Title: Hyperbole and a Half

Author: Allie Brosh

Publisher: Touchstone 2013

Genre: Graphic novel; Memoir

Pages: 384

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Mount TBR; Bingo -- 5 from 2013; 52 Books -- W48; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

FROM THE AUTHOR: 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!

I have followed Brosh's blog for awhile now and always find myself moved by her posts.  Her raw honesty cuts right to my soul.  (Okay, that sentence sounded a bit crazy, but it's completely true).  I may not have her specific problems, but I think everyone can relate to believing themselves to be crazy and fucked up every once in a while.  It's nice to have that reaffirmation.  And it's wonderful to follow Brosh's stories in and out of the crazy in her life.  While reading, I laughed quietly to myself and loudly to everyone.  I teared up on my occasions.  I also found myself shaking my head in agreement to some of her more introspective stories.  This may look like a fun little collection of stories with illustrations, but it's so much more.  Brosh stands stripped bare before the reader allowing them to see all her flaws and all her beauty.  This is a must read!