Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation Paperback – 13 Jan. 2022

This book has put into words how I’ve been feeling but just didn’t know how to express - validating read and reassures you that you’re not alone. It’s really well written, researched and shows that burnout transcends all careers, genders and cultures. It is, however, very American so some of the reference points are not relatable to life in the UK (or EU for that matter), making me feel enormously grateful for how our society is structured.

This insightful book takes a deep dive into the complex reasons behind millennial burnout, exploring how the experiences of their parents during the Great Recession and evolving parenting norms have contributed to this phenomenon. The author carefully examines the myths surrounding the job search process, the pressure on millennials to secure impressive yet fulfilling jobs, which has led to exploitation and a sense of being overwhelmed. The book also addresses how technological advances have made it difficult for millennials to unplug from work, and how poverty has limited their opportunities to succeed in the job market. Though the book is written from an American perspective, as a European, I found many of the issues described to be relevant and resonant. The book's social and political commentary provides a refreshing and broader perspective on these challenges, highlighting that they are not just personal struggles but are shared by many people of our generation. While the book's theme can be disheartening, it is a call to action to bring about meaningful societal change, which it achieves brilliantly. However, it would have been helpful if the author had included more concrete suggestions for addressing these problems, even if it's just a reference to other resources.

This book was truly captivating! It delved into several significant themes that are particularly relevant to our modern world, providing enlightening perspectives on issues that I had never considered before. It articulated many of the challenges I've faced in both my personal and academic life and helped me find direction in my studies and career. I highly recommend this wonderful book to all my acquaintances!

I got a bit exhausted from reading this book. As a millennial myself and a woman, I have experienced some of the issues raised in the book. It’s interesting read, but also a quite depressing read at times.

I want to start by saying this is not a burnout self-help book, more a cultural commentary on the world we find ourselves in that has been almost perfectly designed to burn us out.As a 26 year old living in London, this book has been brilliant in giving me a much better understanding of the culture I have been brought up in, and the challenges my parents generation faced. It has helped me come to understand that we have essentially been bred to burnout in this hyper-capitalist, consumerist society. Being aware of the history and the circumstances that lead us here is hugely helpful, and has allowed me to start to rethink the way I approach my work and life.To address some of the other UK review - yes, it focusses on America mostly, but I read it in the context that America can be read as a mirrored society of what we face in the UK (broadly speaking). While the UK and America are separate countries and societies, we do share a culture that influences each other - especially in the context of the last 75 years. Class, for example, and our desperation to maintain or move up it, is a hugely influential factor.Please do give this a read if you want to understand more about our society today; read it in this way and you won't be disappointed.

A somewhat desparing account of the plight of millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, Petersen gives us al the well known attributes of this group: selfish, poor work ethic,unworldly and a belief they are special. It is a popuar stereotype. She then rejects this view and gives us a more nuanced accountt of their condition. Burnout is discussed. She argues it is a never ending to- do list. It's a bit of everything: debt,

I read the first 13 or so pages and flicked through the rest of it. It looks like 250+ pages of the writer's personal experience of what it feels like to be burnt-out, and convincing the reader that we've been short-changed by the world.It didn't tell me anything I didn't know and only made me feel a bit anxious, if I'm honest. Like a long reminder that things are pretty rubbish right now.I just finished reading Michelle Obama's book "becoming", which I absolutely adored, so maybe the contrast added to my opinion on it.

The book came 1 day earlyBook looks amazing I read the content page

This is not a book of solutions, it is a book of explanations, but extremely valuable ones. I worked myself into the ground at a hard job that promised long term rewards. However, even now, as I'm starting to reap the benefits of that hard work and I'm working a bit less (but still easily 20 hours of unpaid work a week), I'm still exhausted and feel guilty that my work isn't filling me with joy. This book is eye-opening, I've never read cultural commentary that so resonated with my personal life experience. I feel like Millenials are so often blamed for everything that's not great in our lives... since we're so lucky to grow up in modern times with smartphones, how dare we feel burnt out...this book addresses this narrative by carefully looking at what has changed since the post- WW2 economic boom and how it has impacted millenial lives in particular.

Ideas, concepts, experiences, analysis, réflexions, testimonies, writing are excellent novel and thoughtful. Read it now and don't read another book, act!

I preordered the book and when it arrived it was damaged on the edges, scratched on the cover and looked generally old.The book itself was not as impressive as I have hoped as it freatly lacked evidence to support the author’s claims.

Really great book, but found myself annoyed with how many typos, grammatical errors, and the like that I found

I would highly recommend this book! It explores a the history and changes in education and work that effect everybody but hurt millennials the most! As someone who is not a millennial but who finished graduate school when the economy spiraling downward i felt like it outlined a lot of the realities and struggles that I faced. It is also the first book to articulate a mentality about work that I've felt For much of my adult life--the negative economic realities of emphasizing work you "love" or feel "called" to do. Or the pressure to monetize a task that you do enjoy even if you want to have it as a hobby to be economically productive. Our culture's constant stress on productivity burns anyone out and this book does an excellent job outlining this! But the book goes beyond the productivity required from work on the discussions on things like technology and parenting. I appreciate how well researched this book is while still being written in an engaging matter. Yet with a topic like this, it cracks open a lot of other topics that deserve further examination in our current culture. I would definitely put this on my list of books to have someone read it they wanted to understand the realities I have lived with more!