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The Millennial's Guide to Changing the World: A New Generation's Handbook to Being Yourself and Living with Purpose
A guide and blueprint to a purposeful millennial existence―and how we can make a difference.
What does it mean to be a millennial in this chaotic world? Beyond Snapchat and Tinder, the consumerist culture we’ve inherited, and quarter-life crises, can a millennial aspire to more?
Alison Lea Sher argues, yes, we can! Packing herself up in an RV, Sher embarks on a road trip in hopes of starting a conversation about what it means to grow up in America, post-Great Recession. Interviewing 150 of her millennial peers as they begin their adult lives―from kids heading straight to Wall Street after college to those sleeping on it―Sher asks: “Who are you; what should you do; and how can you step into your destiny as a stakeholder in society?”
The Millennial’s Guide to the Universe is a one-of-a-kind ethnographic study on the spotlighted millennial generation, as told by millennials―the largest generation in US history that is now transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. As millennials embark on a young adult quest during a frightening time, how can they enlist the idealism, values, and resistance politics they are so well-known for to discover a sense of self and purpose? Learn how to:
“Adult”―and not in the way society defines it
Ride the technology revolution, instead of letting it ride you
Be ethical, inclusive, and sex-positive in your relationships
Resist the corporate oligarchy we live in
Recognize privilege, embrace diversity, and fight for equality
Save the earth, literally
With intimate stories, ethnographic research, and practical tips, The Millennial’s Guide to the Universe will inspire every young person, showing them how to optimize their coming-of-age potential in a world that desperately needs it.
What does it mean to be a millennial in this chaotic world? Beyond Snapchat and Tinder, the consumerist culture we’ve inherited, and quarter-life crises, can a millennial aspire to more?
Alison Lea Sher argues, yes, we can! Packing herself up in an RV, Sher embarks on a road trip in hopes of starting a conversation about what it means to grow up in America, post-Great Recession. Interviewing 150 of her millennial peers as they begin their adult lives―from kids heading straight to Wall Street after college to those sleeping on it―Sher asks: “Who are you; what should you do; and how can you step into your destiny as a stakeholder in society?”
The Millennial’s Guide to the Universe is a one-of-a-kind ethnographic study on the spotlighted millennial generation, as told by millennials―the largest generation in US history that is now transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. As millennials embark on a young adult quest during a frightening time, how can they enlist the idealism, values, and resistance politics they are so well-known for to discover a sense of self and purpose? Learn how to:
“Adult”―and not in the way society defines it
Ride the technology revolution, instead of letting it ride you
Be ethical, inclusive, and sex-positive in your relationships
Resist the corporate oligarchy we live in
Recognize privilege, embrace diversity, and fight for equality
Save the earth, literally
With intimate stories, ethnographic research, and practical tips, The Millennial’s Guide to the Universe will inspire every young person, showing them how to optimize their coming-of-age potential in a world that desperately needs it.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
Audio CD
Published May 8, 2018
25 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 1, 2018
The good the nad and the ugly
...of my generation! Well I guess I'm definitely a millenial. This appealed to the voyeur in me in that Alison takes us into the lives of millenials across the spectrum of modern life choices. The good thing is we're all a bit lost, and that's OK. In a lot of ways millenials have been handed a raw deal by the old guards mistakes, but that's no reason throw in the towel. There's still time to change the world!
...of my generation! Well I guess I'm definitely a millenial. This appealed to the voyeur in me in that Alison takes us into the lives of millenials across the spectrum of modern life choices. The good thing is we're all a bit lost, and that's OK. In a lot of ways millenials have been handed a raw deal by the old guards mistakes, but that's no reason throw in the towel. There's still time to change the world!
January 15, 2019
While this book has 'Being Yourself', it focuses on throwing out traditional standards in the workplace, in our social circles, and in our bedroom. I don't disagree with the author on all these fronts, but the book makes me feel like an outsider for having a monogamous, heterosexual marriage and having a normal job to take care of my family. This book is more of a validation for alternative lifestyles and tearing down status quos. I completely agree that the modern expectation of "go to college and work for the man" can lead to an unhappy life, but there is a personal responsibility to find income streams to take care of yourself and live the lifestyle you want.
March 18, 2021
"At the end of the day, the only thing stopping you from creating the life you want is an excuse." - 31%
"Emotionally, our [women's] hormones cycled with our period, and this natural sensitivity made us fit to care for children." - 82%
Okaaaay then.
"Emotionally, our [women's] hormones cycled with our period, and this natural sensitivity made us fit to care for children." - 82%
Okaaaay then.
