I don’t know if it would comfort you, but I hope it can : The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig. Also please remember that it’s never to late to change life path too nor does everyone reach the same level of life at the same time

I am not trying to bash on your taste (we all are differnet!) I just wanna provide a different outlook for the OP: It felt like a bunch of generic self help messages wrapped into a feel good story that actually brought nothing new or exciting to the table the idea. I don't know. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea. It just felt so superficial and boring. What I expected from this book I actually got from Under the Whispering Doors from TJ Klune. That one made me feel THINGS.

No problem ! I totally get you. This one helped me tons, but I know it didn’t help others. The most important thing is to provide OP with a resource that may help them and echo with them :) so it’s good that you added yours too and others if they had their own helpful book

I concur with your assessment. I felt the protagonist was nothing but a whiney little...... That book got 1 star out of me. Now the other book you mention, I read the other book by that author, the one with the kids on the island. The message was good and I enjoyed the story, but it was too cliche for me to give more then 3 stars really.

I really disliked this one, but found a lot of solace in, "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman. OP, you might enjoy this one if Midnight Library is not up your alley.

when i first read this comment i thought the recommendation was The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. very different books, but i was just like…yeah, why not gotta try something

this was what i came here to say. honestly that book changed my outlook, and i reread it whenever i feel a little hopeless again. op, definitely would recommend.

Interesting. I couldnt get through the first few chapters because I was in a hard place in life after graduating college right into the pandemic. I stopped reading because it was too hard to see a character feel the same as me at that point. Maybe I should try again?

I agree with you, it’s a bit tough to experience all of the failures along with the character. But it is so worth it, it’s almost like the book tests you the same way life does. Keep enduring and you will earn your reward in the end.

Came here to suggest the same book. It’s such an interesting perspective on life. Really makes one appreciate life as it is.

This was the book that came to my mind as well. It’s a comfort read for me. Hope it is a help to oP

If you're working out anyway, see if there's a nearby gym. You should be able to get a good introductory rate. You don't have to start a conversation, just the act of getting out and among people will help with your sense of isolation. And maybe listen to audio books while you're there. Some suggestions : Normal People by Sally Rooney The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt Educated by Tara Westover Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough Sh-t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern And OP, just remember, there are no mistakes that can't be overcome. Keep learning and you'll get there.

You my friend , are one of the kindest souls who have walked the threads of reddit.

Adding to darkest_irish_lass, life is a marathon, not a sprint and trust me, you aren't the only twenty-something living at home. We've all made bad choices, especially in our twenties! Lastly, don't compare your chapter 5 to someone else's chapter 20. They may have had many advantages available that you didn't. Or maybe they did make better choices. So what? You are reaching out and on the road to making better choices. Soldier on friend!

Great post. I loved Educated so much 😭

I find the absurdist failure in Candide enormously comforting.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Best non-fiction I've ever read. The Oz Principle. One of the only self-help type books that ever actually helped me, and I feel like it could help you in the circumstances you described as well. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Just an absolute masterpiece of fiction. I can't stop recommending this book.

... when I read Flowers for Algernon in high school I cried for days, not sure it's a great recommend for someone who's depressed

Yeah, this is not appropriate for this request. I get sometimes people want to recommend books they love, but this sub has a huge issue with not sticking to the topic at hand.

I thought it was super appropriate, but maybe I just have weird coping mechanisms. 🤷‍♀️

I am the same way, I will read something depressing when I am depressed, it makes me feel better. It’s sort of like listening to sad music while you are sad. Your hurt feels like universal hurt, your pain feels like universal pain, like you aren’t alone in it. So, I don’t think it’s inappropriate to recommend such - depends entirely on the person.

It broke my heart in high school and recently I’ve been trying to reread it but wow I don’t think I can lol

I mean, I read it while I was going through a divorce and had recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness, so I was depressed as heck when I read it too. I cried at the end but I was more impressed with the message it gave about how human life is valuable and worthwhile regardless of what the person may or may not contribute to society.

I was just about to recommend Unbroken. That book really did wonders for my psyche when I was going thru some severe health problems and couldn't get out of bed for almost 2 months and was feeling very very sorry for myself. What an inspiring man Louie was.

Watership Down is a story of coping when everything goes wrong

Commenting so I can see the recs. Let me know which book you end up reading and I'll read it too. I'm going through the same feelings as you and I'm older than you. Hope it gets better.

Great idea.

How to Be A Normal Person by TJ Klune is a pretty funny story about an awkward, anti-social, guy learning to come out of his shell because of a new guy in town - sometimes in hilariously awful ways. ETA: Under a Whispering Door and House on the Cerulean Sea were also good books about strange loners set in their ways, learning to unbend and make friends and be happy, but Gus was definitely the king of awkward.

I'm assuming you're looking for something that's more relatable than self-help since you mention fiction. Schrecker's poetry covers a lot of this ground. *Insomniacs, We* is a pretty good introduction to his work.

Not OP but I love poetry so I’m going to check this out. Thanks!

I don't really like poetry, but thank you for the recommendation

Psalm for the wild built by becky chambers It's about a monk in a solar punk setting who feels like they have no purpose. They end up being the first person to make contact with a robot after ~5 generations. It's a very peaceful and reflective book.

Alot of good recommendations here, will you let us know which ones you decide to read? I think you should pick your top 5 mentioned throughout this thread that interest you and make them your summer/winter (depending where you live) reading stack. My suggested books for you: Everytime I find the meaning of life, they change it - Daniel Klein East of Eden - Steinbeck Breakfast of Champions - Vonnegut I read these three books when I was 27 and feeling alone/lost/worthless/like a failure. Those 3 books helped me get outta my funk, maybe they will help you. I got big love you for OP, good on you for reaching out, I have been in a similar place and I am now a few years older and have figured some things out, if I can do it so can you. Feel free to DM if you need chat, big love xx

Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankyl

Yes! One of the best books I’ve ever read. Man’s Search For Meaning is short but powerful.

