If you’ve ever wondered what life might look like without kids, not just in vague, brunch-on-a-Sunday ways, but in deeply practical, brutally honest terms, this book lays it out, loud and unapologetic. Why You Should Never EVER Have Children is part manifesto, part memoir, and part hilarious rant, arguing that skipping parenthood is the cheat code to a richer, freer, and far more satisfying life. The author pulls no punches. He tackles everything from money and time to body changes and social life, and he does it with wit, boldness, and a dentist’s precision for cutting right to the nerve.

The writing is sharp, funny, and biting in the best way. I laughed out loud more than a few times, mostly because the author says what many are too scared to admit. In the intro, he compares the lack of anti-parenting books to the overflowing wealth of titles on “pottery glazing” and “Japanese gardens,” and you immediately know: this guy isn’t here to coddle anyone. The chapter on finances hit me hardest. When he breaks down the raw cost of raising kids in the UK £380,000 for two, not counting opportunity costs, you can feel the years of compound interest slipping through your fingers. His personal anecdotes bring real weight, like when he casually mentions retiring at 49 while his friends are still tied to mortgages and teen drama. It’s one thing to drop stats; it’s another to drop the mic on your actual life.

What really surprised me was how emotionally charged the book is beneath all the snark. Sure, he’s railing against parenthood, but there’s something deeper here, freedom, identity, the power to choose your own damn life without apology. When he walks through his daily routine, early coffee, gym, writing, lunch at the pub, you almost want to cry out of envy. Or maybe just pack a bag and run. There’s even a moment in the “Time” chapter where he compares the joy of early retirement to having eight years of “great days” crammed into one. That stuck with me. It’s not just that parenthood is hard. It’s that choosing not to be a parent opens doors that most people didn’t even know existed.

That said, the tone won’t be for everyone. It’s pointed. It’s occasionally savage. Some of the arguments, especially around women’s bodies and the physical costs of childbirth, tread a fine line between honesty and brutal oversimplification. But that’s the thing: the author knows he’s being biased, and he owns it. He even admits the book is a deliberate counterweight to the overwhelming pro-parenting narrative. So, if you’re already clutching your pearls, this probably isn’t the book for you. But if you’re even slightly on the fence about having kids or just curious about life on the other side, it’s absolutely worth the ride.

I’d recommend Why You Should Never EVER Have Children to anyone questioning the default life path. Young adults, newlyweds, late bloomers, and even tired parents wonder what they missed. It’s bold, insightful, funny as hell, and whether you agree or not, you’ll walk away thinking hard about what you want from your one wild and precious life.