The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ckThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Score Modern
What it's about
For decades we've been told that positive thinking is the key to happiness. Blogger Mark Manson disagrees: life is hard, and we have to live with it. His counterintuitive guide argues that we should choose carefully what to care about, accept our limits and take responsibility for our lives.
Why it's worth reading
It has spent 339 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's one of the best-selling self-help books of the century.
You'll love it if you liked
Atomic Habits
Meditations
Man's Search for MeaningGood to know
It's profane and blunt. Its advice is more philosophical than practical.
By the numbers
- Readers6 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller81 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #70 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #106 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #1145 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2116 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Practical
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Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It
Thinking, Fast and Slow
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Outliers: The Story of Success
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Maybe You Should Talk to SomeoneExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Self-help and business booksTop 25 · 85 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedQuick answers
Is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck worth reading?
Yes. It has spent 339 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #2,116 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck about?
For decades we've been told that positive thinking is the key to happiness. Blogger Mark Manson disagrees: life is hard, and we have to live with it. His counterintuitive guide argues that we should choose carefully what to care about, accept our limits and take responsibility for our lives.
How long does it take to read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck?
About 6 hours (224 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck?
If you liked it, try Atomic Habits by James Clear, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius or Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl.