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revisins's review
5.0
Give yourself permission. Learn to ask yourself and others to be vulnerable. Just...ask.
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
This book had languished in my Goodreads TBR since 2015.
A few weeks ago a friend and I went to see [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] speak and he mentioned his wife. As we left the venue, I told my friend that I did not know who Gaiman was married to. She proceeded to give me an impressive introduction to Palmer and her work.
Fast forward to last week when I suddenly remembered the book and decided to start reading it. It was an almost prescient decision as it was an acquaintance's birthday and the book offered a quote that was perfect to mark the occasion.
I put the book aside and picked it back up last night and would not have put it down, but there was a police chase that culminated two houses down--between the lights, the sirens, and the constant questioning of whether we were hearing gunshots or fireworks meant I couldn't concentrate.
Palmer was asked to write the book because of a Ted Talk she had given--a Ted Talk I've yet to listen to. In the book she recounts how her growth and her success as an artist is due to how openly she shared her life with her fans and how, as a result, they were willing to help her (also her friends and even her acquaintances) out when she needed it. Palmer also writes about how hard it was to ask her rich husband for help until one day it wasn't. She also talks openly about how she balked at having what would look to the world as a conventional/patriarchal/maybe-even-heteronormative marriage.
It's hard to convey everything Palmer tackles in the book, but she is a gifted writer in her own right; her story will draw you in and like many before you, you may even fall a bit in love with Palmer along the way.
A few weeks ago a friend and I went to see [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] speak and he mentioned his wife. As we left the venue, I told my friend that I did not know who Gaiman was married to. She proceeded to give me an impressive introduction to Palmer and her work.
Fast forward to last week when I suddenly remembered the book and decided to start reading it. It was an almost prescient decision as it was an acquaintance's birthday and the book offered a quote that was perfect to mark the occasion.
I put the book aside and picked it back up last night and would not have put it down, but there was a police chase that culminated two houses down--between the lights, the sirens, and the constant questioning of whether we were hearing gunshots or fireworks meant I couldn't concentrate.
Palmer was asked to write the book because of a Ted Talk she had given--a Ted Talk I've yet to listen to. In the book she recounts how her growth and her success as an artist is due to how openly she shared her life with her fans and how, as a result, they were willing to help her (also her friends and even her acquaintances) out when she needed it. Palmer also writes about how hard it was to ask her rich husband for help until one day it wasn't. She also talks openly about how she balked at having what would look to the world as a conventional/patriarchal/maybe-even-heteronormative marriage.
It's hard to convey everything Palmer tackles in the book, but she is a gifted writer in her own right; her story will draw you in and like many before you, you may even fall a bit in love with Palmer along the way.
legendoflaura's review
5.0
I finished reading this book when David Bowie's Memory of a Free Festival played on my computer. I was sitting on my brothers hanging porch seat, enjoying the silky warmth of an Arizona day after spending three months cooped up from the New York cold. I took a very long time to read this book. I often would read a few chapters and go back to reread. Not because I had trouble understanding them, but because Amanda's writing resonated with me in different tilts. I had been craving for that visibility by my heroes, and she has a great way of dissecting the truth and humbleness of art and being seen.
I feel seen. I feel validated. I feel loved and cared for. I feel a clarity I haven't seen in years. This book was a godsend to me, an instruction manual on how to cope with a rough go of things I've been having. Taking so long to read this book, and reading it in different emotional climates and mental mindsets was something I hadn't anticipated, but I think exacerbated the things I needed to learn. I have grown from this book and its entirely beautiful way of being real and visceral.
I feel seen. I feel validated. I feel loved and cared for. I feel a clarity I haven't seen in years. This book was a godsend to me, an instruction manual on how to cope with a rough go of things I've been having. Taking so long to read this book, and reading it in different emotional climates and mental mindsets was something I hadn't anticipated, but I think exacerbated the things I needed to learn. I have grown from this book and its entirely beautiful way of being real and visceral.
sjohnson_ty's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I wish I’d read this book 15 years ago. And every year since.
dharma130's review
1.0
Listening to The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. It’s awful. I’ve listened to about an hour of it. She narrates it herself and sings also. Not my type of self-help or motivational book. She just seems narcissistic. Leave the writing to your ex-husband, Neil Gaiman. I feel like she was just trying to self-promote, and the singing is annoying.
therealbel's review
5.0
A re-read whilst on a hiking vacation / retreat.
