The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

A wonderful book for people who want to figure out how to be happy and fulfilled, but who don't go in for navel-gazing or “spirituality” as such.

The casual, snarky tone and detailed personal examples make the counter-intuitive lessons easier to grasp. You may not be interested in puzzling out Zen koans, but Manson makes it easy to understand how craving positive experiences is itself a negative experience, while acknowledging negative experiences is itself a positive experience. Or how problems are the source of happiness (you just have to choose the right problems). Or how rejection is an essential part of accepting a positive experience.

He also does a pretty good job of dismantling cultural misconceptions about self esteem, relationships, and boundaries. I didn't find his opinions to be gospel truth on every front, but generally speaking he hits the nail on the head.

I felt like the opening of the book was the strongest part, with the profundity and usefulness diminishing toward the end. But that may be because I've never tended to have the problems he talks about toward the end of the book.