Hyperbole and a Half

There are many ways to get recommendations for new books. One of my favorites is through the Provo City Library's blogs. Libraries are amazing; if you're not familiar with your local library, check it out--either in person or peruse their website. You might be surprised at what you find.

I especially like checking the library's reviews because the librarians read everything, and sometimes I want to read something a little outside my norm. And that is where I found Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh.

Hyperbole and a half apparently started as a webcomic/blog. Then because of the blogs success, the book was published. The book is a collection of stories, often hilarious, from various points in the author's life as well as her ruminations on how she's dealt with depression, not hilarious, and her own self-discovery.

The book starts strong. I was laughing to tears by page 30, and considering the amount of drawings involved, there is much less than 30 pages worth of text. The combination of how she expresses herself in writing and in her simplistic comics is amazing. I loved it.

While the hilarious stories were my favorite part of this book, I also thought the author's introspection was worthwhile, and there were many times where her descriptions hit pretty close to home. She put on paper things I've thought, but I'm not sure I'd ever have the courage to say. Overall, it was an enjoyable, quick read.