Hyperbole and a Half // Allie Brosh

“Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened ” ; a full-color graphic novel based on the eponymous webcomic.

So, I'm about two weeks out from graduating with my MLS, which means I actually have time to read books again! And look for a job. And let's be honest, TV too. I've been re-watching Star Trek and blogging that -- more reactions than reviews -- which inspired me to do the same for the books I read. I've never tried before, so we'll see.

I'll start with something I read fairly recently, and really loved: Hyperbole and a Half, a graphic novel (sort of) by Allie Brosh. Check out her blog (same idea, same name). If you spent any amount of time on the internet, you've probably encountered at least some of Brosh's work. The Alot is extremely popular, and her (clean) ALL the things! image is a pretty popular meme. Her work doesn't really look like a traditional graphic novel: it's definitely a web comic style of illustration, with chunky sort-of-stick-figures. It works.

She writes stories based on her life: her childhood, adulthood (mostly her dogs), and even her experience with depression. But these aren't your run-of-the-mill trips down memory lane. How do I put it nicely? She's NUTS. In the best of ways. She has this twisted, unique outlook on life - not at all dark, just... special. And honest. At times, incredibly insightful. I've never experienced depression, but I've heard many people say that hers was the most accurate description of depression they've ever encountered. I know that I found it very empathetic, and (I'm not sure how) still incredibly funny. But if you're not interested in reading about depression, please don't let that turn you off from her work; it's just another topic she turns her unique attention to, right next to the simple dog and the Alot.

I'll be honest: there are some duplicated stories from her blog, and she definitely has some blog posts that are funnier. You won't meet the Alot in her book, either (and yes, a lot of people are complaining.) But it was absolutely worth reading.