I don't like leaving a bad review, so this isn't really a bad review. This is more a bad review to the people pitching this book to buyers as the funniest book of the year.
I was looking for a funny book, because I was feeling low and needed to laugh. I bought the book because it said it was incredibly funny, and people were in bits over it. However, I realised quickly that this book, as childlike as the drawings were, and as funny as the narrative was meant to be, was a story about a woman who has had deep and serious struggles in life. The part about the dogs might be a bit amusing, but on a whole this is not 'ha ha' funny. It addresses mental illness in a way that most people might be able to relate, or at least understand what is going on. One episode spelled out in clear text what depression really is. It is a well written book, and I did finish it in one sitting. I loved the seriousness of it, the honesty behind it, the bravery of telling that story, but it was not a funny book.
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened Paperback – 31 October 2013
by
Alexandra Brosh
(Author)
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Product details
- ASIN : 0224095374
- Language : English
- Paperback : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780224095372
- ISBN-13 : 978-0224095372
-
Best Sellers Rank:
6,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 123 in Humor
- Customer reviews:
Product description
Review
A hilarious collection ― Mashable
Will certainly help you, should you perhaps decide to indulge in a spot of “self-gifting” in this instance, survive Christmas with your more crazed relatives -- Rachel Cooke ― Observer
Fantastic, hilarious, emotional ― Mayaland
You may have to push this book away for fear you'll hurt yourself laughing, but its wisdom and humanity – no hyperbole here – are too magnetic to keep at bay for long -- Mary Pols ― People Magazine
Honest, poignant and ridiculously silly in all the best ways and I'm better for having read it. Plus, doggies! ― Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess
Will certainly help you, should you perhaps decide to indulge in a spot of “self-gifting” in this instance, survive Christmas with your more crazed relatives -- Rachel Cooke ― Observer
Fantastic, hilarious, emotional ― Mayaland
You may have to push this book away for fear you'll hurt yourself laughing, but its wisdom and humanity – no hyperbole here – are too magnetic to keep at bay for long -- Mary Pols ― People Magazine
Honest, poignant and ridiculously silly in all the best ways and I'm better for having read it. Plus, doggies! ― Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess
About the Author
Allie Brosh has enjoyed writing ever since her mother 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. Visit HyperboleAndAHalf.blogspot.com.
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Most helpful customer reviews on Amazon.com
Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars
3,872 reviews

Silje
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not really funny...but good.
14 August 2018 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase
136 people found this helpful

Scott Slemmons
5.0 out of 5 stars
Allie Brosh's Genius Cartoons
21 July 2017 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase
Some of you may be familiar with Allie Brosh's much beloved website, also called "Hyperbole & a Half." It featured lots of amazing tales and amazing artwork. She specializes in pants-wettingly funny essays, accompanied by her equally hilarious semi-primitive artwork — and the occasional extremely sad story, which often ends up being fairly funny, too. She has a great grasp of the way comedy can be found in tragedy.
She wrote this book, some of it taken from her website, and some of it all new material. There are a few old favorites, like “The God of Cake” and “The Party,” and there are quite a few that are completely new — the full story of her hopelessly crazy Helper Dog, Allie’s letters from (and to) her 10-year-old self, getting lost in the woods with her mom and sister, and plenty more.
It’s not all silly stuff, though. The book also includes her lengthy essay on what it’s like to be depressed, as well as her thoughts on perception and identity — and the nature of thought itself. But even then, Allie has a strong sense of the way life’s most serious moments still end up being surreal and unexpected — so they’re still pretty silly. This is in no way a bad thing.
Let’s talk about the art first. It looks really goofy and crude. No human looks like that, with the stick arms and cone hair. But it ain’t crude at all. Yeah, it’s designed to look like it was done in MSPaint — but Brosh spends a lot of time tweaking the art to make sure it looks right. And it’s got a lot of sophistication hidden behind the primitive exterior — there’s a lot of emotion and unexpected detail. If she’s making the art in MSPaint — well, she’s really good at making art in MSPaint, ain’t she?
The book is very funny. You will find stories in here that will make you laugh ’til you need new underwear. But her essays on depression are some of the most heart-breaking things you’ll ever read — and also the most insightful and educational. I feel like I have a much greater understanding of what an absolute hell it must be to go through that, and I know now not to say a lot of the things I used to say. Her “dead fish” analogy should be required reading for anyone who has friends or family who are depressed.
If you love amazing humor and goofball cartoons, you should get this book. If you like a little seriousness with your comedy, you should get this book.
She wrote this book, some of it taken from her website, and some of it all new material. There are a few old favorites, like “The God of Cake” and “The Party,” and there are quite a few that are completely new — the full story of her hopelessly crazy Helper Dog, Allie’s letters from (and to) her 10-year-old self, getting lost in the woods with her mom and sister, and plenty more.
It’s not all silly stuff, though. The book also includes her lengthy essay on what it’s like to be depressed, as well as her thoughts on perception and identity — and the nature of thought itself. But even then, Allie has a strong sense of the way life’s most serious moments still end up being surreal and unexpected — so they’re still pretty silly. This is in no way a bad thing.
Let’s talk about the art first. It looks really goofy and crude. No human looks like that, with the stick arms and cone hair. But it ain’t crude at all. Yeah, it’s designed to look like it was done in MSPaint — but Brosh spends a lot of time tweaking the art to make sure it looks right. And it’s got a lot of sophistication hidden behind the primitive exterior — there’s a lot of emotion and unexpected detail. If she’s making the art in MSPaint — well, she’s really good at making art in MSPaint, ain’t she?
The book is very funny. You will find stories in here that will make you laugh ’til you need new underwear. But her essays on depression are some of the most heart-breaking things you’ll ever read — and also the most insightful and educational. I feel like I have a much greater understanding of what an absolute hell it must be to go through that, and I know now not to say a lot of the things I used to say. Her “dead fish” analogy should be required reading for anyone who has friends or family who are depressed.
If you love amazing humor and goofball cartoons, you should get this book. If you like a little seriousness with your comedy, you should get this book.
67 people found this helpful

