It seems like I'd picked up this book just at the right time. As there is no better time than now to hold back and slowdown,  I am contented to have delved deep into this piece of literature. Also while I'm in my 20s and still trying to come to terms with the transition from adolescence to adulthood, this book has proved to be a great source to elicit such strong and prominent responses. To be frank I've had very less encounters with self-care books, but it appears that I've been waiting to find out the best fit for myself.

The book implores you to think diverse aspects of life, ranging from success, happiness to material crisis to values, and something beyond our control i.e. death, and a lot more. I almost felt like the crooked and beautiful words were reshaping the reality around me. Specifically talking, I loved how the author constructed a personal narrative by taking anecdotes from his own life. Without being preachy and aggrandizing, the author adopts humorous yet brutally honest approach to unveil the harsh truths of life.

It essentially elaborates on how to effectively split your thoughts into two sections: important and unimportant. This segregation not only helps you clear your mind and reduce brain fog, but also helps regaining your focus on choosing worthy struggles in life. This was undoubtedly one painful read, in a sense that it is not something you want to read but you need to read.

For the reason that it is downright frank and forthright, there have been so many takeaways from this book. However, the major insight was how to prioritize thoughts and give fuck about the immediate and important things in life.

Perhaps surprisingly, it proved to be a great way to practice slow living while soaking in the expressions of truths, that time and again caused me to pause and reread.

Rating: 5/5

Buy your copy: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck