4.5★s
488 Rules for Life: The Thankless Art of Being Correct is a non-fiction book by Australian comedian, Kitty Flanagan. This is a book born of a throwaway comment on TV program, The Weekly, about Jordan Peterson’s book, 12 Rules for Life. Flanagan says even she was surprised at how many rules she has. And here they are, organised into sections for easy perusal.

This is laugh-out-loud funny and readers should be especially warned against listening on public transport where uncontrollable giggles and guffaws might disturb other travellers. Also eating/drinking whilst reading parts of this may result in mishap, and readers with continence issues may want to take extra precautions.

Many of Flanagan’s rules will resonate with readers, although some might be a little contentious or at least thought-provoking. The narration by the author is, of course, excellent and she provides some extra content or amends/edits some rules, but anyone who has seen Flanagan on TV will have her voice running through their head when reading the print version. And the print version has the added bonus of clever illustrations by Tohby Riddle.

Personal favourites for this reviewer are:
GENERAL HUSE RULES: 2 Football jerseys are not art. Don’t frame them. And definitely don’t hang them on the wall.
THE BATHROOM: 14 Do not leave one square of toilet paper on the roll 20 No phone calls in the toilet.
THE KITCHEN: 23 Flog the dishwasher until it does the job properly.

EXERCISE GEAR: 37 Men must wear shorts over leggings. The gym is no place for people to discover whether or not you are circumcised. That’s a private discussion for another place and time.
KIDS TODAY: 87 Curb your use of the word “like”
DINING OUT: 150 Be polite to waitstaff. 154 Respect the non-drinker at the table. 155 Don’t punish the vegetarian.

ONLINE DATING RULES – FOR MEN: 196 Don’t list loving your kids as an attribute.
GENERAL PARENTING RULES: 216 Reserve the phrase “good job” for something worthwhile.
TATTOOS: 259 No butterfly or dolphin tattoos. This is because as your body sags and spreads you’ll soon find yourself sporting a dirty old moth in place of the butterfly, and where you once had a majestic dolphin leaping across your deltoid now there’s a sad, lumpy creature that looks more like a dugong.

ATTENTION, SUPERMARKET SHOPPERS: 300 Don’t be sucked in by this week’s “special buy” at Aldi. 301 Don’t collect plastic rubbish at the checkout. Supermarkets can call these things “collectables” but what they really mean is “useless bits of shit”. I can guarantee your limited edition set of miniature groceries will never appear on a future episode of Antiques Roadshow.

SOCIAL MEDIA: 329 Nobody wants to sign your change.org petition.
SPECIAL RULES FOR FOOTBALLERS: 361 Never assume a woman wants to have sex with you.
THE ZOO: 425 Birds plus a farm animal does not maketh a zoo.
THE FINAL RULE 447 Lower your expectations, that way you can never be disappointed.

Hugely entertaining.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Publishers.