I have been a fan of Gretchen Rubin and her writing for years. Her previous work like "The Happiness Project", "The Four Tendencies", "Happier at Home", and "Outer Order Inner Calm" have been not only great resources for understanding others and oneself but have also provided great tools for living happier lives. "Secrets of Adulthood" missed this mark for me. I do like the idea of making note of aphorisms that have been impactful in one's life. However, if you are going to title the book "Secrets of Adulthood", I do think it would be a better read for the author to truly describe how these aphorisms fit within the categories laid out in the book ("Cultivating Ourselves", "Facing the Perplexities of Relationships", "Making Things Happen", and "Confronting Life's Dilemmas"). I am sure this was designed so that all readers would find something to relate to and then be able to add their own aphorisms that speak to their own versions of what adulthood means to them, but I think I was just expecting more from this.

I found this quick-read book delightful and thought-provoking.

The book collects all the aphorisms (wisdom captured in a clever phrase) that Gretchen Rubin has authored based on her own life observations and experience. The aphorisms are separated into thematic collections and each collection has a short introduction. I am a many-years devotee of Gretchen Rubin and so the content of this book is right up my alley. But anyone interested in self-knowledge, self-improvement, or just pondering the truths of the world would enjoy this book. While reading this book, I found myself pondering what little life truths I have observed and what aphorisms I might write.

This is a book I would love to own and thumb through occasionally because often I felt that I wanted to consider an aphorism for a while, and I would love to be reminded of them from time to time to see what strikes me. This book would also make a great gift to a college graduate, a retiree, or anyone else entering a new chapter of adulthood, even a new parent.

Thank you so much to Crown Publishing and Net Galley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First, thank you to to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have been a big fan of Gretchen Rubin and was thrilled to get a look at this book in early. Less of a typical verbose chapter book, it is truly a book of wisdom in small bites. I love the aphorisms and found myself highlighting several passages to write down for my self. There is something for everyone in this book.

Chances are, you’ve already heard one of Gretchen Rubin’s aphorisms: “The days are long, but the years are short”. More a quick coffee table reference than a book you’d read in one sitting, Rubin’s ‘Secrets of Adulthood’ is a lovely collection of wisdom. After a brief introduction, Rubin jumps right into her aphorisms, most without additional explanation.

Of course, different aphorisms will speak to different readers, and readers familiar with Rubin’s podcast or previous books will recognize how steadfast she is in speaking clearly and unapologetically from her own perspective (and only her perspective). Often, our perspectives align — “A strong voice repels as well as attracts” — and other times, Rubin loses me — “People don’t talk enough about how comforting work is.” But overall, Rubin has succinctly and enjoyably distilled her worldview into bite-sized pieces. I think everyone can find a few aphorisms that resonate, making this slim collection well worth picking up. 5*.

Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for providing this e-arc.

As I was reading this (I'm a huge Gretchen Rubin fan) I was inspired to take one of the aphorisms and use it as a jumping off point for a journal entry daily. For example: "Leave some room in the suitcase"...think of all of the things you could journal about that idea in life to leave space. Right? This book is short and filled with sayings like this to get you thinking.

Also, while reading this I thought this would be an excellent graduation gift as that time of the year is here. This is a lovely gift for yourself or for someone else - I'm going to pick up copies for folks, You should too.

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I'm partial to anything Gretchen creates and this is no different. A great compilation of aphorisms and quotes on the 'Secrets of Adulthood' that are endearing and relatable! I too used to have an old notebook I used to collect and write down quotes that spoke to me at certain times of my life and this is what I envisioned mine to look like if I ever published it. This would be a cool coffee table book and a great gift for a college grad!

A little disappointing. I am not familiar with Gretchen Rubin's prior work, so I came into this with a blank slate. I thought the short page count would mean she would be concise, but impactful, instead it was as she mentioned in the intro, a lot of aphorisms. I was just expecting more stories to go along with each aphorism, as that is what I was looking forward to, but alas, it was not meant to be.

I absolutely love Gretchen Rubin's work, and am very excited every time she releases a new book! That said, this book was a bit of a disappointment for me, because it was not truly a book from her persepective about her "life experiments," or even a book about the theory of something (like the Four Tendencies), but rather a collection of aphorisms. I knew that the book was *about* aphorisms, but I wasn't expecting that to be the whole thing--I was hoping there'd be more anecdotes, applications, &c. It was also very short--in ebook form, felt more like a pamphlet than a book!

However, it was well-organized, and I can certainly appreciate the satisfaction of compiling something like this! And I enjoyed reading through the aphorisms.

When I heard that Gretchen had a new book coming out, I knew I needed to get it. Thankfully you all granted my wish! I find the book so full of advice that means something. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

This is a short and sweet book that really condenses Gretchen Rubin's books down to her main ideas. If you have read her books, it's a bit repetitive but it's a good primer if you haven't. It's a very quick and easy read so everyone should be able to find something inspiring or thought-provoking in it.

