Title: The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help
Author: Amanda Palmer
Publisher: Hachette Books 2014
Genre: Nonfiction
Pages: 337
Rating: 5/5 stars
Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W3; OLW Home
Rock star, crowdfunding pioneer, and TED speaker Amanda Palmer knows all about asking. Performing as a living statue in a wedding dress, she wordlessly asked thousands of passersby for their dollars. When she became a singer, songwriter, and musician, she was not afraid to ask her audience to support her as she surfed the crowd (and slept on their couches while touring). And when she left her record label to strike out on her own, she asked her fans to support her in making an album, leading to the world's most successful music Kickstarter.
Even while Amanda is both celebrated and attacked for her fearlessness in asking for help, she finds that there are important things she cannot ask for-as a musician, as a friend, and as a wife. She learns that she isn't alone in this, that so many people are afraid to ask for help, and it paralyzes their lives and relationships. In this groundbreaking book, she explores these barriers in her own life and in the lives of those around her, and discovers the emotional, philosophical, and practical aspects of THE ART OF ASKING.
I'm not sure where to start with this book. It was an amazing read, but I feel like I'm still processing a lot of the ideas and concepts. I've been a fan of Amanda Palmer since "Coin Operated Boy." This book gave me insight into who she is and why she does what she does. Not just the music, but the social connections, the media, the side projects. I loved learning more about her. That part of the book I got. The larger scope of the book about asking and human nature, I'm still processing. I think this is one of those books that I will have to read a few times to truly understand everything. An amazing project that will stay on my shelves for years to come.
As an added bonus, here's Amanda's TED talk: