Honestly, I'm very skeptical about "self-help" books because most of the time they're full of cliches like "love yourself" and "accept yourself" and "you are so special, just believe it." While these are awesome sentiments, and you should absolutely love yourself, I don't feel like these statements do a lot to truly help someone take steps towards bettering themselves.
Manson, through very blunt and profane assertions, outlines what he believes is the best way to tackle the goal of living a better and ultimately more fulfilling life. The subtle art he talks about doesn't entail becoming apathetic and not caring about anything, but rather being more strategic in where you focus your emotions and energy. The bottom line for his argument is that we are all responsible for our actions and emotions, and as a result, we are ultimately in control of our lives. This pertains to careers, relationships with family and what we consider core values- both as a society and on a personal level. Although Manson's book doesn't fall under a genre of books that I would normally read, it does offer some great advice and a different way to look at everyday life in a humorous and easily digestible way.

I picked up this book to put in my classroom, and decided to read it myself. At first I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this book, but in the end, I loved it. Butterfly Yellow follows a teenage girl who has escaped Vietnam after the war and lands in Texas where she embarks on an adventure to find her brother. I thought that the focus of the plot would be predominantly on her quest to find her brother; however, Lai chose to focus more on what comes after. I loved the way Lai frames the story, and it adds a layer to Hang's quest to reunite herself with a brother who doesn't remember his family, country, or native language. Hang has to overcome linguistic and emotional barriers in order to accomplish her ultimate goal of righting past wrongs and reuniting what little family she has left.

This short story is kind of like a mix between Greek mythology and "the Yellow Wallpaper," and honestly, I'm here for it. It is excellently written, and even though it's only 32 pages there is so much substance.