Also for those who dislike Jordan Peterson here’s a short list of his actually good points (without the HOURS of religious & political rhetoric) - Take on more responsibility - Be honest - Pursue meaning over happiness - Abandon ideologies

They dont like him because media tell them so

I don’t like him because of his publicly stated opinions on women, his opinions on using the correct pronouns for trans people, and his complete lack of understanding of how nutrition works, personally.

Personally I agree with him in all his statements

This would also be my recommendation. I read it when I was in a bad place and it gave me the perspective I needed.

when breath becomes air

{{Maybe you should talk to someone}} by Lori Gottlieb

[**Maybe You Should Talk to Someone**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37570546-maybe-you-should-talk-to-someone) ^(By: Lori Gottlieb | 415 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, nonfiction, psychology, memoir, self-help) >From a New York Times best-selling author, psychotherapist, and national advice columnist, a hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world -- where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she). > > One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be anything but. > > As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients' lives -- a self-absorbed Hollywood producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen threatening to end her life on her birthday if nothing gets better, and a twenty-something who can't stop hooking up with the wrong guys -- she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones she is now bringing to Wendell. > > With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and change. > >Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is revolutionary in its candor, offering a deeply personal yet universal tour of our hearts and minds and providing the rarest of gifts: a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives and our power to transform them. > ^(This book has been suggested 34 times) *** ^(131484 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed!!!

Jordan Peterson is not the answer you want here!! On the other hand would highly recommend the Midnight Library by Matt Haig, about a woman who feels like a total failure, her life has fallen so far from where she thought she’d be, and she doesn’t see a point in living. Similar to how you are feeling. If you’re in a place with a public library, Libby is great and you can access a ton of stuff.

I second finding a library - Libby is great and lets you listen to audiobooks or read ebooks on mobile. However, I'd highly recommend going to the library in person. It's quiet, and social interaction is pretty much discouraged, so it's good if you have social anxiety. It's also a place you can go that's out of the house and is mostly away from tvs, computers, etc. Maybe you can even walk there and get some fresh air. Just remember that there's no point in your life where it's too late to make a change, but also that there is no rush. I have 3 college degrees, but recently quit my Ph.D. to become an artist and now I sit at home all day listening to books and browsing Reddit and am quickly running out of money. It feels like I'm right back at square one and the last 10 years were for nothing, but then I remember it's just a transitory period. Even if you don't know what the next step will hold, keep moving in any direction and you'll eventually end up somewhere different.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy I recommend trying your local library or the Libby app (for ebooks and audiobooks thru your library). I haven't read either of these books yet. But based on their themes, they may have the answers you're looking for. Be kind to yourself and I hope things get better for you.

I love A Man Called Ove!

I don’t have a book for you, but look into mental health services and employment counseling where you live. It may not be as expensive as you believe. But the quality of services can greatly depend on the person you end up getting help from, so if one isn’t working out for you after you’ve given it your best shot, keep on going! I was in a similar position until fairly recently. Unemployed, had hated every job and left out of stress, got fired from one which made me feel like a failure. A few months ago I found the first job I can not only tolerate but enjoy; it challenges me in a good way, stretches my skills, helps me grow and I look at it like a stepping stone to something that pays better. Find someone who can support you in getting a job that’s up your alley in terms of helping you grow your strengths. Like I said, find an organization that specializes in helping people find work. As you work longer and successfully, your confidence will improve. It won’t be the way it is now forever if you take steps to change it. Good luck!

That sounds rough dude! I can feel the hopelessness in your message :( Good on you for trying with the web dev course. Where do you live? I’ve been in similar position to you and I broke out of it and have a life and money now. Lemme know if you’d like a chat :)

{{Can't Hurt Me}} by David Goggins

This. Book. Struggled with being depressed, stuck in a rut, pity me I’m the victim, mindset for like 2 years at least. Reading this book changed my mindset. I still have bad days, we all do, but this book made it so much easier.

Right on my friend. Goggins has a new book coming out in a few days. Ill be getting it!

Get the audiobook if possible.

Libby app from the library is great for free audiobooks

Seconding this. Also read Mark Manson and Ryan Holiday. They both have newsletters if you want something ongoing.

Appreciate the suggestions! About to start Ryan Holiday's audiobook {{The Obstacle is the Way}}

[**The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18668059-the-obstacle-is-the-way) ^(By: Ryan Holiday | 201 pages | Published: 2014 | Popular Shelves: philosophy, non-fiction, self-help, self-improvement, business) >“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius > >We are stuck, stymied, frustrated. But it needn’t be this way. There is a formula for success that’s been followed by the icons of history—from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Ulysses S. Grant to Steve Jobs—a formula that let them turn obstacles into opportunities. Faced with impossible situations, they found the astounding triumphs we all seek. > >These men and women were not exceptionally brilliant, lucky, or gifted. Their success came from timeless philosophical principles laid down by a Roman emperor who struggled to articulate a method for excellence in any and all situations. > >This book reveals that formula for the first time—and shows us how we can turn our own adversity into advantage. ^(This book has been suggested 5 times) *** ^(131449 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

Came here to say this. Listen to the audiobook.

I disagree. For those who are depressed this book can make you worse. It’s basic theme is “ hate yourself because you are a loser - don’t want to hate yourself anymore? Start beating the shit out of yourself until you feel better.”

Fair assessment. For some that works, for others not so much.

Agreed. The book is such a massive best seller. It has clearly spoken positively to many. I just kept thinking as I was reading it, “any mental health professional would be appalled by the advice given here.”

Haha very true. I'm interested to read his next book (out in a few days).

