The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*CK
By: Mark Manson
Harper (September 13, 2016)
212 pages

The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*CK is a provocative title for a very reasonable book about priorities. Manson argues that we should care less about the majority of things, so that we can refocus our attention on the things that matter. I think this is a version of minimalism. Wheter we are talking physical possessions or time and energy, it is insane to spend so much mental bandwidth on things that do not matter. Funny how death has a way of clarifying all of this.

Two of my favorite quotes:

The author Tim Ferriss relates a story he once heard about a novelist who had written over seventy novels. Someone asked the novelist how he was able to write so consistently and remain inspired and motivated. He replied, “Two hundred crappy words per day, that’s it.” The idea was that if he forced himself to write two hundred crappy words, more often than not the act of writing would inspire him; and before he knew it, he’d have thousands of words down on the page.

When Pablo Picasso was an old man, he was sitting in a café in Spain, doodling on a used napkin. He was nonchalant about the whole thing, drawing whatever amused him in that moment—kind of the same way teenage boys draw penises on bathroom stalls—except this was Picasso, so his bathroom-stall penises were more like cubist/ impressionist awesomeness laced on top of faint coffee stains. Anyway, some woman sitting near him was looking on in awe. After a few moments, Picasso finished his coffee and crumpled up the napkin to throw away as he left. The woman stopped him. “Wait,” she said. “Can I have that napkin you were just drawing on? I’ll pay you for it.” “Sure,” Picasso replied. “Twenty thousand dollars.” The woman’s head jolted back as if he had just flung a brick at her. “What? It took you like two minutes to draw that.” “No, ma’am,” Picasso said. “It took me over sixty years to draw this.” He stuffed the napkin in his pocket and walked out of the café.

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The Return Of The Prodigal Son
By: Henri Nouwen
Reissue edition (March 1, 1994)
151 pages

The Return Of The Prodigal Son is a memoir of spiritual journey from the late Henri Nouwen. I enjoyed it because personal tales are woven into spiritual commentary, not just focusing on the son, but looking at the world through each character’s eyes. Henri Nouwen was a public intellectual and long time professor of physcology and theology. After seeming Rembrandt’s painting “The Return Of The Prodigal Son,” and reflecting in its implications, Nouwen quit academia and moved outside of Toronto to work with people with intellectual disabilities.

Two of my favorite quotes:

Ever since becoming interested in this great work, I had known that the original had been acquired in 1766 by Catherine the Great for the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg (which after the revolution was given the name of Leningrad, and which has recently reclaimed its original name of Saint Petersburg) and was still there. I never dreamt that I would have a chance to see it so soon. Although I was very eager to get firsthand knowledge of a country that had so strongly influenced my thoughts, emotions, and feelings during most of my life, this became almost trivial when compared with the opportunity to sit before the painting that had revealed to me the deepest yearnings of my heart.

As I reflect on my own journey, I become more and more aware of how long I have played the role of observer. For years I had instructed students on the different aspects of the spiritual life, trying to help them see the importance of living it. But had I, myself, really ever dared to step into the center, kneel down, and let myself be held by a forgiving God? The simple fact of being able to express an opinion, to set up an argument, to defend a position, and to clarify a vision has given me, and gives me still, a sense of control. And, generally, I feel much safer in experiencing a sense of control over an undefinable situation than in taking the risk of letting that situation control me.

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