Fly is a handy compendium of all the things I should have learned in high school but didn’t. Written by wife-and-husband team Marlies and Jai Hobbs, who possess an extensive background in law, business and parenthood, the book is a detailed guide to all the confusing aspects of adult life.

Topics include what to expect from your first job, buying a car, how to budget and maintain a credit record, how to rent responsibly, how to invest or start a business, and even how to protect yourself from hardship. Even complicated money stuff like franking credits or interest are explained in an in-depth but easy to read and understand way. There’s the occasional graph, table or infographic for those more visual learners.

The final chapter also contains some great tips for goal setting and generally keeping a positive mindset when things don’t go your way. That’s the best thing about Fly – it doesn’t coddle the reader into believing nothing bad will ever happen to them, but instead gives them the tools so that when things do take a turn for the worse, they will know why and how to bounce back.

This book would be perfect for late high school students, but also carries enough useful info that people in their early twenties would benefit from. At nearly a quarter of a century old, I was able to understand many financial things that I previously had no idea about. People of any age are sure to learn something from this book.

Reviewed by Max Lewis
Age Guide 13+