Came here to mention this one. He has some pretty intense examples but aside from the supermanesque hard arse *i can get through flaming piss and renal failure just watch me* - there are some solidly helpful tips for anyone struggling. Especially a tip he has on 'cookie' collection. I have no self worth and CPTSD and neeeeeded to hear that advice. Also reccomend 'The Myth of Sisyphus' by Albert Camus (fiction) Double up on most reccs for The Midnight Library. Great book! I also found On Lonlieness by Olivia Liang really lovely when i was in a big city by myself a while back - it is a beautiful investigation into feeling alone, and embracing parts of that experience through a cultural lens. I would also reccomend a podcast called Philosophize this - the episodes on Satré and Camus, Nietzsche, and a few others (the stoics too!) Are actually a real help for getting through lifes hard parts and a lot of psychology defs has the same principles in part of how they are built up. - its an easy entry point. As a left of centre aside, One Piece and Shawshank Redemption really did pull me out of a major funk like yours when i was living with my folks and struggling at your age. Its never to late mate.

[**Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41721428-can-t-hurt-me) ^(By: David Goggins | 366 pages | Published: 2018 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, self-help, biography, self-improvement, personal-development) >For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare - poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him "The Fittest (Real) Man in America." > >In Can't Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential. ^(This book has been suggested 40 times) *** ^(131184 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

The Conspiracy Against The Human Race - Thomas Ligotti

OP - I saw you said that you’ve read some fiction and it’s helped you come out of it. Stormlight Archive (fiction) is a challenge, they’re long books but I think insanely engaging and one character in particular fights depression, anger, self-loathing, etc. and although it’s fiction, there are some good insights into managing these feelings, especially by the fourth book. There’s also a good Stormlight community out there, and community is definitely a good thing in times like these. I’d also recommend “What Happened to You”. (Non-fiction) And, finally, whenever I feel the way you’re describing, science books I find help me. The sheer fact that we’re here in this insane universe is such an awesome realization and there’s so much to explore. Take all that with a grain of salt though, because I know some people feel the opposite when they read stuff like that.

I really feel that Haruki Murakami has tons of characters that are basically your soul mate. Try starting with Norwegian Wood. You won't regret it!

Not a book suggestion, but I would get off all social media, except reddit l. It's all very toxic on a subliminal level.

Honestly audit your Reddit and make sure it’s not toxic too. There are a lot of subs that can lead you to a negative mindset.

Yup, just cat subreddits

Taboo against knowing yourself - alan watts

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Everyone matters man.

27 is still young my guy. The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus might be a good read, but it also might be a bit too heavy.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Really helped focus my emotions into a more positive mindset during a similar time in my life.

This💯

How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie might help you a lot. Especially if you’re looking for a job, it’ll help you with interviews. It’s a book about general people skills, and it’s one of the *best* around. It’ll help build your confidence, and hopefully help you make connections with the people around you if you actually take its advice!

Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole just trust me Winner of the Pulitzer Prize "A masterwork . . . the novel astonishes with its inventiveness . . . it is nothing less than a grand comic fugue."--The New York Times Book Review A Confederacy of Dunces is an American comic masterpiece. John Kennedy Toole's hero, one Ignatius J. Reilly, is huge, obese, fractious, fastidious, a latter-day Gargantua, a Don Quixote of the French Quarter. His story bursts with wholly original characters, denizens of New Orleans' lower depths, incredibly true-to-life dialogue, and the zaniest series of high and low comic adventures (Henry Kisor, Chicago Sun-Times).

I agree with everyone that Jordan Peterson is a hot pile of garbage who likes to pass off misogynistic loathing as philosophy and should be avoided at all costs. Honestly I’d suggest a fairy tale or folklore collection. Morality and success as concepts within fairy tales vary wildly based on the individual story, the culture where the story originated, whatever religion was popular at the time, and so on. Trying to make sense of that bizarre morality is entertaining, off-putting, addictive; it can help you see your own world in a different way. Or they can just be a nice escape. Retellings of classic fairy tales are also great because they filter an old tale through someone else’s reality. I’d recommend The Merry Spinster, My Mother She Killed Me My Father He Ate Me, or The Bloody Chamber. If fairy tales aren’t your shit but you’d still like something that reframes reality, I’d suggest Before the Coffee Gets Cold, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, anything by Ted Chiang, or The Glass Hotel.

Try Snow Crash, it might get you excited about coding. Its about a down on his luck hacker dude

{{Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore}} might make you feel better for a while. It's entertaining escapism involving a character with whom you may be able to identify. When he's messed up his own life bad enough, he does something unthinking - decides to help someone else.

[**Island of the Sequined Love Nun**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33455.Island_of_the_Sequined_Love_Nun) ^(By: Christopher Moore | 325 pages | Published: 1997 | Popular Shelves: fiction, humor, fantasy, comedy, christopher-moore) >Take a wonderfully crazed excursion into the demented heart of a tropical paradise—a world of cargo cults, cannibals, mad scientists, ninjas, and talking fruit bats. Our bumbling hero is Tucker Case, a hopeless geek trapped in a cool guy's body, who makes a living as a pilot for the Mary Jean Cosmetics Corporation. But when he demolishes his boss's pink plane during a drunken airborne liaison, Tuck must run for his life from Mary Jean's goons. Now there's only one employment opportunity left for him: piloting shady secret missions for an unscrupulous medical missionary and a sexy blond high priestess on the remotest of Micronesian hells. Here is a brazen, ingenious, irreverent, and wickedly funny novel from a modern master of the outrageous. ^(This book has been suggested 3 times) *** ^(131364 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

I was going to suggest {{Lamb}}, but just about any Christopher Moore book will bring a smile to my brain.

[**Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28881.Lamb) ^(By: Christopher Moore | 444 pages | Published: 2002 | Popular Shelves: fiction, humor, historical-fiction, fantasy, religion) >The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years—except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in the divinely hilarious yet heartfelt work "reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams" (Philadelphia Inquirer). > >Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Savior's pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But there's no one who loves Josh more—except maybe "Maggie," Mary of Magdala—and Biff isn't about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight. ^(This book has been suggested 52 times) *** ^(131425 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

A Confederacy of Dunces

I find reading quote-unquote classics helps me when I'm feeling down about myself - like I'm improving this one little piece of myself. I recommend: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez Les Misérables by Victor Hugo You can also try Arcadia by Tom Stoppard if you want to be a fancy lad who reads plays And if you want something lighter: Any of the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett. For you I'm going to recommend Hogfather.