Ana Mardoll
5.0 out of 5 stars
You Need This Book
14 September 2017 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase
Hyperbole and a Half / B00BSB2AE4
If I could purchase this book for literally every human I know, I would. The book is funny, sure, and it's easy enough to see that from the free material on Allie's website. Her drawing style is awesome, her storytelling is hilarious, and her sense of humanity is funny and poignant all at once. There's funny material and stories in here that you haven't seen before and that alone is worth the cost of admission.
But what is really special about this book is the raw humanity Allie brings to the page. She talks beautifully about depression in a way that resonates deeply with me. The essays about how she beats herself up for not being a truly good, pure, perfectly-motivated altruistic person hit so close to home for me. She talks about feeling like a terrible human being because she's motivated by selfish reasons like "don't do a bad thing because it will make me a bad person" or "be nice because I want people to like me" or "follow this convention to avoid social consequences". I know those feels--the feeling that everyone else is good but you're a dirty faker because you're doing "good" things for the "wrong" reasons. Reading Allie's words made me feel less alone and a little less hard on myself.
This book is good and you will laugh and probably cry.
~ Ana Mardoll
If I could purchase this book for literally every human I know, I would. The book is funny, sure, and it's easy enough to see that from the free material on Allie's website. Her drawing style is awesome, her storytelling is hilarious, and her sense of humanity is funny and poignant all at once. There's funny material and stories in here that you haven't seen before and that alone is worth the cost of admission.
But what is really special about this book is the raw humanity Allie brings to the page. She talks beautifully about depression in a way that resonates deeply with me. The essays about how she beats herself up for not being a truly good, pure, perfectly-motivated altruistic person hit so close to home for me. She talks about feeling like a terrible human being because she's motivated by selfish reasons like "don't do a bad thing because it will make me a bad person" or "be nice because I want people to like me" or "follow this convention to avoid social consequences". I know those feels--the feeling that everyone else is good but you're a dirty faker because you're doing "good" things for the "wrong" reasons. Reading Allie's words made me feel less alone and a little less hard on myself.
This book is good and you will laugh and probably cry.
~ Ana Mardoll
42 people found this helpful

abby
5.0 out of 5 stars
Laugh Out Loud (For Real!) Funny
14 March 2017 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase
I am an ugly laugher. This is something I didn't know about myself until I read this book. This is the type of book that's not merely amusing or funny in the way of smart satire. No, Brosh's brand of humorous life observation, coupled with her rough but charming illustrations, will have you clutching your side, desperate for air. My husband banned me from reading this book at night because my hysterics woke him up, and I got a lecture about REM cycles and proper adult bedtimes (incidentally, my husband is a fully-functioning grown up and not the target audience for this book). Despite the author's questionable life choice to be a dog person, I felt like I could relate to everything in this book. And I also found it empowering in a way. Being a superstar adult is not for everyone, and whether or not it was the author's intentions, I feel a little better about it after reading this book.
24 people found this helpful