If you are a fan of Gretchen Rubin or The Happier Podcast, you will enjoy this fun book. It's short and sweet but packs a punch- packed full of aphorisms which are divided by categories including Making Things Happen, and Confronting Life's Dilemmas among others. Some are common sense, and some will truly make you think. This will make a great coffee table book to pick up and enjoy as well as a great gift for graduation.

This book is set to publish on April 1, 2025 and I truly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for providing and ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I have read almost all of Gretchen Rubin's books and especially like the Happiness Project and Better Than Before. This book is an expansion of her practices of collecting quotes and aphorisms from others, as well as making her own. Secrets of Adulthood is a short book that organizes these aphorisms in sections including Cultivating Ourselves, Relationships, Life Dilemmas, and Making Things Happen. If you are are a fan of Rubin's work, this would make a great addition to your library. The book would also be great for a recent college graduate.

I really enjoy anything by Gretchen Rubin, and this was no exception. This was such a good read packed full of little nuggets of wisdom. Even though it’s short, there are so many thought provoking aphorisms. It would make a great journaling companion. I especially enjoyed how it was broken into different categories, based on what one might be going through or struggling with at any moment in time.

I read this on my kindle, but I’m probably going to grab a hard copy for myself and also a few to give as gifts!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a very short book that would make the perfect present for someone who is graduating or wants to ponder big questions about adulting.

This is a quick read and provides a collection of quotes that readers may want to revisit when adulting gets too hard. I’m glad I read this book. Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!

Secrets of Adulthood, by happiness expert Gretchen Rubin, is an absolute delight and should immediately be placed at the top of your "gifts for graduates" list. Offering stellar advice for young adults of any gender, this book touches on all the hot-topics, including work, friendships, procrastination, a thirst for knowledge, and responsibility... just to name a few. Ms. Rubin uses an enviable format, by bunching her topics into categories of aphorisms (a concise statement that contains an expansive truth), thus making these words-to-live-by easy to memorize, recite and understand.. This is the perfect little book for lifelong learners and those just starting out.

In all honesty, I'll read anything that Gretchen Rubin writes. So I knew I would love this-and I did. My only criticism is that it is way too short! I wanted more, more stories from Gretchen! However, I will be buying a hard copy of this for my own shelves. It's the kind of book that is savored and read a little bit at a time, not all in one go like I did. But I'll go back and reread it like this. It's full of her aphorisms, which her fans know all about. Many of them I have already read about in her other books, so I wish there were some newer ones. But I just adore anything Gretchen writes.

As a follower of Gretchen Rubin and an avid reader of her Five Things e-newsletter, I was very excited to read Secrets of Adulthood. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. At first glance, it appears to be nothing more than a gathering of aphorisms but it is so much more. This book is not the type to be read once and then put aside. These nuggets of wisdom will be ones to mull over quite awhile. Some are just common sense, while others made me think deeply. As I was reading, I was constantly making mental notes of the people I wanted to share specific bits with. Instead, I think I'll just purchase multiple copies and hand them out like candy.

Gretchen Rubin is a delight! Secrets of Adulthood is a short, yet powerful book. It was a quick read but then I took the time to go back and savor it and to highlight and think through ‘aphorisms’ that really spoke to me. There is a lot of wisdom packed into these pages! This book would make an excellent gift for pretty much anyone. Gretchen breaks down her wisdom into helpful categories, such as relationships, making things happen, and making tough decisions. The wisdom spans from the uber practical (e.g., search for a missing item thoroughly for 10 minutes in the spot you most think it will be) to the profound (e.g., accept yourself, expect more from yourself). Highly recommend!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

I am a huge Gretchen Rubin fan. I've read all but her 3 earliest books, I listen to her podcasts, and I've even had the opportunity to meet her in person.

This book is a bit different than her others. It is full of aphorisms, that is a succinctly stated truth. Most come from other people throughout history and into the current day. A few are by Gretchen herself. And, as is often the case, the opposite of a truth can also be a truth (oh wait, that is indeed one of the aphorisms). It is light on text but has several benefits to recommend it. I think a big plus of this book is that you can take one short sentence or passage and really contemplate it, see how it is reflected in your own experiences and life. I think it would make a good "read-one-aphorism-a-day" book. The Secrets of Adulthood would also make for great journal prompts. I recommend this for those who like to dwell on philosophical matters, truths of being human, and psychology.

Secrets of Adulthood
By Gretchen Rubin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am a huge fan of Gretchen Rubin’s books and podcast, this one is very different but also great! It is a book of aphorisms which Gretchen wrote for her daughters l and to remind herself what she has learned through her own experiences! I found myself highlighting a lot in this short book! It is great because it is jam packed with knowledge! I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to come back to it when I need a gentle reminder in a tough time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Add this lovely book to your TBR!! It will be published April 1, 2025! Add it to your TBR!!