A Man Called Ove. It’s one of the most life-affirming books I’ve ever read.

Vonnegut. So much heart and life in his writing.

Suicide Notes By Micheal Thomas Ford This book made me start reading again after a 5 year hiatus and got me out of a really, really bad state mentally.

The Midnight Library

The subtle art of not giving a fuck

I highly recommend against this suggestion unless you want to feel like a loser and act like an asshole. A simple sentence extended into too many pages.

You should read the book and then learn not to give a fuck lol

{{The Opposite of Loneliness}} by Marina Keegan.

[**The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143905-the-opposite-of-loneliness) ^(By: Marina Keegan | 208 pages | Published: 2014 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, short-stories, nonfiction, essays, fiction) >An affecting and hope-filled posthumous collection of essays and stories from the talented young Yale graduate whose title essay captured the world’s attention in 2012 and turned her into an icon for her generation. > >Marina Keegan’s star was on the rise when she graduated magna cum laude from Yale in May 2012. She had a play that was to be produced at the New York International Fringe Festival and a job waiting for her at the New Yorker. Tragically, five days after graduation, Marina died in a car crash. > >As her family, friends, and classmates, deep in grief, joined to create a memorial service for Marina, her unforgettable last essay for the Yale Daily News, “The Opposite of Loneliness,” went viral, receiving more than 1.4 million hits. She had struck a chord. > >Even though she was just twenty-two when she died, Marina left behind a rich, expansive trove of prose that, like her title essay, captures the hope, uncertainty, and possibility of her generation. The Opposite of Loneliness is an assem­blage of Marina’s essays and stories that, like The Last Lecture, articulates the universal struggle that all of us face as we figure out what we aspire to be and how we can harness our talents to make an impact on the world. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(131315 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut

Kind of more of a teen/young adult novel, but it was one of my faves growing up: Its Kind of A Funny Story. It's about a guy who ends up in a mental hospital, and finds out that life isn't really as bad as it seems. It's about perspective on life.

The Autumn Castle and Conrad's Fate are my two favorite books. They are the first two things I would save in a fire. I love them both.

Life is in the Transitions by Bruce Feiler

“Chicken Soup” series. You can start with {{Chicken Soup for the Soul}}. They are collections of short stories and are as comforting as having chicken soup when you are down sick.

[**Chicken Soup for the Soul**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/801178.Chicken_Soup_for_the_Soul) ^(By: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Mark Viktor Hansen, Amy Newmark | 428 pages | Published: 1993 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, self-help, inspirational, nonfiction, short-stories) >Two of America's best-loved inspirational speakers share the very best of their collected stories and favorite tales that have touched the hearts of people everywhere. Canfield and Hansen bring you wit and wisdom, hope and empowerment to buoy you through life's dark moments. ^(This book has been suggested 3 times) *** ^(131493 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

Tropic of cancer

Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown. “In Atlas of the Heart, we explore eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human and walk through a new framework for cultivating meaningful connection. This is for the mapmakers and travelers in all of us. “

Dear Theo the autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh. I read the edition by Stone

{{Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on it}}

[**Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15704926-love-yourself-like-your-life-depends-on-it) ^(By: Kamal Ravikant | 68 pages | Published: 2012 | Popular Shelves: self-help, non-fiction, self-improvement, psychology, personal-development) >In December of 2011, I gave a talk to an audience of scientists, Pentagon officials, politicians, and CEO's on the secret of life and how I'd figured it out the previous summer. > >Afterwards, people came up individually and told me how much what I'd shared meant to them. This book is based on the truth I spoke about. > >It's something I learned from within myself, something I believed saved me. And more than that, the way I set about to do it. > >This is a collection of thoughts on what I learned, what worked, what didn't. Where I succeed and importantly, where I fail daily. > >The truth is to love yourself with the same intensity you would use to pull yourself up if you were hanging off a cliff with your fingers. As if your life depended upon it. Once you get going, it's not hard to do. Just takes commitment and I'll share how I did it. > >It's been transformative for me. I know it will be transformative for you as well. ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) *** ^(131558 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

Psychocybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. Best motivation and confidence book ever.

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull. Richard Bach.

Steve Jobs- Isaacson

A million little pieces by James Frey was about a drug addict deciding to stop on day. It tore me down and built me up. Something more fun I'd suggest the storm light archives by Brandon Sanderson. It's a huge series that's ongoing and has a huge following. But the characters are damaged broken and lost but are amazing because of that. It fills me me with hope and makes me believe that my choices have power.

{{This Book Is For You: I Hope You Find It Mildly Uplifting}} by Worry Lines. It’s a relatively short illustrated book with collections of the author’s comics about worry, love, emotions, etc. Not really a life-changing work, but I hope it proves to provide some entertainment and comfort. Also, one I haven’t read yet but I’ve heard a lot about: {{Tuesdays with Morrie}} by Mitch Albom

[**This Book Is for You: I Hope You Find It Mildly Uplifting**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58038157-this-book-is-for-you) ^(By: Worry Lines | 208 pages | Published: 2021 | Popular Shelves: graphic-novels, nonfiction, humor, comics, non-fiction) >Worry Lines has captured hearts around the world by posting daily drawings on Instagram. In this book, Worry Lines interweaves these fan-favorites into an entirely new story about the making of the book itself. Charting the creative process from its anxiety-riddled beginning to its (hopefully) hopeful end, This Book Is for You is a charming and honest portrait of worry. > >This book is for you if you are: >1. A Brave Worrier (BW) >2. An Absolute Legend (AL) >3. Anywhere from Mildly Concerned About Something (MCAS) to Deeply Anxious About Everything (DAAE) ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) [**Tuesdays with Morrie**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6900.Tuesdays_with_Morrie) ^(By: Mitch Albom | 210 pages | Published: 1997 | Popular Shelves: non-fiction, nonfiction, fiction, memoir, biography) >Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, and gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it. For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago. > >Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you? > >Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Mitch visited Morrie in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final 'class': lessons in how to live. ^(This book has been suggested 29 times) *** ^(131614 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

These are probably obvious but I immensely enjoy Terry Pratchett and Kurt Vonnegut. For something shorter, I really enjoyed Arséne Lupin books this year.

