More like 3.5 stars. I wish someone would have given this book to me ten years ago. Alas, some of the advice will better suit a different (see: younger) reader, but overall it was very good.

3 stars

Read this because the title was interesting enough.

3 stars

Read this because the title was interesting enough.

I have mixed feelings on this book. I wanted to love it, but mostly I just kept wishing it was written by Captain Awkward. (Sidenote: WHY HASN'T CAPTAIN AWKWARD WRITTEN A BOOK YET.) I've learned more about being an adult from that blog than from anything in this book.

I was actually enjoying this book a lot until I got to "Step 276: Keep an eye on weight gain." *insert scratching record noise* Wait, what? I thought I was reading a chill book and now it's going to fat-shame me? Especially after I LOVED "Step 103: Curb your instinct to comment on other people's bodies aloud." How about you curb YOUR instinct to tell me what to do with my body, book. News flash: There are fat adults. There are fat adults who are very good at being adults. Being fat is not a character flaw. Tell me to eat real food, tell me to exercise if you must, but don't tell me not to be fat.

Also, since when are prenatal vitamins "critically necessary" for women even if you're not going to get pregnant anytime soon? I don't consider shiny hair and strong nails to be "critically necessary," but they're the only justifications provided for that particular bit of advice.

That said, this book did contain some actual useful advice, especially in the practical arenas of cooking, cleaning, moving house, etc. It's when the book gets into more personal arenas that I start to disagree with it. A lot of that stuff is much more subjective, and the advice in those areas isn't going to work for everyone, yet the author acts like it will. Still, maybe it's helpful for those ten years younger than I am who are just beginning to figure this stuff out, and I'm just coming at it from my own perspective about what works and doesn't work for my personal adult life.

I did like a lot of the humor in this book. Choice quote: "Dryers are like the American presidency. Clothing goes in looking youthful and vigorous, and emerges slumped and gray-haired."

Also, she's right about the Scorpios.

My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-adulting-by-kelly-williams-brown.html

Adulting is a must-read for anyone in their twenties! Author Kelly Williams Brown has penned an incredibly helpful how-to geared toward twenty-somethings who may be grown up but don’t always feel like it.

We all have gaps in our knowledge (I freely admit to being a dunce when it comes to car maintenance) and Adulting helps fill in the most necessary ones in 468 simply-stated steps. It’s an incredibly useful resource, and I’m positive I’ll be re-reading the areas I need to focus on many times. But what I enjoyed best about Adulting wasn’t the tips themselves (though that is why I recommend the book), but rather Ms. Williams Brown’s writing style. Adulting is incredibly funny and a pure joy to read.

Adulting is a brilliant, helpful book that I’m glad I own. If you’re a twenty-something who doesn’t have adulthood all figured out (and face it, most of us don’t), then I highly recommend spending an afternoon reading Adulting.


Note: In addition to reading Adulting, I highly recommend checking out Kelly Williams Brown’s Adulting blog.