Books › How to be a person › Books like it
If you loved
Books like How to be a person
A profane, hilarious, and surprisingly practical survival guide for the messy transition into adulthood. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with How to be a person.
- chaotic good
- gritty
- boisterous
- unfiltered
- 01
Bonk
Mary Roach
A hilarious, unapologetic romp through the awkward and fascinating science of human sexuality.
- 02
The defining decade
Meg Jay
A compassionate but firm wake-up call that transforms the overwhelming ambiguity of early adulthood into an actionable roadmap.
- 03
This is water
David Foster Wallace · 2009
A short, sharp shock of empathy that reframes the crushing boredom of daily adult life into an opportunity for profound connection.
- 04
Shrill
Lindy West
A hilarious, battle-tested manifesto for taking up space and refusing to apologize for it.
- 05
The Commitment
Dan Savage · 2005
A laugh-out-loud, deeply personal exploration of what it means to tie the knot when you've spent your life untangling the rules.
- 06
We are Never Meeting in Real Life
Samantha Irby
A wildly funny, unapologetically messy romp through the indignities of adulthood and the human body.
- 07
Where you go is not who you'll be
Frank Bruni
A reassuring dismantling of the college admissions myth that offers an empathetic path out of academic anxiety.
- 08
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs
Chuck Klosterman
A hyper-caffeinated, wildly entertaining deep dive into the profound philosophical truths hidden inside our trashiest pop culture.
- 09
Furiously Happy
Jenny Lawson
A wildly tangential, laugh-out-loud manifesto on fighting crippling depression with weaponized absurdity.
- 10
I was told there'd be cake
Sloane Crosley
A wry and hilarious celebration of well-intentioned haplessness in the modern city.
- 11
Chelsea Chelsea bang bang
Chelsea Handler
A brisk, laugh-out-loud exploration of the ridiculous side of relationships, childhood, and navigating adulthood.
- 12
Esquire's The New Rules for Men
Esquire
A witty, bite-sized manual for navigating modern life with a dash of old-school swagger.