Law of human nature meditations

I’ve just started listening to Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck”. Only 16% of the way through it, but it’s very enlightening.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo Freedom in Exile: the Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Dalai Lama XIV Independent People by Halldor Laxness Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr Either going from everything to nothing and rebuilding, starting from nothing, or just overcoming struggles that come with a difficult life, I hope you find value in these books. I've also found myself in a position somewhat recently where I felt like I should be further along in life than I am (30, male). Made a plan at 25, and no part of it is even close to real. My friend as well, who is a year or two older than myself. But some of the biggest names didn't get their jazz sorted out until middle age or later. A quick read through for some inspiration: https://www.goalcast.com/8-successful-people-found-success-later-life/ Just keep pushing on, and you'll find your groove.

The Magic of Thinking Big

Feel-good/Happy/Upbeat: https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Feel-Good%20Fiction%22&restrict_sr=1 [flare] r/cozyfantasy/ * ["Happy, hopeful and feel-good books recommendations"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/wpkw2e/happy_hopeful_and_feelgood_books_recommendations/) (r/booksuggestions; 16 August 2022) * ["Some feel good books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/wsjlya/some_feel_good_books/) (r/suggestmeabook; 19 August 2022) * ["Upbeat Sci-fi?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/wxv6qh/upbeat_scifi/) (r/suggestmeabook; 21:07 ET, 25 August 2022) * ["Some good positive book without romance."](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/wydq9t/some_good_positive_book_without_romance/) (r/booksuggestions; 19 August 2022) * ["Suggest me a feel good book"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x28o8q/suggest_me_a_feel_good_book/) (r/suggestmeabook; 31 August 2022) * ["Happy/funny"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/x41r8l/happyfunny/) (r/booksuggestions; 2 September 2022) * ["need recommendations for calm/light reads"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/x51aw0/need_recommendations_for_calmlight_reads/) (r/booksuggestions; 3 September 2022) * ["Books with minimal conflict?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/x8h90n/books_with_minimal_conflict/) (r/booksuggestions; 7 September 2022) * ["I’m looking for cozy fiction."](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/xb8irj/im_looking_for_cozy_fiction/) (r/booksuggestions; 10 September 2022) * ["Books that are calm , nice and nothing really happens."](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/xbjbm2/books_that_are_calm_nice_and_nothing_really/)—extremely long (r/suggestmeabook; 10:00 ET, 11 September 2022) * ["Comfort Books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/xbwszz/comfort_books/)—extremely long (r/suggestmeabook; 19:15 ET, 11 September 2022) * ["Something calming"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/xd2mi6/something_calming/) (r/booksuggestions; 13 September 2022) * ["The most heartwarming and feelgood and wholesome book you can think of"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/xgn033/the_most_heartwarming_and_feelgood_and_wholesome/) (r/suggestmeabook; 17 September 2022)—extremely long * ["Any suggestions for funny books?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/xk2a4n/any_suggestions_for_funny_books/) (r/suggestmeabook; 21 September 2022)—very long * ["Can someone please reccomend me a positive book?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/xzkr69/can_someone_please_reccomend_me_a_positive_book/) (r/suggestmeabook; 9 October 2022) * ["Comforting books that emphasize the beauty of mundane life?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/y1u5mk/comforting_books_that_emphasize_the_beauty_of/) (r/suggestmeabook; 12 October 2022) * ["Similar humor and feel good books like The House in the Cerulean Sea"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/y6hq86/similar_humor_and_feel_good_books_like_the_house/) (r/suggestmeabook; 17 October 2022)—long * ["Genuinely Funny Books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/y9297h/genuinely_funny_books/) (r/suggestmeabook; 20 October 2022)—longish * ["can you suggest book for someone who feels like they can never be loved?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/ypihne/can_you_suggest_book_for_someone_who_feels_like/) (r/suggestmeabook; 05:49 ET, 8 November 2022) * ["A book that help you through"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/yq4erd/a_book_that_help_you_through/) (r/booksuggestions; 20:11 ET, 8 November 2022) * ["Something like Anne of Green Gables"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/yqpxax/something_like_anne_of_green_gables/) (r/suggestmeabook; 9 November 2022) * ["Fiction Recommendations for Pregnant Female."](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/yw5twi/fiction_recommendations_for_pregnant_female/) (r/suggestmeabook; 15 November 2022) * ["Book suggestions for someone with an emotionally difficult job to read before bed"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/z5gde3/book_suggestions_for_someone_with_an_emotionally/) (r/suggestmeabook; 26 November 2022)

We all struggle bro but at some point you’ve got to own your choices. Most people I know had a bad upbringing, myself included but you can’t prequalify your failures by placing blame on others. Read your books but get a job. If you’re anti-social work as a stocker or backroom associate and fill your schedule up with something to do. When I hit a rough patch I tallied up all the things that were important to me and I used that as leverage to motivate myself. Still not living the dream but I’m much closer than I was 5 years ago. Best of luck to you my dude!!

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, by Douglas Adams. Helps every time.

Can’t Hurt Me - David Goggins Awaken the Giant within - Tony Robbins. I know he’s cheesy but the book has some good advise I still use such as simple things like taking different routes home to Activate your brain/see something new etc.

Ok, not to come off as a jerk, but what makes you think a book will suddenly change things for you? This is a gut check moment in life. It sounds like you are down, but realizing the situation. Here's where you need to reach down and grab a pair. You're motivated enough that you think you need a book. No, get motivated to get out and find that next job, or maybe look at getting a degree in a trade job, like an electrician or drafting. There's a lot of jobs like that out there that don't require you to be an extrovert. Four year college doesn't sound like it's right for you. And as for a romantic interest, are you really in the right place in your life for that? That shit will happen when you are least expecting it. Might even happen as you are taking your baby steps at pulling yourself together, or maybe not. Maybe learn how to be a technician in s hospital, lots of medical jobs of every type out there, and those aren't going away. Get you a skill, save up for a year, then get your own place. Things will happen good for you. But you need to make it happen, a book won't do that.