Amanda Palmer lays herself bare in this funny/clever/fascinating/engaging/addictive book.... A clear narrative detailing how she found herself and learned to let people support and love her.
I adore this book. It is a lesson to us all.
Amanda Palmer lays herself bare in this funny/clever/fascinating/engaging/addictive book.... A clear narrative detailing how she found herself and learned to let people support and love her.
I adore this book. It is a lesson to us all.
labunnywtf's review
5.0
If you love people enough, they’ll give you everything.
Amanda Palmer is a problematic fave.*
I actually have a lot of problematic faves. I'd like to thank Tumblr from the bottom of my heart for pointing out how so many people who have done things for my mind, heart, and soul are really really really bad people.
That is not to say that I don't acknowledge the things that make my faves problematic. Joss Whedon, not so great at diversity. John Green, Manic Pixie Dream Something. Amanda Palmer...well, the first thing to come to mind is that a beautiful, glorious friend of mine was very upset with her after Evelyn and Evelyn came out. And I would never ever ever take that away from my friend who is 800% smarter than I am, and cares about things my brain can't even begin to process.
But...I like Amanda Palmer. I do, I can't help it. I wouldn't know anything about her if it weren't for her husband. I've been a fan of Neil Gaiman for fewer years than most, only about seven years. But he is a fave of mine. I have even seen him be considered a problematic fave, which...::flails hands::
I like her music. I like that she's an unapologetic feminist. I like her taste in husbands. I like that her song "Do it With a Rockstar" reminds me of something, and "Grown Man Cry" reminds me of someone. I like that she's super fan friendly (something I value a great deal in this internet age), and I like her husband.
Did I mention I like her husband? Because as horrible as it probably is to admit, I don't think I would know who Amanda Palmer is if it weren't for her being associated with Neil Gaiman. I am grateful for that association, but the point still stands. And because I am a bigger fan of Neil's than I am of Amanda's, I can go into this book with open eyes, because a) problematic fave, b) not the number one fan. Number 700,000, absolutely.
This book is...not problematic. Not for me, at least. I skimmed over the reviews before reading it, looking for, essentially, the problematic fave bombs. She's selfish/narcissistic/pretentious/etc/etc/etc. And there were a few reviews that I tucked away in my brain, as I do with bad reviews. "This is what people don't like. What do I think?"
I didn't have the same problem.
I love this book.
This book is 2/3 self help, which I am normally not a fan of. The rest is a memoir, and I love memoirs.
I loved 100% of this book. I did. The self help parts made me cry. Because I don't ask for help. I don't take the flower, or the donut. I am embarrassed, and cry just thinking about needing to ask for help. So those parts of the book quite naturally made me bawl. I don't even know what to say about that. I don't think I will ever feel safe taking the donut.
If you're reading this review before reading the book, just hold on to the donut and flower metaphor. You'll enjoy the metaphor later.
Not that it needs to be said, but I loved reading about her life with Neil. He's very private, so this was a fun little peek into their life together. The banana/tomato/schedule thing is so something I would do with a British husband, and I was delighted by it. I wanted to quote the entire scene for the quotes section of this book, but I refrained.
I also wanted to quote her silently screaming at the guy to come back and take the flower, but that's just because I snorted with laughter at that.
The information about the Kickstarter and the backlash was extremely interesting to read. I wasn't really paying attention when all of that happened in real time, but I vaguely remember that she raised an assload of money on Kickstarter. And I have an autographed copy of Theatre is Evil, gifted by my beautiful friend after my autographed copy of "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" died during Hurricane Isaac. I am glad that disc got made, for many reasons. Not least of which is the two songs mentioned above that make me think of things and people.
She talks about the kerfluffles with honesty, and I enjoyed that a great deal. I don't come away from this book ready to go attack all of her attackers, and scream that they just don't understand. But if the time comes where I am expressing my enjoyment of her as an artist, or as a person, and someone pulls the problematic card, I will simply say I read her book, and feel comfortable being her fan, and let them know their local library probably has it, if they want to give it a shot. Because I feel she's a genuine person.
Seriously, this book is really enjoyable. I think even if you've never heard of her before, never heard her music, it's still a worthwhile read. If the parts about having the strength to take the flower don't do you in, her relationship with Anthony just might.
*If you have never had the phrase "your fave is problematic" dance before your eyes, just consider yourself lucky. Don't go looking for information, it will hurt you.
