Book Review: Hyperbole And A Half by Allie Brosh

About the book:

Title: Hyperbole and a half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened

Published: October 29th 2013 by Touchstone

Pages:  Paperback, 369 pages

Genre: Humor/Non-fiction/Graphic Novel/Comic/Memoir

Rating: 5/5

Blurb:
This is a book I wrote. Because I wrote it, I had to figure out what to put on the back cover to explain what it is. I tried to write a long, third-person summary that would imply how great the book is and also sound vaguely authoritative--like maybe someone who isn’t me wrote it--but I soon discovered that I’m not sneaky enough to pull it off convincingly. So I decided to just make a list of things that are in the book:

Pictures
Words
Stories about things that happened to me
Stories about things that happened to other people because of me
Eight billion dollars*
Stories about dogs
The secret to eternal happiness*

*These are lies. Perhaps I have underestimated my sneakiness!

About the author

Allie Brosh has enjoyed writing ever since her mom tricked her into writing a story to distract her from her immediate goal of wrapping the cat in duct-tape. She started her award-winning blog in 2009. Brosh lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband Duncan, her two dogs, and six pet rats.

Find the author here: 

My Review:

Brosh has reproduced some of the most endearing stories from the blog in this book, and the result is nothing short of hilarious.
There are a lot of things that this book is. A LOT.
It is a comic/graphic novel. Because the visual part is a huge chunk of it. It is also a memoir of sorts, because in a very simple narrative loaded with visuals, she recounts how her life has come to be. There are anecdotes hinting at the the innocence of childhood, but also at the silliness of it. And to add to the amusement, all these anecdotes are real. Even the one where a goose is an unwelcome guest in the house. (There's proof in the book, I am not biased)

The graphics are interspersed with short descriptions of what she calls 'Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened', and as if the illustrations weren't tickling enough, the words reek of sarcasm, wit and the kind of wry humor that makes you giggle until you start crying.
Crying, because if you have been in the situations that she describes, you know that the humorous take is a huge favor she is doing to the world.
Take the comics about depression, for example. I have never seen anything put into words that could accurately hit the right spots when describing what it feels like to lose drive when depressed.
Her take on it, through this enviable combination of words and illustrations is the most raw, accurate and authentic rendition of this condition. The way she puts them, makes you laugh and cry, inexplicably at the same time, and I, for one, didn't know that that was possible. Her razor wit makes the reading and all the time spent around the book so much worthwhile.
The endearing part is that her take on every anecdote is infused with a kind of subtle humor in most cases, and explicit humor in othesr, that you cannot overlook the fact that the book is called 'Hyperbole and a Half' (and so is her blog)
If you think, crying with laughter isn't a thing, read this book, for it can make you smirk, chuckle, grin, laugh, sneer, chuckle, chortle, guffaw, and laugh all the varieties of laughter there are. And of course, it is a huge plus if you have been in situations similar to those described. (Which, frankly is unlikely)

No doubt then, that this book was also the winner of the Goodread's Readers' Choice Awards.
A HUGE recommendation from me. So glad I read this book!

Links to buy the book: 

Quotes from the book:

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Book Review: Stuck in the Yuck of depression, anxiety...

About the book:
Trauma can happen to anyone. Do any of the following sound true about you? You find yourself feeling depressed. You feel hopeless, helpless and despairing. Your dreams and goals are unfulfilled. You are stuck in chaotic patterns leading you nowhere. Your life seems meaningless. If any or all of these statements apply to you, then a culprit could be unresolved trauma. Stuck in the Yuck helps you to identify your trauma. Then you can properly heal it and move forward into a happy life which you so richly deserve. Imagine a life filled with joy, laughter, fun and excitement. It could be yours if you merely heal your trauma.

Specifications:

Genre:	SELF-HELP / Personal Growth / General
Publication:	Aug 22, 2013
Pages:	67

                         Price: $14.95 (paperback)
                                    $8.00 (e-book)
About the authors:
Barbara Swicegood and Janice Turber are specially trained psychotherapists who work with traumatized individuals and families. They utilize their specialized techniques found in their book to assist people all over the world. Barbara and Janice are internationally known speakers, working in the Atlanta area, who have trained other professionals.

Book Trailer:

My review:

Traumatic experiences set into motion a wide spectrum of reactions, ranging from escapism, to substance abuse to concocted fallacious beliefs.
The book throws light on all aspects of trauma, depression and hopelessness and seeks to renew the vigor of life and hope for a better life.
The contents of the book are well-researched, the sole credit goes to the writers who are experts in the field.
The book states the facts in a lucid manner.
It is not something that will have universal appeal, for it deals with the different human emotions interspersed with examples or cases.
It delves deeper into the causes and the physiognomy of trauma, and helps people in depression or anxiety know that they are not alone, and that they can combat these crippling emotions.

It really, really is a book of hope.

Getting to the specifics, it begins with an exercise to define trauma, next it advances towards the cause and consequences of childhood trauma, the perturbation of being stuck, getting prejudiced by judgement, it explores the reasons behind this dormancy, and goes on with a comprehensive exhaustive chapter on
"Resources and information which assist in self-awareness".
This, I would say is the best part.

Also, it is not a preachy or eloquent amalgamation of words.
Rather it is complete in that it states also the techniques to help you heal, the aftermath etc.


My Judgement:
If you or your lived one is going through a difficult experience, give it a read.