The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

By: Mark Manson

Narrated by: Roger Wayne

#1 New York Times Bestseller • More than 10 million Copies Sold

In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be ""positive"" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.

For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. ""F**k positivity,"" Mark Manson says. ""Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it."" In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.

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 f**k 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*ck is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.

Exactly what I needed

An entertaining book with substance and wonderful insight. The topics are thought provoking and serious but discussed with realistic situations, some humor, and honesty. I highly recommend!

Interesting, but lacking

Some interesting thoughts, but lacking depth.

Don't see what all the great reviews are about. Not something I'll listen to again. Not a total waste of time, but close to it.

***** August 2020

Looking for something to listen to, so re-listened to this.

Must be my mind was in a totally different mindset than previously, because I really loved this book!!!

Glad I re-listened to this book, and probably will listen again.
Well worth the credit.

Do yourself a favor

No really. Do yourself a favor and get this audiobook. This is the first review I have ever written on anything and I'm 30. I don't even fill out comment cards at restaurants good or bad, but I genuinely enjoyed listening to every minute of this and I feel that it has something great to offer.

Perspective-shifter!

This is an amazing book for those who are ready to listen to cold, hard truths that have the capacity to shift your perspective. Read this if you're ready to elevate! 🌻

The Most Important Self-Help Book Available

While the book stumbles a bit in it's opening chapter trying to justify it's attention-grabbing title, the rest of the book is, without hyperbole, life changing.

This is the most even handed book I've ever read. It reminds us that we're mediocre, fallible, not unique, and born to suffer pains and humiliations our entire life. That that is not a glitch, but a feature in human existence. It would have been easy to have been abusive, but it's measured with humor and kindness and a shocking amount of gentleness.

It is a book about being told harsh truths. That you are not uniquely talented. That the things you believe are the product of an imperfect mind imperfectly interpreting events. That society has made you entitled and your entitlement is making you depressed. And, most painfully of all, that you can fix it.

You will die, says the book in it's last chapter. So what are you afraid of?