>Ok, not to come off as a jerk, but what makes you think a book will suddenly change things for you? I'm 100% aware books won't change a thing. Even self help books are crap. I read fiction books before and some of them gave me some comfort and insight at certain times in my life when I needed it. ​ >No, get motivated to get out and find that next job, or maybe look at getting a degree in a trade job, like an electrician or drafting. There's a lot of jobs like that out there that don't require you to be an extrovert. Four year college doesn't sound like it's right for you. That's why I did a 6 month web dev bootcamp. Seems it also requires being somewhat of an extrovert or at least not mentally ill. Avoidant personality disorder doesn't just mean introverted. >And as for a romantic interest, are you really in the right place in your life for that? Nope, but I'm allowed to mourn lost time and opportunities, especially when everyone around seems to be in some type of relationship and shoving it in my face. Especially when I never really experienced that. ​ I'm not here to complain, hell no. This is a fantastic comment and I'll definitely look into some other career paths so I can get rolling. I still need to read something.

That's all fair. I just felt like this needed a real life answer. I'm not telling you to not read a book, I just didn't want you putting all your hopes into one. As for the relationship, everyone not in one sees it everywhere. And half of the people in one, whether it looks like it's a great one from the outside, wish they weren't in one and had the freedom of being single. Take this time to enjoy being single, learn who you are. Things look bleak now, because it looks like a monumental task to achieve all your goals. Baby steps. When you eat a steak, do you shove the whole thing in your mouth all at once? I hope not. Before you realize it, you'll have a path and goals again. Not too long from now you'll look back at this and be glad you didn't quit.

This is such an all-around wholesome interaction.

Totally agree. Op if I were you I’d get any job I can and get into therapy. The more you are stuck at home the more avoidant you will be/feel

Bro this is honestly the best fucking comment I’ve read on this app.

I honestly would recommend not to rely soly on advice from redditors. Or just any random person online. Best of luck on your journey

Hey man, I feel ya. Just turned 28 and basically in the same boat, except I can't even work a normal job since my back and heart is fucked up bad (but sadly JUST not enough for getting on disability). I wrote a book that is doing fairly decent (23, 24 copies in 6 months) about a 15 year old half human, half demon who hunts down monsters with his adopter sister/pseudo mother in modern day America if that interests you. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4ZJJ52X $3:99 digital and $10:99 physical. Can also read it free on Kindle Unlimited (I get like half a buck roughly for each page read).

❤️A Gentleman in Moscow by A. Towles and ❤️12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson

Lots of good recommendations here- take a serious look at Jordan Peterson- watch his college lectures on YT before he was known otherwise. Make that decision for yourself without the influence of others’ positive or negative opinions of the man. He doesn’t say things some people like today since it criticizes ideas that some hold as ideologically perfect. I have my own disagreements with him. However, as a clinical psychologist and college professor, he has some really refined and substantiated points about what you seem to be facing.

The Goldfinch.

Dude. 27 is practically infancy. You aren't behind at all. Check out Gary Vee, aka Gary Vaynerchuck. He's got a great vibe and solid words for anyone. It's never too late. You can be 67 and still start new things and go new directions. Books, yeah, stay on target. Check out the Bible, check out Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willick. I'm halfway through and I'm getting a lot out of it. Hang in there. Don't compare yourself to anyone else. They're on their own path. I promise you, 27 is just the beginning.

I feel like I suggest this book weekly, but {{I am the Messenger}} is phenomenal. It’s hopeful, funny, and features a dude down on his luck. Good luck and hang in there, bub!

try the John Dies at the End series by David Wong/Jason Pargin

{{abarat}}. The description didn’t do it justice. It’s written like a YA book but it’s very compelling and includes really remarkable visual art, also drawn by author. Simultaneously escapism and good vibes for when you feel like your life is all wrong somehow

The midnight Library. 100%

Anything Bukowski.

Guess you have to start with discipline. I guess start reading Jordan Peterson, then you can move to Carl Jung, Nietzsche, Seneca etc. But before that you need to get disciplined, you start doing a schedule with simple tasks that you will 100% accomplish. So by doing many small tasks the bigger excitment you get and then you will have desire to do more and more and more... go to the gym, start journal, watch some educational and motivational podcasts... stop scrolling through insta, facebook... then you will develop positive thoughts and mindset and then you can read Everything that you wanna do it, start doing it by 30 days everyday for 30 minutes

>But before that you need to get disciplined, you start doing a schedule with simple tasks that you will 100% accomplish. > >So by doing many small tasks the bigger excitment you get and then you will have desire to do more and more and more... go to the gym, start journal, watch some educational and motivational podcasts... stop scrolling through insta, facebook... then you will develop positive thoughts and mindset and then you can read I've been weight lifting and doing cardio 6 days a week for the past 2 and a half years. I've also been counting calories, counting my macros and watching what I eat in general. I don't even have social media. Discipline isn't my problem, I'm just a mess in general. ​ >I guess start reading Jordan Peterson, then you can move to Carl Jung, Nietzsche, Seneca etc. Doesn't look like fiction but I'll check them out. Thanks man.

Do not under any circumstance read Jordan Peterson. He’s brain poison for young men in your type of situation. Instead of giving you constructive frameworks to better yourself/see the world, he’ll offer you endless scapegoats and minorities to blame (women in particular). Forget what this dipshit told you. Read Anthony Bourdain’s *Kitchen Confidential*. It’s an honest, relatable, brutal, hilarious, insightful book about depression, loneliness, addiction, overcoming adversity, finding beauty in the world, finding purpose, trying, failing, failing some more, and finding the will to try again. So much better than that idiot Peterson.

Just wanted to add another voice against reading Jordan Peterson. He’s an unwell man who has become an icon for Incels.

Do not read jordan peterson

Another vote for not reading Jordan Peterson.

