The author is likely to go down as one of the modern era's great authors. He was a sarcastic, intelligent, elitist who knew it. He was also mentally ill, and unfortunately took his life. This book is the only graduation speech he gave, and the perspective he wishes you to take the world on with is likely the same one he struggled to follow. Short, poignant, and full of sharply written lines, its one of the best speeches you could read.