Escape Adulthood: 8 Secrets from Childhood for the Stressed-Out Grown-Up

By Jason W. Kotecki

Book Overview

Being Grown-Up Isn’t All It Was Cracked Up To Be. Do you ever have the urge to resign from being an adult? Are you burned out by the stresses that come with being grown-up and wish you could be six... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0971525331
• ISBN13: 9780971525337
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: JBiRD INK, Ltd.
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.3" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Who Wouldn't Want to Escape Adulthood?

You know how sometimes you get to the end of a book, and you close it, and you just want to immediately go back to the beginning and start reading it again? That happened to me this week with the book Escape Adulthood, by Jason Kotecki. I think that it will really resonate with visitors to this site, especially those of you who are here mainly because you think that children's books are cool. Escape Adulthood is a book about conquering "Adultitis". It's about recapturing that childlike excitement and optimism that all of us used to have. The book consists of 8 primary chapters, each discussing a "secret from childhood for stressed out grown-ups." Like "delight in the little things" and "play "and "maintain perspective". Each chapter ends with 11 concrete tips for getting started. For example: From Chapter 3 (Get Curious) we have tip number 8: "Make it a personal mission to learn something new every day. Read lots of books. It is well known that leaders are readers. That's why mansions always have libraries in them." From Chapter 4 (Live Passionately): "Even if it's just an hour a week, or 15 minutes each day, do whatever you can to try to carve out some extra time for yourself and your favorite hobby." From Chapter 5 (Play): "Next time you go out to eat, order dessert first." Some of the tips are more original than this, and not all of them will be relevant for every reader, but I'll bet that everyone could benefit from following a few of Jason's suggestions. Even if you don't intend to actually follow the suggestions (you're quite happy with your own level of maturity, thank you very much) the book is still fun to read. I laughed out loud many times while reading it. It's also a short, quick read. You could easily squeeze in a chapter every night before bed. And there are comic strips sprinkled throughout (Jason is a cartoonist, with a strip called Kim and Jason). I do have one small caveat about my recommendation of this book. Throughout this book, Jason makes regular references to God and faith and the Bible. I didn't find it overwhelming or preachy, but if you are someone who will be bothered by this, then this isn't the book for you. Stop here, and go read Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass or Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince instead. But if you think that you might be suffering from adultitis, or if you just want a book that advises you to play more, then Escape Adulthood is just the book for you. A slightly longer version of this review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on February 3, 2006.

Remember the Childlike

Jason's writing style is smart and insightful, as well as humorous. He reminds us that we can retrieve our childlike qualities from the cobwebs of our brains and tells how to use those to have a more fun and meaningful life. I enoyed his references and quotes, but especially his childhood anecdotes...they conjure up my own childhood memories.

Fond Memories

Being in the same age range as Jason (1 year younger), and growing up in the very seasonal midwest like he did, I really relate with many of Jason's views. Our childhood's were really not that much different, especially in regards to imaginative playtime. Reading this book easily brought me back to many fond memories of being a child, and many realizations that adulthood really can stink. Seriously, this is a very insightful and enjoyable book, and whether or not you try to follow any of these steps to lighten the mood of your adult life, you will still be brought back to the enjoyable memories of your childhood, and really....that's not a bad reaction at all, right?

What a fun book!!

I've been a subscriber to Kim and Jason for years, so how could I resist reading the book? I was not disappointed in the least. The humor and down to earthness I love from the comic strip was all right there in the book. If you love childhood you won't be disappointed. And if you don't you should buy this book to find out how to love childhood again!

Phenomenal!

I couldn't put this book down. I laughed and cried (trite, but true!) and felt challenged to be a better person. I hope these secrets don't stay hidden very long!