Manson begins with a story about an alcoholic writer who is wildly unsuccessful during most of his life. When offered a break at fifty years of age, he finds a bit of success but never feels like a winner. The author goes on to criticize the constant barrage of life lessons that we receive stressing the importance of positive thinking.
He believes that some people get things and some don't, and it is rarely "fair." He says that the old adage about making lemonade out of the lemons we are handed is useless, and instead he feels we should learn to like lemons. We need to accept that we all have limitations, sort of the "Peter Principle" of life, and make the best of what we can do.
When you think about it, this (very) young man might need a few more life experiences to gain a true perspective, but a great deal of what he says holds merit. We all chase that elusive butterfly and sometimes miss the pretty one that is circling our flower garden every day. Vulgar language aside, this author does share some pearls of wisdom we all might want to heed. He writes with humor and intelligence, and I ended up agreeing with him much more than I believed I ever could.
- Beverly
Publisher - HarperOne
Date of Publication - September 13, 2016