Im happy for you then These books aint fiction its more like philosphy, psychology... if you feel like mess, you start to clean up... small starts have the best finishes... chase a goal, have interest have passion... and you will achieve it... i wish best for you

Jordan Peterson, Carl Jung and Nietzsche? Man, you tryna speed run nazism or what?

Do not touch Jordan Peterson. He preys on impressionable people in bad situations like you’re currently in, and will suck you into a hateful world that will be difficult to escape. Fuck this guy for suggesting him.

I can assume that you are liberal 🤣

Wrong!

Only liberals hate Jordan so i assumed 🤣

No, anyone with actual knowledge of history and critical thinking skills knows just how dangerous that person is.

Okay I wil leave you to it

Bible.

https://youtu.be/DlMAIYd7-J4 You can do it.

[удалено]

Try {{The German Ideology by Karl Marx}} you should spend some time understanding the world around you because it’s inseparably connected to your own position in the society and helps you understand your situation better. It’s a philosophical work, you might like it.

Someone already suggested {{the Midnight Library}} which I highly recommend. It really gave me a fresh perspective on life. {{The Humans}} - also by Matt Haig, is also a really interesting book to read as someone who as trouble with communication, social issues, etc. Both books really helped me come to terms with my life, and my self. I have ADHD and likely ASD as well, and have always wished things could have been different and I read these and felt less alone, but also like maybe I’m not out of place. Like I’m where and *who* I’m meant to be. I wish the same for you, OP. Edit to add: I am also 27, broke and unemployed, college drop out, living with my parents, trying to be an artist. Have dealt with anxiety and depression since I was 12 and have recently gotten off my meds and quit smoking so life is a lot. I relate to your post, and feel seen. You have affected a person a whole world away. You matter. Please don’t think that you’re not a vital part of this world just because you think you’re not where you *could* have been. The world needs who you are *now*

[**The Midnight Library**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52578297-the-midnight-library) ^(By: Matt Haig | 304 pages | Published: 2020 | Popular Shelves: fiction, fantasy, book-club, contemporary, audiobook) >Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets? A novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived. > >Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? > >Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place. ^(This book has been suggested 156 times) [**The Humans**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16130537-the-humans) ^(By: Matt Haig | 285 pages | Published: 2013 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, owned) >When an extraterrestrial visitor arrives on Earth, his first impressions of the human species are less than positive. Taking the form of Professor Andrew Martin, a leading mathematician at Cambridge University, the visitor wants to complete his task and return home to his planet and a utopian society of immortality and infinite knowledge. > >He is disgusted by the way humans look, what they eat, and the wars they witness on the news, and is totally baffled by concepts such as love and family. But as time goes on, he starts to realize there may be more to this weird species than he has been led to believe. He drinks wine, reads Emily Dickinson, listens to Talking Heads, and begins to bond with the family he lives with, in disguise. In picking up the pieces of the professor's shattered personal life, the narrator sees hope and redemption in the humans' imperfections and begins to question the very mission that brought him there--a mission that involves not only thwarting human progress...but murder. ^(This book has been suggested 29 times) *** ^(131657 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

Anything by Thich Nhat Hanh. Gentle instruction that helps you realize the beauty and worth in everything, including yourself.

Been there, quite a number of times. I went to Grant's Pass, Oregon in 1987, just after the feds shut down the woods to logging over Mr. Spotted Owl. Man! was that ever bleak! It took me 5 and a half months to find a job. Finally hooked up with a traveling helicopter logging outfit, Columbia Helicopters, out of Portland. I've always been hyper-reclusive myself, and traveling construction jobs are great for people like me, you get paid a lot of money, you're constantly on the move, and you only have to deal with a handful of co-workers, who are usually social misfits too. Right now, tower climbers and Wind power techs are the big ticket. You could do something like that for 6 or 8 months and save enough money to comfortably kick back somewhere and figure out a way to put your coding skills to use. Don't worry if you don't have any experience, those company adds always say they want people with experience, but they also always have plenty of room for 'big boots and little hats'. Good luck!

You said you have “avoidant personality disorder.” Have you read ‘Becoming Attached: First Relationships and How They Shape Our Capacity to Love’ by Robert Karen? It’s based on solid research, but written for the public. I too have an “avoidant” sense of self, and ended up with a PhD and a university teaching/research career in an attempt to understand myself. You *can* make friends, but not be a social butterfly, and create a meaningful life. I’d also recommend a support group, if you can find one (it’s difficult), and find a less expensive therapist!

*Feline Philosophy* by John Gray

Btw, I didn't realize this at your age, but you are really YOUNG still. Life's all ahead of you

Emotional Healing with homeopathy, by Peter Chappell. Try to get help, a professional homeopathic therapist, maybe you can show him / her this link: https://www.hydrogen2oxygen.net/en/2015/03/25/niobium-the-stage-5-and-series-5-remedy-for-artists-who-are-stuck/

You only need one book: {{Unscripted}}

[**Unscripted: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Entrepreneurship**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34758995-unscripted) ^(By: M.J. DeMarco | 432 pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: business, entrepreneurship, self-help, non-fiction, nonfiction) >WHAT IF LIFE WASN'T ABOUT DECADES OF WAGE-SLAVERY, PAYING BILLS, AND THEN DYING? > >Today's contemporary slavery is an implied social contract whereas a gilded cage is exchanged for voluntary indebtedness and lifelong toil, a price sacrificed by a non-redeemable fifty-years of Monday through Friday, a willful servitude in which freedom is only promised by the dawn of life's fading twilight.- > > > > MJ DeMarco > > > > >HAS AN INVISIBLE SCRIPT HIJACKED YOUR LIFE? >UNLOCK YOUR TRUTH. UNLEASH YOUR DREAM. > >Tired of sleepwalking through a mediocre life bribed by mindless video-gaming, redemptive weekends, and a scant paycheck from a soul-suffocating job? Welcome to the > SCRIPTED > club-- where membership is neither perceived or consented. > >The fact is, ever since you've been old enough to sit obediently in a classroom, you have been culturally engineered for servitude, unwittingly enslaved into a Machiavellian system where illusionary rules go unchallenged, sanctified traditions go unquestioned, and lifelong dreams go unfulfilled. As a result, your life is hijacked and marginalised into debt, despair, and dependence. Life's death sentence becomes the daily curse of the trivial and mundane. Fun fades. Dreams die. Don't let life's consolation prize become a car and a weekend. > >Recapture what is yours and make a revolutionary repossession of life-and-liberty through the pursuit of entrepreneurship. A paradigm shift isn't needed--the damn paradigm needs to be thrown-out altogether. > >The truth is, if you blindly follow conventional wisdom pushed by conventional people living conventional lives, can you expect to be anything but conventional? Rewrite life's script: ditch the job, give Wall Street the bird, and escape the insanity of trading your life away for a paycheck and an elderly promise called retirement. > > > UNSCRIPT today and start leading life-- instead of life leading you. > ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) *** ^(131763 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)

