A book that shows anxious, restless thirty-year-olds how to live brilliantly. A gift of passion and courage for people in their thirties, when nothing seems easy.

At twenty-nine, I went through a depression worse than adolescence. Back then, the number thirty frightened me so much. Work, love, friendship, money, daily life—nothing suited me. This book is a guide to life for people in their thirties. After the fresh, downy youth of our twenties, our thirties are full of an uncanny feeling that we sort of know life and sort of do not. Yet it seems everyone except me is doing well. People around me appear settled and successful in love, marriage, and work.

Some people call life in your thirties “only thirty,” while others say “already thirty.” To those who envy that age, “only thirty” may sound steeped in envy. “Already thirty” may sound like something said by people who feel ashamed that they have aged without accomplishing anything. Everyone has had a thirtieth year, and there are people living through their thirties right now. Our subjective feelings about age, expressed through how we understand time, may be a lament, but it is sad to blame

After turning thirty, I worried a lot about how to live my life. My thirties were not what I had imagined as a child. I hated seeing myself compare my life with other people’s, wear myself down, get hurt, and struggle. I was always anxious and impatient. I was deeply concerned about how to get through my thirties, and then I found exactly the right book for me. The author speaks realistically and frankly about how to make the most of your thirties, which comforted me and also made me snap out

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there’s no need to cling to relationships. When someone who has been by my side leaves, another connection comes along. If I’d understood that sooner, I wouldn’t have become so attached to people. The author says there’s nothing wrong with spending time with others, but learning to be comfortable on your own matters more. Before my forties, I was afraid of being left alone, so I tried to keep relationships even when we weren’t a good fit. As a result, I

The author is said to be called a ‘mischievous troublemaker of planning’ in the global marketing industry. Even while building a successful career, they went through a long period of changing outlooks. It was only in their thirties that they began living their own life, and they are now recognized as an influential mentor to younger generations. The title made me curious about the book as a chance to reflect on myself, while the table of contents initially seemed like that of any other

As I rush through each day, I sometimes wonder whether I am living well. At those times, I should pause, look at myself as I am now, and care for myself. I think that is where I am right now. So I want to steady my heart again with the book Don’t Live Cheaply in the Brightest Years of Your Life. The author, Cai Yulin, currently works as a Taipei supervisor for the French perfume brand J’Vita. In marketing, he is called a “planning maverick” and has handled publicity for many brands. He put into

Just when you’re gradually getting used to the unfamiliar tasks of working life, you finally realize how much time has passed. Yet I find that I’ve slowly lost myself during those precious years and drifted away from happiness. When I take a moment to look back, I feel full of regret: I had so many things I wanted to do, but I’m sad to realize I’ve simply let time pass without accomplishing much. The author describes a special life in your thirties: traveling, taking photos of yourself,

As I read this book, I found myself thinking carefully about how to live once I turn thirty. After the eventful years of our twenties, thirty—the age of a full carton of eggs—suddenly approaches. It is young, but not exactly young; you are not yet a fully formed adult, but you cannot behave like a child either. I think thirty is an age to use what we have learned and built so far to anticipate, prepare for, and take on what lies ahead. But life does not always go as we wish, so we need to equip