Stuff Every Adult Should Know: A Pocket-Sized Guide to Grown-Up Know-How, from Taxes to Small Talk

by Alyssa Favreau, Alanna Kalb, Brett Cohen

A pocket guide to all the adult stuff you’re expected to know (but that nobody ever explains)—from paying your taxes to changing a tire to making new friends.

Do you ever feel like you missed the day in school where they taught you . . . literally everything you were going to need for a successful adulthood? How do you iron clothes? Where do friends come from? Why are there so many types of insurance? Does everyone else already know this stuff, and where did they learn it?

Well, you don't have to flail around anymore, pretending like you know what you're doing. Here’s the handbook for that day we all missed—and it fits right into your pocket! Get the background knowledge you deserve for life skills

Writing a cover letter that's confident but not overconfidentReplacing a button or sewing a hem to rescue old clothesMaking a budget and sticking to itHosting a party—and making small talk at a partyHolding a baby, whether it's yours or someone else'sAnd more!
Featuring handy tips, tricks, and techniques collected from the bestselling Stuff series, Stuff Every Adult Should Know is the adulthood 101 we’ve been waiting for!

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2025

Reviews

[Ricky Mikeabono · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a book for actual adults, it is for adolescents, ideal for particularly sheltered high school seniors. It introduces some adult concepts, like paying taxes, with a lot of breadth and very little depth. Except for the section on sewing, for some reason the author thought it was critical to do into detail on how to hem pants by hand. I have no idea how that made this book given all the way more important information that didn't fit. Even if I were the intended audience, I don't think I'd give the book more than 3 stars, because the whole thing felt very AI-generated. If you're a teen looking for some info on adult skills, as much as I hate to say it, Reddit would be a much better source. I'm sure there are a ton of posts about "what do I need to learn as I become and adult?" or specific topics like "how do I make my first resume?"

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well put together book that is easy to understand and straight forward when explaining complex facets of information. I know you can find pretty much all of this online, but for people who need to touch or physically interact with their world to gain knowledge, or who may need a direct approach to explanations, this book would be very helpful.

[Jenny Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick easy read broken up in to chapters. Great for someone graduating high school, college or moving out. Or in their 40’s like me!