The Subtle Art Of Reading Modern Self-Help Books

I have been on a binge on reading 'self-help' books recently. Whenever I feel down for an extended period, I would see what the best-selling modern self-help books are, and hope that my local library would have a copy to borrow. The modern self-help books I have read have given me a more positive outlook on life and a more positive attitude (in the short-term). When I talk about modern self-help books, my definition of a modern self-help book is that the language and communication of a book appeals to a younger audience. Younger audiences may not have the attention span to read a self-help book of a medical or psychological nature.

When I was younger, most of the self-help books that I have seen on the shelves of libraries and bookstores were more psychological, and the vocabulary used in these books catered to medical professionals, rather than ordinary people. I remembered attempting to read a critically-acclaimed book called 'Thinking Fast and Slow' by Daniel Kahneman (published in 2011, so the book is not THAT old), but I could not finish the book beyond the first two chapters. I could not finish the book because the terminology and vocabulary used in the book could not hook me into the book. Now, maybe I am not the target audience for this book, but I believe that in order for this book to be palatable to general audiences, it is maybe best to read a simplified summary from another person that fully read the book.


The self-help book that became the turning point for me is the book 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck' by Mark Manson. The book dismisses the traditional narrative that you need to aspire to be something. Instead, the book teaches you not to worry about anything that has nothing to do with your personal values, and to focus on only the things that align with your personal values. The way I interpreted this book is that you need to get into the mentality that you have nothing to lose. Once you are in that mentality, then you can achieve your goals with no hindrance. I believe what made this book so successful is how easy it is to read. The author uses personal situations and straight talk in order to be relatable to the reader. It feels like someone is talking to you over a few drinks at a bar.

After 'The Subtle Art', I read a couple more modern self-help books that I would like to mention in this post. The book 'Unfuck Yourself' by Gary John Bishop is even straighter than 'The Subtle Art' and is the book equivalent of the Shia Labeouf 'Just Do It' rant. This book wants to drag yourself out of the rut you may be in, and realize your true potential. The other book I would like to mention is 'You Are a Badass' by Jen Sincero. This book uses a more persuasive tone than the other two books, and at the end of every chapter, the author always reminds you to love yourself.

I believe the future of the self-help book lies in how authors try to relate to audiences, especially younger ones. The use of plain language and engaging situations will convey the message better than self-help books of a more medical or psychological nature. I cannot wait to see what other self-help books are out there that fits this style.