The Defining Decade

Review

To summarize what was a repetitive book: "don't waste your 20s, get a real job and a serious relationship". This book is dedicated to arguing against the "common" belief that young adults just spend their 20s having fun, causing them to get behind on life. As I've never met anyone who holds that belief, its premise was shaky to start. Consequently, a lot of the advice came across as dated, condescending, or simplistic.

In general, light on the practical tips and heavy on the scare tactics. Would not recommend and I'm sure you could find more useful, modern advice elsewhere.

Gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because it at least provided a few helpful ideas for me – building your identity capital, taking advantage of the weaker ties in your social network, the importance of developing a coherent personal story, and making timelines for your goals to verify feasibility.