Amanda Palmer is a problematic fave.*
I actually have a lot of problematic faves. I'd like to thank Tumblr from the bottom of my heart for pointing out how so many people who have done things for my mind, heart, and soul are really really really bad people.
That is not to say that I don't acknowledge the things that make my faves problematic. Joss Whedon, not so great at diversity. John Green, Manic Pixie Dream Something. Amanda Palmer...well, the first thing to come to mind is that a beautiful, glorious friend of mine was very upset with her after Evelyn and Evelyn came out. And I would never ever ever take that away from my friend who is 800% smarter than I am, and cares about things my brain can't even begin to process.
But...I like Amanda Palmer. I do, I can't help it. I wouldn't know anything about her if it weren't for her husband. I've been a fan of Neil Gaiman for fewer years than most, only about seven years. But he is a fave of mine. I have even seen him be considered a problematic fave, which...::flails hands::
I like her music. I like that she's an unapologetic feminist. I like her taste in husbands. I like that her song "Do it With a Rockstar" reminds me of something, and "Grown Man Cry" reminds me of someone. I like that she's super fan friendly (something I value a great deal in this internet age), and I like her husband.
Did I mention I like her husband? Because as horrible as it probably is to admit, I don't think I would know who Amanda Palmer is if it weren't for her being associated with Neil Gaiman. I am grateful for that association, but the point still stands. And because I am a bigger fan of Neil's than I am of Amanda's, I can go into this book with open eyes, because a) problematic fave, b) not the number one fan. Number 700,000, absolutely.
This book is...not problematic. Not for me, at least. I skimmed over the reviews before reading it, looking for, essentially, the problematic fave bombs. She's selfish/narcissistic/pretentious/etc/etc/etc. And there were a few reviews that I tucked away in my brain, as I do with bad reviews. "This is what people don't like. What do I think?"
I didn't have the same problem.
I love this book.
This book is 2/3 self help, which I am normally not a fan of. The rest is a memoir, and I love memoirs.
I loved 100% of this book. I did. The self help parts made me cry. Because I don't ask for help. I don't take the flower, or the donut. I am embarrassed, and cry just thinking about needing to ask for help. So those parts of the book quite naturally made me bawl. I don't even know what to say about that. I don't think I will ever feel safe taking the donut.
If you're reading this review before reading the book, just hold on to the donut and flower metaphor. You'll enjoy the metaphor later.
Not that it needs to be said, but I loved reading about her life with Neil. He's very private, so this was a fun little peek into their life together. The banana/tomato/schedule thing is so something I would do with a British husband, and I was delighted by it. I wanted to quote the entire scene for the quotes section of this book, but I refrained.
I also wanted to quote her silently screaming at the guy to come back and take the flower, but that's just because I snorted with laughter at that.
The information about the Kickstarter and the backlash was extremely interesting to read. I wasn't really paying attention when all of that happened in real time, but I vaguely remember that she raised an assload of money on Kickstarter. And I have an autographed copy of Theatre is Evil, gifted by my beautiful friend after my autographed copy of "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" died during Hurricane Isaac. I am glad that disc got made, for many reasons. Not least of which is the two songs mentioned above that make me think of things and people.
She talks about the kerfluffles with honesty, and I enjoyed that a great deal. I don't come away from this book ready to go attack all of her attackers, and scream that they just don't understand. But if the time comes where I am expressing my enjoyment of her as an artist, or as a person, and someone pulls the problematic card, I will simply say I read her book, and feel comfortable being her fan, and let them know their local library probably has it, if they want to give it a shot. Because I feel she's a genuine person.
Seriously, this book is really enjoyable. I think even if you've never heard of her before, never heard her music, it's still a worthwhile read. If the parts about having the strength to take the flower don't do you in, her relationship with Anthony just might.
*If you have never had the phrase "your fave is problematic" dance before your eyes, just consider yourself lucky. Don't go looking for information, it will hurt you.
greaydean's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. I'm not entirely sure I learned how to ask, but there was definitely some freedom that she has that I will be pursuing. It is also a fairly well written story of her life. While not complete and a lot of it anecdotal, I really enjoyed reading it.
And then I went and bought some more of her music... I like it.
And then I went and bought some more of her music... I like it.
tiarala's review
5.0
I loved this book. Sometimes Amanda Palmer does and says things I disagree with, but when it comes to advice as an artist, a creator, a freelancer, she's top notch. It brought me to tears and inspired me to put myself out there a little bit more creatively. I "read" this with the audiobook and can't recommend it highly enough.