It’s a New Year and a new you. Almost everyone finds January to be a time when motivation is high and people set goals wanting to change themselves for the better. This month I hope people will strive to achieve their goals and read a book with a provocative title: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k, by Mark Manson.

Overview: This book is labeled as a self-help book that gears people towards a change in perception, rather than having them follow strict steps set for them, which are not applicable nor effective for everyone.

Tone:  The title is bold enough, and Manson’s style of writing easily follows that persona. His writing style is not trailing off throughout the book. The writing is charismatic with a straightforward approach making it feel as if Mason were talking directly to you, recounting his experiences.

Organization:  There are many topics the book discusses, and there is an index to help readers navigate to a topic which would be of most use to them. However, the index is not very helpful, because while the reader could get away with reading some chapters of interest, the book builds each topic off the previous topic. Manson explains each idea and then in the next, he describes another concept that can help strengthen the usage of a previous idea or method, to make life easier.

Final Thoughts: Teens were not the primary audience for Manson. Nonetheless, in my opinion, teens have the most to gain from this book. While in this awkward stage of life if one could truly understand, and live by the principles which Manson introduced, then his or her life would be much more simplified. My favorite concepts from Mason includes not caring about every tiny detail. Instead he discusses having priorities that are of the utmost value to one’s self, not wasting time and energy on trivial matters, and most importantly realizing that life is short. If one cares more about others than his or her self, he or she essentially wastes his or her life. All these ideas may be redundant, however, most people simply do not realize the impact this shift in their mindset will bring. Read this book!