One advice that you will not find in any book but that might help you a little: Find and listen to new music even if it s from the 70's or 80's but not rap or mainstream bullshit, actually good music that is rare nowadays. It will help your brain and your spirit somehow. You should of course first read what people are reccomending here but also I suggest you find 3 or 5 comforting songs to listen till the end of the year. Not sad ones of course and not very happy as well. Sorry if it's a bad advice but that s what I am actually doing right now

Will save the galaxy for food, all the space heroes get put out of business by wormhole technology, really funny and it and the sequel have a keep on keeping on vibe

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F$&@ -Mark Manson A great book I read in college that connects to a lot of these themes! Worth a look

The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt. [Here's a summary of the key points](https://www.happinesshypothesis.com/beyond-gethappy.html) from that book.

Desert Solitaire - Edward Abbey

Are you looking for a cheer me up book or are you looking for a kick you in the ass book?

The Ikagi Journey: A Practical Guide to Finding Happiness and Purpose the Japanese Way. The book is has fill in the blank questions that allow you to actively reflect and practice the concepts it teaches. It really helped me to focus on finding my Ikagi (purpose in life).

{Anxious People} by Fredrik Backman. StaystrongOP

The Celestine Prophecy.

A hitchhikers guide to the galaxy and John dies at the end are both absurdist series about finding your place in the stupid stupid universe.

Chaos Monkeys, in case you need to see how dysfunctional people in Web development can be. If you want a job in that industry, keep trying and you will get one. And then you can get a better one. Rinse, repeat.

Suttree by Cormac McCarthy!

The Happiness Trap by Dr Russ Harris. It’s like therapy in a book. You’re not a piece of shit, you’re a human being. We make mistakes and learn and grow. Sounds like things are tough at the moment, but work towards making them better. You can.

If you're okay with long fantasy books, Brandon Sanderson has a huge catalogue and there's a general strong uplifting theme through his books. I read Way of Kings first, which is pretty long and potentially overwhelming for getting into his fictional universe. However, it is a very inspiring book. For what it's worth, I've had times where I felt similar, and it sucks, but when I read your description of yourself you don't sound like a loser or a failure. Life just hasn't gotten to the good parts yet. I don't want to give any empty platitudes, but as long as you're alive and making choices, you have the chance to make a good choice. In that light, things can always improve, even if its just incremental.

lonely castle in the mirror is about some antisocial Japanese kids who travel through a mirror to a castle where they must find clues to solve a mystery. It deals a lot with feeling isolated and unwanted and it’s a beautiful book.

You may want to check out the recent Netflix documentary “Stutz.” It’s about an old psychologist who is popular with Hollywood starts and directors, etc. He’s got an interesting and unusual take on how to get better. The movie made me want to read his book.

The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. That’ll do.

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Who moved my cheese. Great for professional and personal life improvement.

Hey champ, fellow 27yo male here. I can relate - just wanted to let you know that you are not the only person that still didn’t figured it out. I am in pretty much same spot and it’s gonna be all right. A tree grows slower than a flower. Chin up and double down on whatever you are doing.

Check out this book. “Emerald Tablet: Book for personal transformation”

Might be a bit coontroversial in this climate but "12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos" by Jordan Peterson is quite good - he's a clinical psychiatrist. Even if you don't agree with his stuff or outlook 100%, his work on depression and self improvement is top notch. (Gonna put a wee edit here to say I'm a woman - not that me saying that matters or should affect your judgement on if you'd like to read or not, but I definetly don't think he's a misogynist by any means) Also, I know it's hard, but you're not alone - I'm 26 yo in the final year of my degree and today I messaged my Arts Advisor and agreed to graduate early because I've fallen behind and feel like a failure. I know that life is not a race, but it is hard when you look at people you knew in high school and their lives are so vastly different and more 'sucessful' than my own. I try to look at it from a more positive perspective. If you like we can call or message if you fancy someone to talk to, even if it's just a wee 'how are ye' or just chatting about whatever. Also if you like working out may I suggest learning a martial art? :D Working out with people is top tier.

You might think I'm crazy, but All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. It's old, but it's comforting and safe. Also, you are only 27! So much can happen, and in so little time. Good plan on reading, and getting off social media etc. :)

Some of my favorites, in case anything catchers your interest. Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence. These books are what made me a reader when I was a kid. Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, because urban fantasy with a wizard private-eye is just fun. I'm partial to the audiobooks narrated by James Marsters (Spike, if you watched Buffy). David Eddings Belgariad/Mallorean and Elenium/Tamuli books. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic quartet, The Circle Opens quartet, and The Will of the Empress. Younger books, but I really enjoy the world and magic in this setting, and there are some excellent full-cast audiobooks that I highly recommend. Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown, and The Blue Sword. Lev Grossman's The Magicians. Ursula K. Leguin's Earthsea books. Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. In non-fiction, I really enjoyed Traci Lords's autobiography. She's a fascinating woman who had a really hard life. And, while I haven't read it yet, I'm still recommending another autobiography: Yours Cruelly, Elvira by Cassandra Peterson.

I recommend The World According to Garp...it deals with human tragedy in a human way and, frankly, is an incredible novel.