A celebration of curiosity, compassion, and the surprising power of fear, this book of inspirational life advice is based on the New York Times bestselling author and renowned professor’s 2015 commencement address at Syracuse University.

“Being smart and rich are lucky, but being curious & compassionate will save your ass.”

Every year there are one or two commencement speeches that strike a chord with audiences far greater than the student bodies for which they are intended. In 2015 Mary Karr’s speech to the graduating class of Syracuse University caught fire, hailed across the Internet as one of the most memorable in recent years, and lighting up the Twittersphere.

In Now Go Out There, a candid work of self-help for young adults, Karr explains why having your heart broken is just as—if not more—important than falling in love; why getting what you want often scares you more than not getting it; how those experiences that appear to be the worst cannot be so easily categorized; and how to cope with the setbacks that inevitably befall all of us. “Don’t make the mistake of comparing your twisted up insides to other people’s blow-dried outsides,” she cautions. “Even the most privileged person in this stadium suffers the torments of the damned just going about the business of being human.”

An ideal—and beautifully designed—graduation gift or for anyone looking for some down-to-earth life advice, Now Go Out There is destined to become a classic.

This is the tough, tender, and hilarious advice you won’t get anywhere else:

The Power of Fear: Discover why getting what you want can be more terrifying than not getting it, and how to use fear as fuel instead of letting it paralyze you.
Embracing Heartbreak: Learn why Karr believes a broken heart is more valuable than falling in love, and how setbacks are often the start of something extraordinary.
Authentic Self-Worth: A bracing reminder to stop comparing your messy inner life to everyone else’s polished exterior—because even the lucky ones are tormented.
Everyday Compassion: Find out why being curious and compassionate will, as Karr puts it, “save your ass” in ways that being smart and rich can’t.