June 9, 2018
The Millennial's Guide to Changing the World is an insightful and inspiring book that every millennial should read. The words, research, & interviews with people from all walks of life give you a better understanding of today's world and the significance of your place in it.
"The weight of the world is far less heavy when it's spread out among many shoulders."
Whether you want to change your life or the world, this book is full of guidance and knowledge to help you do both!
"The weight of the world is far less heavy when it's spread out among many shoulders."
Whether you want to change your life or the world, this book is full of guidance and knowledge to help you do both!
August 20, 2025
Alison Lea Sher’s The Millennial’s Guide to Changing the World is an eye-opening journey into the hopes, struggles, and responsibilities of a generation that has inherited a fractured world. Rather than treating millennials as a cliché or a punchline, Sher listens carefully to their voices, weaving together personal encounters and cultural insights into a thoughtful portrait of what it means to grow up today.
The book is as much about Sher’s search for meaning as it is about the people she meets. Traveling across the country in an RV, she seeks out conversations with young adults whose lives look very different on the surface, yet share a common thread of uncertainty and yearning for something more. Some are chasing fast-paced careers, others are still finding their footing, and many are questioning whether the old definitions of success and adulthood even apply to them anymore. What emerges is a tapestry of resilience, confusion, idealism, and quiet determination.Sher doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges—economic pressures, political divides, environmental concerns, and the constant presence of technology—but she also refuses to let those obstacles define her generation. Instead, she highlights the ways millennials are reimagining community, relationships, and responsibility. Her reflections carry both urgency and compassion, reminding readers that behind every statistic and stereotype is a human story of someone trying to build a purposeful life in uncertain times.
At its core, this is not just a book about millennials; it is a book about the human desire for meaning in a rapidly changing world. Sher’s blend of storytelling and reflection makes the book deeply relatable, whether you are part of the generation she writes about or simply curious to understand it better. It is both a call to action and a gentle reminder that small choices, when guided by empathy and awareness, can ripple outward into larger change.The Millennial’s Guide to Changing the World is more than a generational study—it is a heartfelt reminder that every era has its challenges, but every generation also has the chance to leave the world better than they found it.
The book is as much about Sher’s search for meaning as it is about the people she meets. Traveling across the country in an RV, she seeks out conversations with young adults whose lives look very different on the surface, yet share a common thread of uncertainty and yearning for something more. Some are chasing fast-paced careers, others are still finding their footing, and many are questioning whether the old definitions of success and adulthood even apply to them anymore. What emerges is a tapestry of resilience, confusion, idealism, and quiet determination.Sher doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges—economic pressures, political divides, environmental concerns, and the constant presence of technology—but she also refuses to let those obstacles define her generation. Instead, she highlights the ways millennials are reimagining community, relationships, and responsibility. Her reflections carry both urgency and compassion, reminding readers that behind every statistic and stereotype is a human story of someone trying to build a purposeful life in uncertain times.
At its core, this is not just a book about millennials; it is a book about the human desire for meaning in a rapidly changing world. Sher’s blend of storytelling and reflection makes the book deeply relatable, whether you are part of the generation she writes about or simply curious to understand it better. It is both a call to action and a gentle reminder that small choices, when guided by empathy and awareness, can ripple outward into larger change.The Millennial’s Guide to Changing the World is more than a generational study—it is a heartfelt reminder that every era has its challenges, but every generation also has the chance to leave the world better than they found it.
January 9, 2019
Awful, felt like a good old moaning session. Lacked data and facts. I only got 80% through and then I found it boring.
June 7, 2018
This book was a pleasing experience where I felt enlightened and experience of growth once I had put this book down. I highly recommend this for generations to come before and after the millennial because it is a wonderful breath of fresh air to the honest truth behind Sher's words whom need reassurance and hope along with the ones who need the insightful read. I can happily give it 3.5 stars due to the fact I disconnected and very bobbled down by terms like I was readying a book for class. It could help anyone who read it to understand the Millennial struggle but it just wasn't a book for me although I am in the demographic the book speaks of.
November 23, 2019
It wasn't really a handbook of how to change the world. Handbooks have steps to follow to reach an end result. This book was nearly 300 pages of how specific people experience the world with generalities about an entire generation between the specifics. No steps. No "this is the problem; here's what you can do to help fix it." The only thing that was handbook-like was the list of three questions literally at the end. Very disappointing.
January 5, 2023
Rambling, unfocused, and superficial.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews